Hacking is a new mechanic introduced in the Penumbra DLC, which allows you to hack systems for special effects.
Hacking Operations[]
Offensive Programs[]
| Hacking Operation | Cost | Effect | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerator | 15 
|
+30% Hacking Speed | Eukaryotic Sap |
| Piggyback | 15
|
-30% Bandwidth Cost on Hacking Programs | Baryonic Shielding |
| Overload | 20
|
+10% Bandwidth Cost on Hacking Programs for Enemies | Wave Function Control |
| Divert | 20
|
Change the target or path of a Hacking Operation | Graviton Research |
Defensive Programs[]
| Hacking Operation | Cost | Effect | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encrypt | 15
|
-50% Enemy Hacking Speed
Removes any detected Backdoors |
default |
| Interrogate | 20
|
+30% Bandwidth Cost on Enemy Hacking Programs
Removes any detected Backdoors |
Wave Function Control |
| Lockdown | 20
|
-25% Enemy Hacking Speed
Blocks hostile hacking operations from creating backdoors Removes any detected Backdoors |
Graviton Research |
| Firewall | 30
|
Blocks hacking outcomes of level 1
Removes any detected Backdoors |
Dimensional Folding |
| Track | 30
|
Tracks progress of hacking operations passing through this node
Removes any detected Backdoors |
Dimensional Folding |
In-game Representation[]
Offensive Programs[]
Accelerator
Offensive Hacking Program
Diverting part of your Bandwidth to the networks used for the hack will allow them to work more efficiently, or at least sort out kitten pictures much faster.
On your Hacking Ops transiting:
+30% 
Cost:
15
Piggyback
Offensive Hacking Program
Piggyback on the existing infrastructure located at this node—natural or artificial—to reduce the Bandwidth costs of any offensive programs used in this operation.
When hacking this node:
-30% Bandwidth cost on Hacking Programs
Cost:
15
Overload
Offensive Hacking Program
Flooding the target node's networks with undecipherable noise means the Bandwidth cot of defender's programs escalates, causing widespread data and communication errors.
Effects on this node:
+10% Bandwidth cost for all enemy Programs on this System while your Hacking Op is on-going
Cost:
20
Divert
Offensive Hacking Program
Discovered a more pressing target for your hack? No problem. Use this program to change the target of your Hacking Operation.
Effects:
Change the target or path of a Hacking Operation
Cost:
20
Defensive Programs[]
Encrypt
Defensive Hacking Program
Raising encryption standards on the system causes the progress of enemy hacking operations passing through the node to slow down and their technicians to cry.
Effects on this node:
Defensive Hacking Program
Cost:
15
Interrogate
Defensive Hacking Program
Bombarding incoming packets with queries causes the Bandwidth costs of enemy hacking operations passing through the node to increase.
When hacking this node:
+30% Bandwidth cost on Hacking Programs
Cost:
20
Lockdown
Defensive Hacking Program
Who wants an enemy snooping on their systems? Width this Lockdown program in operation, hackers will be prevented from setting up Backdoors on the node on which it is placed as well as others further down the hacking path.
Effects:
Blocks the "Create Backdoor" outcome for any hostile Hacking Op passing through this node.
Cost:
20
Firewall
Defensive Hacking Program
A firewall set up in front-line system infrastructure will block most attacks and cause the weakest ones to not even function.
Effects on this node:
Blocks Hacking Outcomes of level 1.
These outcomes include:
- Create Backdoor
- Embed Sleeper
- Influence Politics
- Injure Figurehead
- Jam Commands
Removes any detected Backdoor
Cost:
30
Track
Defensive Hacking Program
Passive snooping on data transmissions helps uncover the visible progress of any enemy hacking operations past the node on which this program is placed.
Effects:
Track progress of enemy Hacking Operations passing through this node
Cost:
30
Hacking Results[]
Hacking Player Systems[]
- Embed Sleeper
- Create Backdoor
- Jam Commands
- Influence Politics
- Injure Figurehead
- Kidnap Sleeper
Hacking Player Home Systems[]
- Infiltrate Scanners
- Topple Government
- Immobilize Fleets
- Support Revolutionaries
- Steal Technology
Hacking Pirates[]
- Create Backdoor
- Sabotage Supplies
- Falsify Logs
- Eavesdrop
- Hack Autodroids
Hacking the Academy[]
- Decrease Reparations
- Increase Contributions
- Immobilize Fleets
- Earn Hero Points
Hacking Minor Factions[]
- Create Backdoor
- Improve Image
- Impersonate Ambassador
- Uncover Secrets
- Hack Economy
Umbral Choir Specific[]
- Create Transmigration Beacon
- Create Sanctuary
- Abduct Sleeper
- Abduct Sleepers
Traces[]
- Blackmail
- Destroy Backdoor
- Do Nothing
- Shut Down
Minor/Pirates to Players[]
All Minor Factions and Pirates, when they unlock the ability to hack, can choose one of the following options when hacking players or the academy. All these effects last for 5 turns, and work on any star system, including the Increase Law Cost.
- Decrease Research Speed -
- Pirates and Minor Factions can choose a tech tree quadrant to increase the cost of by 15% for 5 turns.
- Increase Construction Cost
- Pirates and Minor Factions can increase the industry cost of buildings by 10% for 5 turns.
- Increase Law Cost
- Pirates and Minor Factions can increase law upkeep by 50% for 5 turns.
Speed Stats[]
Note that there are a few significant numerical values worth considering about hacking:
"Hacking Speed" can be boosted by several things, but is capped at a 95% boost.
The speeds over various kinds of space are as follows. Note that "1 unit of distance" is how far a ship with a movement speed of "1" could travel in a single turn:
- 2.9 distance units/turn for hacking along a starlane.
- If you don't have "Free Movement" (the ability from that T2 tech that allows your ships to fly through open, non-starlane space), then it's impossible to have hack routes over empty space.
- If you have Free Movement, you'll get 0.75 distance units/turn across empty space.
- You're capped at a maximum hack distance (over empty space) of 23 units, which is the same distance Unfallen vining is capped at.
Traces[]
Traces are the main thing you're worried about when hacking.
The main thing that traces do is to cancel out your hack. If a trace reaches the hacking source before the hack finishes, then the hack gets cancelled. They can also apply some "malus" to your system, such as making your system unreachable for several turns, or giving an option to the tracer to blackmail you, preventing you from denying their request to stop hacking.
Traces will only be created on an enemy system that has a Defensive Program installed - if the enemy system has no such program, you can freely hack it with no consequences whatsoever (note that this applies in reverse - if you don't have a defensive program on your system, it's a sitting duck).
The main strategic concern about traces is that they travel at 2x the speed of the hack over empty space. They only start once your hack actually *reaches* the target planet, so what you're really looking at as a "contest" between the two is the time duration that the trace will take to cover that empty space, versus the time duration that your hack needs (once at the target) to crunch through the hacking timecost of that node. These numbers can be adjusted with defensive/offensive programs, but at heart, the biggest factor lies in taking just long enough of a "trip through space" for the hack to get that that it outweighs the time the trace will take. As a rule of thumb, usually a route that passes through two nodes will get you enough time, whereas usually a single-node-jump will leave you with too little time for the trace to complete.
Sleepers[]
Possible Sleeper Money Drain Tooltip Effect Titles:
- Healthy Lifestyle Consulting
- Hydroponic Assertations
- Imaginary Friends
- Nothing Important
- Budget Miniaturization
- Minor Adjustments
- Starlane Speeding Tickets
- Galactexit Fees
- Horatio Consultancy Charges
- Random Expenditures
- Diplomatic Gifts
- Entertainment Expenses
- Wardrobe Malfunctions
- Charitable Donations
- Craver Veterans' Fund
- Fact-finding Missions
- Scandal Payoffs
- Dubious Accounting Practices
- State-Sponsored Bribery
- Unofficial Facilitation Fees
- Ocean Moisturizing
- Donations to the Copper-Fields Foundation
- Donations to the "Enthalpy Freedom" Movement