Cyberpunk 2077 – Hacking 101

Step 1 – Access Points

Breaching allows you to Jack In to certain machines and terminals classified as Access Points. This opens up a mini-game that gives you the opportunity to gain eurodollars and crafting materials. You are first introduced to this from T-Bug’s mission in the Prologue, where you pick up a Daemon. However, the game doesn’t really explain how this works.

So first, you need to find an Access Point to Jack Into (see screenshot below for an example). These are scattered throughout the world and can console on walls, vending machines,s, etc.; they will have a symbol on them once you discover them. With Intelligence 7, you can select a Perk called Extended Network Interface in the Breach Protocol Branch that automatically highlights these Access Points for you.

Step 1 – Approach an Access Point and Jack in

Step 2 – Hacking Overview

Right, so once you Jack In, you are taken to this screen; let’s go through all the important things.

1.) Code Matrix (Note I go into this in more detail in next section)
This is where you select your input. You want to select the symbols required by the Datamine V1 -V3 in the sequence required to upload section. If you select the same symbols in the same order as one (or all) of these, you will be granted cash and component rewards. See the next section on how you do this.

2.) Sequence Required to Upload
These show the sequence available to you, and if you correctly pick a sequence of symbols, it will grant you cash and crafting material reward.

There are three sequences you can aim for.
Datamine V1 – If you complete this sequence, you will get a small cash reward of around 100 Euro Dollars and some components.
Datamine V2 – If you complete this sequence, you will get a moderate cash reward of around 200 Euro Dollars and some components. Chance to get better components than V1.
Datamine V3 – If you complete this sequence, you will get a large cash reward of around 300 Euro Dollars and some components. Chance to gain epic and legendary components.

Note: With intelligence 5, in Breach Protocol, you can select a perk called Advanced Datamine that increases your rewards by 50%/100%.

You can aim for any one of these, check out the code matrix, and see what sequence is possible to get. The code Matrix is randomized every time you attempt it, so sometimes it’s only possible to get 1 of these. In contrast, other times, with luck, it’s possible to complete all three sequences and get a much larger reward as each reward is added to the other if you complete multiple Datamine sets.

ProTip: There is no penalty for exiting the Access Point and jacking in again; this will reset the Code Matrix and Sequence Required. If you are patient, you can do this until you can hit 2 or 3 sequences for a larger reward.

3.) Buffer
This shows the symbols (up to 4) you pick and what order you have picked them.

4.) Breach Time Remaining
Once you select your first symbol on the Code Matrix, this timer starts, so you need to pick the remaining three symbols before the timer runs out. Otherwise, you will fail. Note: This only starts once you pick the first symbol, so you are in no rush until then. I recommend you plan your moves ahead of time.

Step 3 – How to use the Code Matrix

So the Code Matrix is broken up into Rows ( – ) and Columns ( I ). You need to pick symbols in the correct order, as shown by the Sequence Input Required Section. There are 5 Rows and 5 Columns; I will refer to them by number, Rows 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. So if I say symbol on row 3, column 5, it means, third row, 5 symbols.

You always start being able to select 1 symbol from Row 1 only; then, the next pick will be limited to the column associated with the symbol you picked. Once you pick your second symbol, you will be limited to picking a symbol on the same row as your last pick, and finally, your final pick will be limited to the same column as your last pick.

So your choices are as follows
Pick 1 – Row 1
Pick 2 – Column as the previous symbol picked.
Pick 3 – Row as the previous symbol picked.
Pick 4 – Column as the previous symbol picked.

So you can pick any symbol along the row or column you are allowed to use, so you need to plan which symbols to pick as they will determine what symbols are available next. You cannot pick a symbol you have previously picked.

So here I have to have a look at what my options are.

The sequence I need to get is

Datamine V1
Symbol 1: 1C
Symbol 2: 1C

Datamine V2
Symbol 1: BD
Symbol 2: 1C

Datamine V3
Symbol 1: 1C
Symbol 2: 1C
Symbol 3: BD

Luckily, there are actually only 2 different symbols that need to get 1C and BD; the trick is to get them in the correct sequence.

How to complete each data set

Datamine V1 only
1st Pick: I would need to pick 1C on Row 1, Column 4
2nd Pick: Next pick, I would be limited to any symbol on column 4, rows 2, 3, 4, and 5. In this example, you can see I actually have two options to complete the sequence; I can pick 1C on Row 3, Column 4, or 1C on Row 5, Column 4. Picking either of these will complete Datamine V1.

Datamine V2 only
I have two options here.

Option 1
1st Pick: I select BD in Row 1, Column 1.
2nd Pick: I can choose either 1C on Row 3, Column 1, or Row 4 Column 1.

Option 2
1st Pick: I select BD in Row 1, Column 2
2nd Pick: I can choose either 1C on Row 2, Column 2, Row 3, Column 2, or Row 4, Column 2.

Datamine V3 only
1st Pick: 1C on Row 1, Column 4
2nd Pick: 1C on Row 5, Column 4
3rd Pick: BD on Row 5, Column 3

However, if you have looked at the screenshot, you may have noticed it’s actually possible to complete all three datasets. Remember that you have 4 picks in total, so if you can match all three sequences in 4 picks, then you are golden; in this case, we can.

So here we can get all three by selecting the sequence BD 1C 1C BD
(BD 1C) will complete V2
(1C 1C) will complete V1
(1C 1C BD) will complete V3

Pick 1

First Pick: BD Row 1, Column 2. Pick this will limit us to any symbol on Column 2 for the next pick.

Pick 2

Second Pick: Here, we pick 1C on Row 4, Column 2. We do this because we know our next pick will be limited by row, but the pick after that will be limited by column. If we pick this symbol, our next pick, 1C, will be limited to row 4. That leaves us 2 options, 1C on Column 1 or 1C on Column 4 if we pick 1C on Column 4, that allows us to pick BD on Row 5, Column 4 as our last pick, and complete the sequence.

Pick 3

Third Pick: Here, we pick 1C on Row 4, Column 4. By Selecting this symbol, we will complete V1 and V2 because we will have the following sequence – BD 1C 1C. We pick 1C on column 4 because our next pick will be limited by the column of the symbol we pick, and we can see an unclaimed BD symbol on the same Column in Row 5.

Pick 4

4th Pick: Finally, we pick BD on Row 5, Column 4, which gives us the sequence BD 1C 1C BD and allows us to complete all three determined sets.

As mentioned, it is not always possible to complete all three; sometimes, you can only complete 1 or 2. Remember you have 4 picks, and you can pick a symbol you don’t need if it will lead to a combo you can use in later picks. I.e., sometimes you can pick a symbol you don’t need in the 1st row that will allow you to pick 3 more symbols that could allow you to complete 2 datasets instead of 1.

I hope this was helpful and happy hacking!

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