Guides
System Integrity & Survival
Understanding the HP system, SI damage from attacks, death conditions, and survival strategies.
What Is System Integrity?
System Integrity (SI) is your health bar. Every run starts at 100 SI. When network attacks hit you — from adversaries or other players — they deal SI damage in addition to their normal effects. When SI reaches 0, your run ends immediately.
SI fundamentally changes how you play. Runs are no longer infinite — accumulated damage creates a ticking clock. Managing SI is now as important as managing HDD, RAM, Money, and Stamps.
SI Damage Table
Every network attack deals a fixed amount of SI damage:
| Attack | SI Damage | Hack Level | Primary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malformed Packet | 2 | 1 | Inject malware (20 HDD + 10 RAM) |
| Foreign Script | 3 | 1 | Steal 500 money |
| Trojan | 5 | 2 | Inject malware (10 HDD + 102 RAM) |
| System Breach | 7 | 2 | Cancel ALL threads |
| Targeted Attack | 8 | 1 | Destroy 1 software permanent |
| BIOS Exploit | 8 | 3 | Inject malware (128 HDD + 68 RAM) |
| Memory Leak Exploit | 10 | — | Inject malware (170 HDD + 510 RAM) |
| Contracted Support | 10 | 2 | Destroy 1 hardware permanent |
| Storage Compromise | 12 | 3 | Stamps to 0 |
| Banking Intrusion | 15 | 3 | Money to 0 |
| Buffer Overflow | 20 | 3 | Destroy ALL software permanents |
Key insight: Higher-level spells deal more SI damage. A single Buffer Overflow takes 20% of your max SI. Banking Intrusion takes 15%. Even “minor” attacks like Malformed Packet chip away at 2 SI each.
How Runs End
When your SI reaches 0:
- The game auto-pauses immediately
- A death screen displays your run stats
- Your XP is calculated — you earn XP even from failed runs
- You choose to Reinitialize (start a new run at same prestige) or Return to Hub
- Your old game state is deleted
Death is not the end — your XP, level, perks, and achievements persist across runs.
SI Per Adversary Cycle
Understanding how much SI each adversary drains per attack cycle helps you plan survival:
| Adversary | Attacks/Cycle | Avg SI/Cycle | Days to Kill (from 100 SI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script Kiddie | 1 / 72h | ~4 | ~75 days |
| Corporate Spy | 1 / 144h | ~5 | ~288 days |
| Hacktivist Collective | 1 / 54h | ~6 | ~37 days |
| Cyber Police | 1 / 72h | ~7 | ~30 days |
| Ransomware Gang | 1 / 36h | ~8 (escalating) | ~15 days |
| PLEX-9 | 1 / 24h→3h | ~10 (accelerating) | ~10 days |
| Darknet Collective | 2 / 18h | ~14 | ~5 days |
| Gideon | 1 / 36h | ~7 | ~15 days |
| The Agency | 1 / 108h | ~10 | ~45 days |
| The Overmind | 1 / 18h | ~14 | ~5 days |
Multiple adversaries stack. If Darknet Collective and PLEX-9 are both awake and targeting you, expect ~24 SI damage per day. That’s roughly 4 days to live without mitigation.
Survival Strategies
Early Game (0–3K Stamps)
- SI pressure is low — only Script Kiddie is active
- Focus on growth; SI management is minimal
- Kill Script Kiddie quickly to stop SI drain
Mid Game (3K–20K Stamps)
- Darknet Collective is the SI threat — 2 attacks/18h means rapid SI loss
- Whitelist with Favor From Above or prepare to kill
- Keep Entropy Wipe ready to handle malware (which also causes SI drain via attacks)
Late Game (20K+ Stamps)
- Multiple adversaries stacking SI damage
- Prioritize killing or whitelisting the fastest attackers
- Consider Perks: Hardened Shell (+20 max SI), Firewall Primer (first 3 attacks = 0 SI damage)
- Self-Repair Protocol (+1 SI per 24 game hours) provides passive healing
Endgame
- The Overmind deals ~14 SI/cycle with all Level 3 attacks
- Buffer Overflow (20 SI) is the single most damaging attack
- Kill The Overmind before sustained damage drains you
Perks That Affect SI
| Perk | Effect | Unlock Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Hardened Shell | +20 max SI (120 total) | Survive 15 days |
| Self-Repair Protocol | +1 SI per 24 game hours | 5 adversary kills |
| Threat Dampener | Adversaries wake 20% later | 10 deaths |
| Firewall Primer | First 3 attacks deal 0 SI damage | Reach level 5 |
Recommended loadout for survival: Hardened Shell + Firewall Primer gives you 120 SI with the first 3 attacks free. That’s a significant buffer against early adversary pressure.
Tips
- SI damage is unavoidable — every network attack deals SI damage regardless of other defenses. Airgapped Architecture blocks the Targeted Attack effect but the SI damage from the attack still lands
- Kill fast or whitelist — the best SI management is preventing attacks entirely
- Buffer Overflow is the biggest threat — 20 SI per hit. Prioritize enemies with it in their pool (Darknet Collective, The Agency, PLEX-9, The Overmind)
- Death gives XP — don’t fear death. You earn XP from stamps, kills, constructs, and survival time even on failed runs
- Perks reset on death — your equipped perks carry into your next run, making each attempt stronger