Building Maintenance: Air Conditioning: Difference between revisions

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The Air Conditioning subsystem of [[Ascendancy Point]] was purposely crashed by [[Cubehunters]] in July, 2005.  The crash affected other subsystems, and caused the system to randomly print [[Ascendancy Point Residents|resident data]].  This data, combined with data obtained from the building's [[Disaster Maintenance: Heat Sensors|Heat Sensors]], allowed the Cubehunters to discover the identity of the [[Advisor]].


==Technical Details==


Air Conditioning is just one of the subsystems in [[Ascendancy Point]]'s central neural system.  Yes, ''neural''--the building's systems are run by a weak AI.  Subsystems are interconnected, so that no one system acts on its own.  See [[Eclipse Security]] for more technical details about the system.


The Air Conditioning subsystem includes both cooling fans and heaters.  Cooling fans tend to have more efficient output than the heaters.  Temperature sensors are located throughout the building.  The stability of the subsystem is fragile, and directly related to the temperature within the building; if all temperature sensors have readings other than 12 degrees, the system will crash.


==System Access==


The subsystem is accessible via a back door installed by the [[Advisor]]. NOTE: while you can still log into the Eclipse Security System using the information below, access to the air conditioning subsystem itself has now been denied (confirmed on 30-SEP-06; original date of denial unknown).


'''CRASH IT TODAY, SUNDAY, 21:30 GMT IT IS VITAL YOU CRASH THE PROGRAM... VITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!'''
'''URL:''' ''http://ascendancypoint.com/eclipsesecurity/building/ac/''


'''Username:''' ''theadvisor''


'''Password:''' ''thelimelife''


==The Puzzle==


[[Cubehunters]] used the Air Conditioning interface to obtain a list of [[Ascendancy Point Residents]], which eventually led to the discovery of the [[Advisor]]'s identity.  Here's how the puzzle played out.


===Background Information===


[[Pietro Salk]], journalist for the [[Sentinel]], was investigating the murder of [[Bernardo Holyoke]].  He lapsed into a coma, only to awaken one night to feverish work on a puzzle ([[Pietro's Maze]]).  That puzzle led to the discovery of [[Salklogs.doc]], a collection of email correspondance between Salk and a mysterious person calling herself the [[Advisor]] who claimed that she was hired to [[Theft|steal the cube]]. 


----
Through the [[Salklogs.doc|logs]], the [[Cubehunters]] discovered that the Advisor had installed a back door in the Eclipse Security System, which let them access the Air Conditioning and [[Disaster Maintenance: Heat Sensors|Heat Sensors]] subsystems.  See [[Eclipse Security]] for more information on how access to the systems was gained.


===Accessing the Air Conditioning Systems===


While working on the [[Heat Sensors#Puzzle|Heat Sensors Puzzle]], the following system notice appeared on the Eclipse Security website:


This page is in reference to the A.C. systems at [[Ascendancy Point]].
{{quote}}
'''26th August 268:'''
Repairs to the air conditioning system are currently underway and most problems have been resolved. However, if you are operating any of the AC subsystems manually, you may experience interruptions or business data leaks during periods when regular maintenance is being carried out by technicians in the server rooms.


See also: [[Disaster Maintenance: Heat Sensors]]
'''30th August 268:'''
We are testing a new live technical support facility with automatic configuration based on user location. '''This facility will be available for testing on Wednesday 31st August from 5:20pm to 7pm BST.'''
|} <!--end quote-->


Business data?  Hmm... sounds important!  Next step: gaining access to the Air Conditioning subsystem.  Cubehunters called the live technical support line during the designated times.  A [http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12199 variety of methods] were used in an attempt to gain access (some attempts were quite humourous).  [[User:Puzzled_Pineapple]] succeeded by posing as The [[Advisor]], and was told that access to the Air Conditioning systems would be granted within 48 hours.


== Location ==
===Crashing the Air Conditioning System===
The [[Advisor]] installed a back door, as stated in [[Salklogs.doc]], allowing access to "Ascendency Point [[Disaster Maintenance: Heat Sensors]]."  Access was attained by [[User:Puzzled_Pineapple|Puzzled Pineapple]], who posed as The [[Advisor]].  Many other people attempted to gain access as well.  Most commonly people were directed to [[Alex Mitchell]] and [[Rajiv Warner]] and a mysterious t980 form.  [[User:Puzzled_Pineapple|Puzzled Pineapple]] was informed the Air Conditioning system should be available "within 48 hours."


'''URL:''' ''http://ascendancypoint.com/eclipsesecurity/building/ac/''
Once access to the Air Conditioning subsystem was obtained, Cubehunters quickly learned to crash the system by making the temperature go above or below 12 degrees.  Here's an example of what the system looked like when it crashed:


'''Username:''' ''theadvisor''
<center>[[Image:Ac_crash_small.PNG]]</center>


'''Password:''' ''thelimelife''
Some important notes about the system:


== Usage/Facts ==
* This is a randomly created simulator of internal climate control systems.
* This is a randomly created simulator of internal climate control systems.
* It is not actual data from within [[Ascendancy Point]]; it is only a test environment.
* It is not actual data from within [[Ascendancy Point]]; it is only a test environment.
Line 38: Line 55:
* Usually Cooling fans have more efficient output than heaters.
* Usually Cooling fans have more efficient output than heaters.


* Between 21:30 and 22:00 GMT (10:30pm and 11:00pm BST), Each time the system crashes, it becomes possible for us to see the Name, Floor No. and Room No. of one resident of [[Ascendancy Point]]
Most of the time, crashing the system yielded no pertinent information.  According to the system notice, though, data leaks may occur during periods when regular maintenance is being carried out by technicians in the server rooms.  By monitoring the security systems during the [[Heat Sensors#Puzzle|Heat Sensors Puzzle]], we determined that the regular maintenance windows were between 21:30 and 22:00 GMT (10:30pm and 11:00pm BST), Sunday, Friday and Wednesday.  Crashing the system during those times yielded the Name, Floor No. and Room No. of one resident of [[Ascendancy Point]].  The full list of residents names discovered during the system crashes can be seen here:  [[Ascendancy Point Residents]].  Note that this is just a small portion of the many, many inhabitants of [[Ascendancy Point]].
 
===Discoveries===
 
By crashing the system, we found a partial listing of [[Ascendancy Point Residents]].  Combining this data with the data obtained from the [[Heat Sensors#Puzzle|Heat Sensors Puzzle]], we learned that the Advisor was [[PCBC]] consulting economist [[Monica Grand]].


==References==
'''Websites'''
* Eclipse Security main site {{WaybackS1|www.ascendancypoint.com/eclipsesecurity/}}
* Eclipse Security Building Maintenance {{WaybackS1|www.ascendancypoint.com/eclipsesecurity/building/}}


[[Image:Ac_crash_small.PNG]]
'''UnForums threads'''
* [http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12126 Eclipse Security Login]
* [http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12142 Eclipse Security System notices]
* [http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12199 Eclipse Security System - Live Tech Help Phone]
* [http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12202 Eclipse Security - Air Conditioning Access]


The above is a print screen of a program crash when the server maintenance is not being carried out (ie. when the program crashes NOT at the specified time)
'''Sentinel Articles'''
*'''''See: [[Ascendancy Point Residents]]'''''
**More Headlines: 13-APR-05 "False Alarm at Ascendancy"
**article, 05-JUL-05 "Ascendancy Point Riddled with Problems" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/07/ascendancy_poin.html}}
**article, 25-JUL-05 "[[Ascendancy Point|Ascendancy]] Shamed" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/07/ascendancy_sham.html}}
**article, 05-SEP-05 "[[Ascendancy Point|Point]]'s Problems Reaching Resolution" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/09/points_problems.html}}
**article, 19-SEP-05 "[[PCBC]] [[Monica Grand|Economist]] Found Murdered in [[Ascendancy Point|Point]] Dwelling" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/09/pcbc_economist.html}}
**article, 22-SEP-05 "[[Iona Rodie|Iona]] Interviews... [[Alasandro Mere]]" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/09/iona_interviews_6.html}}
**article, 03-JUL-06 "[[Ascendancy Point Residents]] File Suit for [[Eclipse Security|Security Breaches]]" {{WaybackS1|www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2006/07/ascendancy_poin_1.html}}


== Maps ==
[[Category:Ascendancy Point]]
* Each system map, being a simulation, is generated randomly.  So there are no maps.
[[Category:Puzzles]]

Latest revision as of 22:13, 14 May 2007

The Air Conditioning subsystem of Ascendancy Point was purposely crashed by Cubehunters in July, 2005. The crash affected other subsystems, and caused the system to randomly print resident data. This data, combined with data obtained from the building's Heat Sensors, allowed the Cubehunters to discover the identity of the Advisor.

Technical Details

Air Conditioning is just one of the subsystems in Ascendancy Point's central neural system. Yes, neural--the building's systems are run by a weak AI. Subsystems are interconnected, so that no one system acts on its own. See Eclipse Security for more technical details about the system.

The Air Conditioning subsystem includes both cooling fans and heaters. Cooling fans tend to have more efficient output than the heaters. Temperature sensors are located throughout the building. The stability of the subsystem is fragile, and directly related to the temperature within the building; if all temperature sensors have readings other than 12 degrees, the system will crash.

System Access

The subsystem is accessible via a back door installed by the Advisor. NOTE: while you can still log into the Eclipse Security System using the information below, access to the air conditioning subsystem itself has now been denied (confirmed on 30-SEP-06; original date of denial unknown).

URL: http://ascendancypoint.com/eclipsesecurity/building/ac/

Username: theadvisor

Password: thelimelife

The Puzzle

Cubehunters used the Air Conditioning interface to obtain a list of Ascendancy Point Residents, which eventually led to the discovery of the Advisor's identity. Here's how the puzzle played out.

Background Information

Pietro Salk, journalist for the Sentinel, was investigating the murder of Bernardo Holyoke. He lapsed into a coma, only to awaken one night to feverish work on a puzzle (Pietro's Maze). That puzzle led to the discovery of Salklogs.doc, a collection of email correspondance between Salk and a mysterious person calling herself the Advisor who claimed that she was hired to steal the cube.

Through the logs, the Cubehunters discovered that the Advisor had installed a back door in the Eclipse Security System, which let them access the Air Conditioning and Heat Sensors subsystems. See Eclipse Security for more information on how access to the systems was gained.

Accessing the Air Conditioning Systems

While working on the Heat Sensors Puzzle, the following system notice appeared on the Eclipse Security website:

26th August 268: Repairs to the air conditioning system are currently underway and most problems have been resolved. However, if you are operating any of the AC subsystems manually, you may experience interruptions or business data leaks during periods when regular maintenance is being carried out by technicians in the server rooms.

30th August 268: We are testing a new live technical support facility with automatic configuration based on user location. This facility will be available for testing on Wednesday 31st August from 5:20pm to 7pm BST.

Business data? Hmm... sounds important! Next step: gaining access to the Air Conditioning subsystem. Cubehunters called the live technical support line during the designated times. A variety of methods were used in an attempt to gain access (some attempts were quite humourous). User:Puzzled_Pineapple succeeded by posing as The Advisor, and was told that access to the Air Conditioning systems would be granted within 48 hours.

Crashing the Air Conditioning System

Once access to the Air Conditioning subsystem was obtained, Cubehunters quickly learned to crash the system by making the temperature go above or below 12 degrees. Here's an example of what the system looked like when it crashed:

Ac crash small.PNG

Some important notes about the system:

  • This is a randomly created simulator of internal climate control systems.
  • It is not actual data from within Ascendancy Point; it is only a test environment.
  • It does however link to data within the point like the usual systems and so can experience bugs
  • If all temperature sensors get above or below 12 degrees, the system will crash.
  • Usually Cooling fans have more efficient output than heaters.

Most of the time, crashing the system yielded no pertinent information. According to the system notice, though, data leaks may occur during periods when regular maintenance is being carried out by technicians in the server rooms. By monitoring the security systems during the Heat Sensors Puzzle, we determined that the regular maintenance windows were between 21:30 and 22:00 GMT (10:30pm and 11:00pm BST), Sunday, Friday and Wednesday. Crashing the system during those times yielded the Name, Floor No. and Room No. of one resident of Ascendancy Point. The full list of residents names discovered during the system crashes can be seen here: Ascendancy Point Residents. Note that this is just a small portion of the many, many inhabitants of Ascendancy Point.

Discoveries

By crashing the system, we found a partial listing of Ascendancy Point Residents. Combining this data with the data obtained from the Heat Sensors Puzzle, we learned that the Advisor was PCBC consulting economist Monica Grand.

References

Websites

  • Eclipse Security main site link
  • Eclipse Security Building Maintenance link

UnForums threads

Sentinel Articles

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