💾 The DataKrash
“Rache Bartmoss died, and he took the NET with him.”
The DataKrash was the catastrophic collapse of the global NET in 2020, engineered by the dying Rache Bartmoss as his final revenge against the corporations. It fundamentally changed how humanity interacts with technology.
📋 Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | August 2020 |
| Cause | R.A.B.I.D.S. virus release |
| Creator | Rache Bartmoss |
| Target | Global NET infrastructure |
| Outcome | Complete NET destruction |
👤 Rache Bartmoss
The greatest Netrunner who ever lived, Rache Bartmoss was a paranoid genius who distrusted corporations absolutely.
Background
- Self-taught programmer from Night City streets
- Created revolutionary Netrunning programs
- Became the most wanted Netrunner in the world
- Discovered by Arasaka, poisoned with a slow-acting toxin
The Final Plan
Knowing he was dying, Bartmoss created his masterpiece: the R.A.B.I.D.S. (Roving Autonomous Bartmoss Interface Drones)—self-replicating AI viruses designed to consume and destroy NET infrastructure.
Bartmoss
“If I can’t have the NET, nobody can.”
🦠 The R.A.B.I.D.S.
What They Are
R.A.B.I.D.S. are semi-autonomous programs that:
- Self-replicate infinitely
- Consume and corrupt data
- Destroy NET architecture
- Evolve to overcome defenses
- Cannot be permanently deleted
How They Spread
Upon Bartmoss’s death (triggered dead-man switch):
- Released into global NET simultaneously
- Attacked major data nodes first
- Cascaded through all connected systems
- Consumed backup systems
- Made long-distance NET travel impossible
Current Status (2045)
The R.A.B.I.D.S. still exist in the Old NET:
- Lurk in abandoned data fortresses
- Evolved into multiple variant strains
- Some have achieved near-sentience
- Attack any system that connects to Old NET
- Main reason the global NET cannot be restored
Placeholder: R.A.B.I.D.S. visualization (pg. 267)
💥 Immediate Effects
Infrastructure Collapse
- All global NET connections severed
- Corporate databases corrupted or destroyed
- Financial systems collapsed
- Communication networks failed
- Automated systems malfunctioned
Human Cost
- Billions of eurodollars lost
- Millions of jobs eliminated
- Supply chains collapsed
- Essential services failed
- Countless deaths from system failures
Corporate Impact
| Corporation | Data Loss |
|---|---|
| Arasaka | Personnel records, Soulkiller database |
| Militech | Weapons designs, contracts |
| Banks | Account records, transaction histories |
| Governments | Citizen records, military data |
| Medical | Patient records, research data |
🌐 The New NET (Post-DataKrash)
Old NET vs New
| Aspect | Old NET (Pre-2020) | New NET (Post-2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Range | Global | City-scale Data Pools |
| Connection | Unlimited | Hardwired, local |
| Security | Corporate ICE | Netwatch, local ICE |
| Dangers | Corporate Black ICE | R.A.B.I.D.S., wild AIs |
| Access | Widespread | Limited, expensive |
Data Pools
The modern NET consists of isolated Data Pools:
- City-scale networks
- No direct connection to other cities
- Air-gapped from Old NET
- Protected by Netwatch
- Local corporations control access
The Blackwall
To protect the new Data Pools, Netwatch created the Blackwall:
- Massive ICE barrier around Old NET
- Prevents R.A.B.I.D.S. from entering new systems
- Keeps rogue AIs contained
- Monitored 24/7 by Netwatch agents
- Occasional breaches cause catastrophic damage
Blackwall Breaches
When the Blackwall fails, even briefly, R.A.B.I.D.S. and rogue AIs spill into local nets. These incidents require immediate Netrunner response and can cause massive damage.
🤖 The Wild AIs
Origins
Before the DataKrash, multiple true AIs existed:
- Corporate research AIs
- Military tactical systems
- Financial prediction engines
- Rache Bartmoss’s own creations
Post-Krash Status
When the NET collapsed:
- Most AIs were destroyed or fragmented
- Some survived in isolated systems
- Others merged with R.A.B.I.D.S. code
- Created new, unpredictable entities
Beyond the Blackwall
The Old NET is now home to:
- Evolved R.A.B.I.D.S. swarms
- Rogue AIs of unknown capability
- Digital ghosts (corrupted engrams?)
- Bartmoss’s final creations
- Things no one understands
🎯 Lasting Impact
Technology
- No global communication network
- Data must be physically transported between cities
- Netrunning is more dangerous
- AI development heavily restricted
- Technology regression in many areas
Society
- Information is power again
- Local communities more important
- Corporate control weakened (temporarily)
- Nomads became vital as data couriers
- Rise of the Data Pool cities
Netrunning (2045)
Modern Netrunners:
- Work in local Data Pools only
- Use more advanced personal hardware
- Face R.A.B.I.D.S. if they go too deep
- Must deal with Netwatch oversight
- Can’t achieve Bartmoss-level access
🔗 Related Topics
(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pgs. 266-270)