Do the mesh rules in Eclipse Phase permit the concept of a gateway node?

Question

The hacking/interfacing rules for Eclipse Phase suggest that I can use a "disposable" ecto to cover my tracks when I'm doing something unscrupulous on the network. It suggests (but doesn't give clear rules) that I can interact with the mesh separately through the ecto, then discard the ecto when my activities are discovered. What I'd like to do is set up the ecto to provide a second layer of defense; in other words:

• All communications from my mesh inserts are routed through the ecto
• The mesh inserts control the ecto, but not vice versa (if they hack into my ecto, I'd want them to have to make a second test to get at my mesh inserts)

In Shadowrun 4E, on which the EP mesh rules seem to be heavily based, there is the concept of a gateway node. The purpose of the gateway is to secure a private network; outside connections are routed through an extra layer of security. Is it possible to treat the ecto as a gateway node to my private mesh? How can this be handled in EP, using the Rules As Written?

Are the Master/Slave rules applicable, here? How do they work in EP, anyway, which doesn't have the concept of individual nodes on the network like SR4?

Answer 1

If you can gate via one ecto, what stops you from gating via a hundred? That way anyone trying to hack you has to do 100 rolls to try and if they fail even one, you have detected them and know. This is the same thing that in real life: we do not have multiple layers of firewalls. We have one (or maybe two for the truly paranoid). Why? Bandwidth, filtering on content takes time, and it is a hassle to maintain many instances of one thing that do not increase security.

I see the "disposable" ecto as a fuse like device. It gets traffic it does not know, it burns. Your connection drops but your ego is not in immediate danger.

I tend to look at the mesh much more from a Ghost In The Shell point of view so the best defences are egos (and forks) and not little pieces of hardware.