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Special Containment Procedures: Snakes, eels, worms, slow worms, sheltopusiks, or any biologically or superficially snake-resembling animals - alive or dead - are under no circumstances to be allowed in Site-15 Sectors 2A through 4H, and their presence should be discouraged from the rest of the facility. Snakes must be kept away from both SCP-XXXX-1 and SCP-XXXX-2 specimens at all costs. Any electrical cable or wiring, as well as any object which physically resembles a snake, should be considered sensitive material throughout the entirety of Site-15 and should not be brought into Sector 3E unless absolutely necessary. Spaghetti and noodles are both forbidden from being served at any Site-15 canteen in Sectors 2A through 4H.
Knowledge of the symptoms of an SCP-XXXX outbreak have been added to standard Foundation observation protocols1. Research in high-tech electronics manufacture is under scrutiny to identify any work which could reproduce SCP-XXXX, and Foundation reconnaissance assets should respond to any potential SCP-XXXX outbreak with utmost urgency. Electrical and telecommunications utilities must be immediately severed in any area affected by an SCP-XXXX outbreak. Kirtland non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NNEMP) warheads have been authorized for use and should be utilized immediately in a saturation attack in response to any confirmed outbreak. The difficulty in concealing the use of such weapons from public attention is considered a far preferable alternative to the results of an SCP-XXXX outbreak which spreads beyond its initial environment. An uncontained SCP-XXXX outbreak could potentially result in widespread global power and telecommunications failures and significant geopolitical destabilization, as well as a likely βK-class “Broken Veil” scenario.
Containment of SCP-XXXX-1 is not considered practical or necessary at this time. An AN/PRC-77 military issue radio transceiver broadcasting SCP-XXXX-1 was formerly contained in a lead-lined security locker in Area-15-XXXX (see Incident Report XXXX_2014-08-29). This transceiver was disposed of in an industrial incinerator on 2018-04-12, as continued containment was considered an unnecessary risk. Factors influencing this decision included: the combination of potential discovery risk related to SCP-XXXX-1’s long-range radio jamming phenomena, the inherent unreliability of any attempt to contain an anomalous radio signal, and the discovery that SCP-XXXX-1 can be readily and safely reproduced using SCP-XXXX-2 specimens. Any testing involving creation of SCP-XXXX-1 requires direct clearance from the Site Director. All information regarding these tests is Level 4 Restricted.
Extant specimens of SCP-XXXX-2 (hereafter referred to as “XXXX-animates”) are currently kept in a modified containment cell in Site-15 Sector 3E. The containment cell is a standard 3 m x 3 m chamber which has had any metal or otherwise electrically conductive material in its construction replaced with electrically-insulated alternatives. It is primarily constructed of concrete reinforced with glass fiber rebar. One 10 cm-thick layer of composite wafers of thermoset plastic and synthetic rubber, and a second 10 cm-thick layer of Teflon-coated ballistic glass have been installed within the cell walls for additional insulation. The exterior of the cell has also been encased in a 2 cm-thick tertiary Teflon-coated ballistic glass cover. The standard electronic locking system has been replaced entirely with a Grade 2 mechanical 2-layer safe lock consisting of a combination dial and key system. The dial and the keys are both made from ballistic glass. The cell interior contains no electrical lighting or surveillance, and observation is only to be performed through the glass viewing port installed in the door, with the aid of a lamp or flashlight. XXXX-animates require no feeding, care or attention.
The containment cell has a Site-15-standard Faraday cage constructed around it, but there is no reason to believe that the cage will provide any protection against SCP-XXXX. Staff must be instructed not to rely on the cage for safety.
Security staff must be equipped with bite-resistant and electrically insulated PPE when assigned to containment or testing of XXXX-animates. Additionally, since dangerous animal handling is not a standard training course at Site-15, any staff assigned to SCP-XXXX containment or testing must have passed Foundation Security Training Course 231-C: ”Handling dangerous snakes”, or equivalent qualifications. All testing involving generation of SCP-XXXX-1 requires approval from the Site Director. All other testing must be approved by Dr █████ and at least one other staff member with Level 3 clearance. Under no circumstances are electronic objects, any objects proven to be ‘SCP-XXXX transformation-vulnerable’ or any objects which physically resemble a snake to be brought into contact with XXXX-animates outside of a testing scenario.
The standard security design of Site-15 is particularly well-suited to containment of XXXX-animates, but a protocol of best-practice “XXXX-resistant” measures has been instituted. Addendum XXXX-A contains the full list, but the most relevant precautions are:
1) The electrical wiring, as well as ethernet or phone lines installed in any facility housing XXXX-animates must be completely isolated from any external power grid or utilities network. Wiring within the facility should preferably be capable of being manually ‘fire-broken’ via physical severance or disconnection of cables between any sub-sector, in order to prevent rapid spread in the event of any XXXX-animate containment breach.
2) Absolutely no electrical socket, plug, computer port or anything which an electrical cable could be plugged into must be readily accessible to anything other than Foundation staff. The recommended security measure is that all sockets should be encased in Grade 1-rated plexiglass containers accessible only with a mechanical combination lock or mechanical key lock, also made of electrically-insulated material such as glass or thermoset plastic.
3) No cable, wire, cord, or similar flexible, electrically conductive object must be left out in the open. Unused cables are to be kept in secure, electrically-insulated lockers, and all wiring is to be recessed or otherwise shielded in an electrically-insulated housing.
4) Ventilation ducts or any difficult-to-access routes which would be accessible to XXXX-animates should be properly secured or otherwise rendered inaccessible.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a phenomenon spread by an anomalous electrical signal designated SCP-XXXX-1. The signal is a precisely modulated electrical current which can only be initially generated through poorly-understood anomalous means. Once an SCP-XXXX-1 signal has been generated using anomalous equipment, it behaves as an ordinary electric current. In other words, by plugging in the source, ordinary wiring and electric distribution equipment can and will spread the SCP-XXXX phenomena. Chemical batteries and cells cannot store or propagate SCP-XXXX, but capacitors can.
Testing has demonstrated that creating an SCP-XXXX-1 signal is extremely difficult, even with the Foundation’s knowledge base and ready access to anomalous technology. Nevertheless, the potential exists for a hostile actor with the requisite knowledge and equipment to instigate an SCP-XXXX outbreak. Concealing knowledge of SCP-XXXX from potentially hostile GoIs such as █████ and █████ ███ ████ must remain a high priority. Details on the theory behind generation of SCP-XXXX-1 is Level 4 Restricted, as are the details of any testing involving generation of SCP-XXXX-1.
SCP-XXXX results in the anomalous transformation of any cable or wire which carries the SCP-XXXX-1 signal, resulting in them animating into mobile, effectively living beings whose behaviour closely resembles that of ordinary snakes. These have been designated SCP-XXXX-2 instances, although, for clarity, are classically referred to as XXXX-animates. The transformation is so far believed to be permanent, and no method of reversing it has yet been successful. XXXX-animates can be neutralized by cutting through the cable at any point, but this leads to rapid, catastrophic corrosion of the remainder of the cable, leaving it effectively unusable within 10 minutes of ‘death’.
XXXX-animates are highly hostile, acting in a similar fashion to a highly agitated venomous snake. That is, they will attempt to strike at anything they consider a threat as though attempting to ‘bite’ them. They do not display warning behaviours and will attack immediately upon provocation. They are extremely fast, and somehow continue to generate an electrical charge at identical voltage and amperage to the current carried when they first animated. This is generally sufficient to be dangerous to a human, and on at least one occasion, XXXX-animates which were originally HVDC (high voltage, direct current) cables have killed their victims outright with even glancing contact. XXXX-animates are aware of their surroundings through unknown means, and can move at speeds in excess of 30 km/h using undulatory locomotion. They are also adept climbers, have instinctive ambush behaviour, and are capable of burrowing. XXXX-animates have been known to attempt constriction when biting attacks fail, but this is rare behaviour. Bite-resistant and well electrically insulated protection is generally sufficient to counter aggression from XXXX-animates.
Animates engage in hunting behaviour, but do not appear to require sustenance or rest, and do not engage in basking behaviours as ordinary snakes do. Animates will attempt to explore their environment in search of the requisite equipment to reproduce, and will hunt anything which attracts their attention on the way. Animates reproduce by plugging themselves into any electrical socket they find. This includes wall sockets, substation wiring, or even computer ports. XXXX-animates have highly versatile docking capabilities and are able to rearrange their structure to fit in any socket. Upon doing so, the SCP-XXXX-1 signal will conduct through the socket and animate any wire in the circuit. However, even without direct contact, given sufficient time, XXXX-animates can reproduce in this fashion through even mildly conductive materials. It is currently unknown why time is necessary for this phenomenon to occur. A minor containment breach occurred at Site-15 on 2016-02-02 due to this property. SCP-███ was originally thought to be necessary for SCP-XXXX containment due to its anomalous perfect-insulator properties, but testing demonstrated that mundane insulation is adequate to prevent this propagation method, if used in sufficient quantities. Current containment procedures have, to date, been successful in safely containing XXXX-animates without requiring the use of SCP-███ or other anomalous methods of attaining perfect insulation.
SCP-XXXX animation is exceedingly versatile. While it was initially thought that only wires and cables were subject to its effects, later encounters proved otherwise. Areas of SCP-XXXX outbreak are subject to a wide-ranging radio jamming effect, which was initially thought to be either a deliberate defense mechanism or a side-effect of the anomalous SCP-XXXX-1 signal. Detailed study in fact indicated that radio waves are also subject to the animation effect and become instances of SCP-XXXX-2. The perceived ‘radio jamming’ phenomenon is, in actuality, caused by radio waves no longer propagating as they should and, instead, engaging in snake-like XXXX-animate behaviour. Current understanding of the SCP-XXXX transformation phenomenon is that it can affect any object which is sufficiently ‘snake-like’ in morphology. Thus, wires and cables. Detailed observation found that the minute wiring on computer circuit boards is also vulnerable to animation, but these tiny XXXX-animates seem unable to reproduce, are of no physical threat and are almost undetectable, making their containment a low priority in any outbreak scenario. XXXX-animate radio waves are likewise essentially harmless. They cannot reproduce, have never been observed being able to cause any kind of damage, are short-lived (they lose coherence over a period of approximately 50 min SD+- 7 min) and the chances of any non-Foundation personnel discovering their anomalous properties is extremely remote. The priority in any XXXX outbreak scenario should be containment of the XXXX-animate cables and wires.
XXXX-animates should be prevented from contact with corpses, whether human or animal, especially if the body has been disemboweled or otherwise dismembered. Animates seemingly consider corpses a low priority for reproduction, but intestines and some other bodily tissues (see Incident Report XXXX_2015-06-13) are vulnerable to XXXX-transformation, for unexplained reasons.
Testing has conclusively demonstrated, despite initial fears, that neurons are seemingly not ‘snake-like’ enough to be vulnerable to SCP-XXXX animation. This leaves the susceptibility of radio waves as something of an outlier and demonstrates the present lack of understanding regarding the logic behind SCP-XXXX animation vulnerability. Testing to better characterize this phenomenon is ongoing. A full list of SCP-XXXX-vulnerable items is recorded in the accompanying SCP-XXXX testing logs. Of significant note, however, is the discovery that coherent lasers are vulnerable to SCP-XXXX animation, despite the immunity of ordinary visible light. Site-15’s Li-fi network was compromised on 2019-10-11 during a minor containment breach, and has since been updated to be XXXX-resistant. The outbreak was contained without incident thanks to Site-15’s high standard of electronic security. Due to the inconsistency in SCP-XXXX transformation vulnerability, anything not conclusively demonstrated to be immune should be considered vulnerable.
Preventing contact between SCP-XXXX and snakes or snake-like animals is essential. To date, results of testing involving SCP-XXXX’s effects on actual living snakes remain Level 4 Restricted. Notably, no snake - alive or dead - has ever been found in the vicinity of an SCP-XXXX outbreak.
