Mark of Death

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History of ID Hacking

  The first RFID implants had horrendous security and were quickly phased out within the year of there adoption. The second set came with high-end encryption, the keys of which were provided to government agencies for safekeeping and to update a person's information should the need arise. But even this proved a failure as smaller governments prone to corruption quickly leaked the keys for quick cash and so a new plan was developed. The third iteration of RFID implants was run by a completely independent organization, devoid of government influence. The organization, named the International Identity Agency (later Galactic Identity Agency or GIA) developed their own crypto-security system for the implants, as well as different levels of clearances for accessing the data on-board the RFID implant. The GIA continues to provide RFIDs to many systems, though there are some areas in the galaxy that prefer not to have machines inserted into their bodies.

The Virus

  The "Mark of Death" virus is a hidden piece of code slipped into the RFID of a target of assassination. The process of getting the virus onto someone's RFID would normally require securing a crypto-key from either a government agency, which the Syndicate could do easily, or from the GIA themselves. Unfortunately for the populace, the current firmware for the RFID implants left a small amount of empty space for temporary information, like where someone has been scanned, and hackers have taken advantage of this to slip a virus aboard. The virus doesn't affect the information on the RFID and is invisible to normal scans, but with the right radio frequency key, the chip will respond with an image; a black skull.

The Install

  The process of installing the virus on the RFID of the target is not near as complicated as it might sound. The real difficulty comes from doing so without drawing suspicion. RFID chips can only be scanned within around 30cm, and some targets are extremely unapproachable. An effective workaround to this has been for the Syndicate to take advantage of pre-established checkpoints, either paying off workers or using their well-known blackmail tactics, and using their systems to install marks. In the unlikely event the target doesn't have an RFID implant, one may be "provided" for them on their clothing or in a pocket.

The Hit

  Once the virus is installed, the target is listed on a private server hosted by the Syndicate where hitmen can view all potential hits. The target will have a bio including a brief description, habits, and general security practices. A hitman will travel to the location of the target, scan their RFID to guarantee identity, and then execute. Once the person has been confirmed deceased, either by scanning their RFID after their death or once they have been updated within government databases, the assassin will be paid. Hitmen tend not to stick around after they kill a mark, unless in an extremely isolated area, therefor there is usually a short waiting period between the kill and contract completion.