Code cylinders

[Darth Wong]

Is a code cylinder genetically matched to its owner in some fashion? Or is it like a key, and grants access based on possession? Could someone theoretically kill an Imperial officer and use his code cylinder, much like a modern keycard, to gain access to a controlled facility, assuming there were no human guards to notice?

[Lord Revan]

Is a code cylinder genetically matched to its owner in some fashion? Or is it like a key, and grants access based on possession? Could someone theoretically kill an Imperial officer and use his code cylinder, much like a modern keycard, to gain access to a controlled facility, assuming there were no human guards to notice?

I don't know about non-game sources, but in Jedi Knight series (PC games) the only way to get thru some door or open some boxes is steal a key from an imperial offficer and those keys look similar to the code cylinders.

[NecronLord]

I suspect they work by either functioning as basic keys, or by working in concert with a memorised password. I can imagine the benefits of a genetic scan or something, but I'm not certain if the Empire posesses the technology to make a reliable scanner so small, and even then, it could probably be spoofed.

So, I'd say, keycard analogues, but with a lot more data storeage, even counting the difference in technology bases.

[Kurgan]

Yeah, from the JK games I just took them for simple access keys carried by officers. In Jedi Outcast/Academy you explicitly take the cylinders off the Officers and use them to open doors (they're the exact ones used as seen in the movies).

[Surlethe]

I can imagine the benefits of a genetic scan or something, but I'm not certain if the Empire posesses the technology to make a reliable scanner so small, and even then, it could probably be spoofed.

If it's genetically keyed to its user, all you'd have to do is cut off the hand of the guard you stole it from and use genetic material therefrom to activate it.

[nightmare]

It's pretty easy to key it to living criteria (bioelectrical, pulse, etc). Nor is certain that every code cylinder is made in the same form with the same security system. They have after all widely varying access levels.

[Lazarus]

Yay first post
Anyway, If I'm right, the shape of the keys as well as their function might conform to the input slots that R2-D2 uses. If this is the case, there can't be a personally coded system in place. Although in the movies the only slots like this that I can remember seeing were by consoles, can't recall seeing any by doors, which is where you think you'd see them.

[Ryushikaze]

While I can see the sheer usefulness in some cases of having such a specifially coded access system, I also think that for the most part, it's overdoing it. While I've no doubt that there are Genetic scanner based security systems in the empire, it would be a lot more sensible to have these be separate from the code cylinders, since everyone's carrying their gentic code around with them(and I'd still advocate posting security personell to these checkpoints, to prevent access by stolen samples), and use the security cylinders to fit any (and perhaps all, with different cylinders having different purposes) of a number of purposes.

-Shortcut keys. While everyone carries their own genetic code with them, perhaps it's not practical to equip every place with a scanner. These cylinders (or at least one of them), could be a form of remote scanner, or storage unit for the officer's genetic code.

- Like the 'classic' ICBM double key/ scanner systems, the cylinders could be used in concert with other forms of scans to gain access to restricted areas, and it would only make sense to use something like this as part of the Death Star main laser firing mechanism.

-"Loanable" access units. The commanders could- after putting instructions into the cylinder, give the cylinder to a lower ranking gopher to allow them to fulfill a task in an area they are not normally given access to, without having to give them permanent or even widespread access.

[NecronLord]

If it's genetically keyed to its user, all you'd have to do is cut off the hand of the guard you stole it from and use genetic material therefrom to activate it.

I did think of that, but presumed if they were that anal, they'd also have it check for pulse.

[Darth Wong]

I think that's a good point made earlier, that genetic scanning would make the code cylinder totally redundant so there's no reason to incorporate a genetic scan match against the code cylinder. The code cylinder must be more like a keycard, to be used as part of a more comprehensive multi-layered security system.

[dworkin]

I feel the high officer turnover on some Imp ships, like those in Death Squadron for example argues for the 'keycard' idea. Especially if Darth is having a bad day.

[Spetulhu]

I'd think the cylinders are SW relatives of modern electronic keys. I get to use those things in a lot of places at work. There are readers at the doors, you place the chip right and the central computer decides if you have access or not. If a key is lost it takes the security chief all of 30 seconds to invalidate it - once he knows about it.

Code cylinders are a lot larger than they need to be, but they could have additional functions. Twist it left and it now registers as off-duty? Twist right and it's your aide moving on your business?

[Chris OFarrell]

Is a code cylinder genetically matched to its owner in some fashion? Or is it like a key, and grants access based on possession? Could someone theoretically kill an Imperial officer and use his code cylinder, much like a modern keycard, to gain access to a controlled facility, assuming there were no human guards to notice?

Corren Horn did as much in 'Isards Revenge'.

[Glimmervoid]

I think that's a good point made earlier, that genetic scanning would make the code cylinder totally redundant so there's no reason to incorporate a genetic scan match against the code cylinder. The code cylinder must be more like a keycard, to be used as part of a more comprehensive multi-layered security system.

Also a genetic scanner would have problems dealing with clone officers and soldiers would it not? If they are clones they should all have the same DNA, unless there is a certain "error" in each clones cloning process that is.

[PainRack]

Code cylinders are a lot larger than they need to be, but they could have additional functions. Twist it left and it now registers as off-duty? Twist right and it's your aide moving on your business?

Decipher CCG also mentions that the cylinders have commlink functions, probably a sort of encyrption code I guess.

[Lazarus]

If we're considering different functions, perhaps a similarity exists between these code cylinders and USB pen devices, maybe they store information as well as unlock locks.
And with the clones, I've never seen a stormie with a code cylinder, and they are the only section of the military, other than the pilots seen in Ep 3, who would possibly include some clones.
Eitherway I don't think they are based on genetic material, why use a key when you can use your own hand? And if you've had to borrow the key for genetic material because you aren't the card owner, then you shouldn't have access to the area anyway. Why do the officers have more than one though?

[Kurgan]

When I was a kid I just assumed they were ballpoint pens the officers carried around to jot down notes.

It wasn't until I started playing the Dark Forces series that I heard the notion of "code cylinders."

[Isolder74]

I believe the more code cylliders they higher level of access the officer has. Tarkin has the most, four. it could be that to get into higher areas the 'keys' and the order placed in the slots may let the person in rather than just simply having it. They do appear to have encoding functions for the computers as well.

[Elheru Aran]

An alternative: they might be the SW equivalent of USB microdrives, with code protocols encoded and regularly changed. When an officer gets orders forwarded to his computer/tablet/datapad that are encrypted, cylinder has to be inserted in order to read. They don't necessarily need to be like actual keys for opening doors and the like... IIRC, they're never mentioned to be used for anything in particular in the films, so that is IMO as valid an explanation as any other.

[nightmare]

I'd think the cylinders are SW relatives of modern electronic keys. I get to use those things in a lot of places at work. There are readers at the doors, you place the chip right and the central computer decides if you have access or not. If a key is lost it takes the security chief all of 30 seconds to invalidate it - once he knows about it.

Code cylinders are a lot larger than they need to be, but they could have additional functions. Twist it left and it now registers as off-duty? Twist right and it's your aide moving on your business?

Just as a side note to that, my car has one of those electronic keys. If the key isn't perfectly tuned to the lock, it could experience some problem to start. Also, if it doesn't start, I'm to keep it pressed in for 15 sec and the car will register by itself what the problem is, and the mechanic can later check the problem with a scanner.

One could easily see SW code cylinders have extra functions like that, which makes them "smarter" than simple magnetic keycards (though chip cards could be an equivalent). I used to work with producing various cards like that. For instance, you can keep a patient's journals on a chip card. There's been "CD card" experiments as well, but while they can store a lot more info (around 2.2 gb), they aren't as versatile as the chip cards, obviously.

[Coalition]

Hmm, Darth Wong is asking if code cylinders can be used, even if you are no relation to the original owner.

He also has a story out about how a Maquis/Cardassian crew found the Captain of an ISD (and the ISD itself).

Should I get my hopes up for the next chapter?

[LongVin]

In "Darth Maul Shadow Hunter" I think they did mention code cylinders At one point one(or something extremely similar) was looted off a character(I think Green Hair) and they said they could be coded for anything including genetic match, reading a tattoo or a chip planted underneath the skin.