Video Game Security Brett Cobbs Matthew Boquist

ONLINE VIDEO GAMES controlled a majority of the computer world for sometime now and have never stopped growing controlled a majority of the computer world for sometime now and have never stopped growing Gaming has always and remains a prime drive of the personal computer market Gaming has always and remains a prime drive of the personal computer market In the past ten years it has grown as quickly as the internet and is in hundred of millions of peoples homes In the past ten years it has grown as quickly as the internet and is in hundred of millions of peoples homes

MMORPG There are many types of genres for video games but the biggest and most security sensitive is the MMORPG (Massive Multi Online Role Playing Game). There are many types of genres for video games but the biggest and most security sensitive is the MMORPG (Massive Multi Online Role Playing Game). A massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world A massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world

GREATEST OF MMORPGS The most popular of this type of video game is WoW (World of Warcraft) The most popular of this type of video game is WoW (World of Warcraft) At the current time there are around 11 million subscribers to the game that pay a monthly fee of $14 a month to play the game. That is a ridiculous $154 million dollars a month that Blizzard entertainment is making. At the current time there are around 11 million subscribers to the game that pay a monthly fee of $14 a month to play the game. That is a ridiculous $154 million dollars a month that Blizzard entertainment is making. This concentration of money and players is a spawning pool for hackers, cheaters, and criminals that will do anything to take advantage of the game and even make a living out of it. This concentration of money and players is a spawning pool for hackers, cheaters, and criminals that will do anything to take advantage of the game and even make a living out of it.

GAME MONEY = REAL MONEY? In WoW and many online mmorpgs there is an in game virtual economy that is in effect, in which players find items, sell items and, level up characters. In WoW and many online mmorpgs there is an in game virtual economy that is in effect, in which players find items, sell items and, level up characters. Can sell their characters or items through third party programs(A Middle Market) Can sell their characters or items through third party programs(A Middle Market) IGE is the largest company in this middle market netting $400 million per year by acting as the real-world “middle man” for virtual goods. IGE is the largest company in this middle market netting $400 million per year by acting as the real-world “middle man” for virtual goods. Entire industries of sweatshops with hundreds of thousands of workers in China now exist to do just this. Entire industries of sweatshops with hundreds of thousands of workers in China now exist to do just this.

TYPE OF GAME EXPLOITS BOTTING BOTTING DUPING DUPING AIM BOTTING AIM BOTTING sometimes called "auto-aiming", is software that assists the player in aiming at the target. sometimes called "auto-aiming", is software that assists the player in aiming at the target. WALL HACKING WALL HACKING Wall hacking involves changing of wall properties in first-person shooters. Wall hacking involves changing of wall properties in first-person shooters. MAP HACK MAP HACK is a cheat that enables the player to see more of the map than the game intends them to see. is a cheat that enables the player to see more of the map than the game intends them to see.

WALL HACK WALL HACKING WALL HACKING Wall hacking involves changing of wall properties in first- person shooters. Wall hacking involves changing of wall properties in first- person shooters.

MAPHACK MAPHACK MAPHACK is a cheat that enables the player to see more of the map than the game intends them to see. is a cheat that enables the player to see more of the map than the game intends them to see.

AIMBOT AIMBOTTING AIMBOTTING sometimes called "auto-aiming", is software that assists the player in aiming at the target. sometimes called "auto-aiming", is software that assists the player in aiming at the target.

BOTS A bot is a player who runs a third party program to control their character. A bot is a player who runs a third party program to control their character. The bot will kill monsters, loot money, mine, or gain levels automatically without the player having to be in front of the computer. The bot will kill monsters, loot money, mine, or gain levels automatically without the player having to be in front of the computer.

DUPING Duping refers to the practice of exploiting a bug in a video game to illegitimately create duplicates of unique items or currency Duping refers to the practice of exploiting a bug in a video game to illegitimately create duplicates of unique items or currency Currency dupes cause inflation and cause the item to lose value Currency dupes cause inflation and cause the item to lose value This can create a great problem in the games economy and even with real money selling, This can create a great problem in the games economy and even with real money selling, Not sure if real or dupe Not sure if real or dupe

Solving These Security Issues admins/moderators admins/moderators In game playere take care of many of the problems in the game In game playere take care of many of the problems in the game power to ban accounts power to ban accounts Patches Patches fix and exploits or bugs in the game fix and exploits or bugs in the game Third Party Programs Third Party Programs create a secure environment for their game create a secure environment for their game Example: nProtect Game Guard Example: nProtect Game Guard

Pirating The act of downloading or stealing a game without paying for it. Major Security Issue Major Security Issue Severe loss of funding Severe loss of funding Future Games Why make any more? Anyone could be a pirate… Mr. Burmester is not a pirate… as far as we know

Why pirate games? A Known Pirate’s Response! “Why not just buy your games to support the company?” - Matt “Why not just buy your games to support the company?” - Matt “I go to college man, that’s expensive, and video games are all fifty to sixty dollars. I still buy games when I know they will be good, but most of the new video games are not worth thirty dollars.” “I go to college man, that’s expensive, and video games are all fifty to sixty dollars. I still buy games when I know they will be good, but most of the new video games are not worth thirty dollars.” – Anonymous FSU Student

Cliff Harris, owner of Positech Games Harris asked why people pirated his games? Harris asked why people pirated his games? Money Strong dislike of Digital Rights Management locks (SecuROM) Unknown quality

The Designers Strike Back! Class-action lawsuits Class-action lawsuits More, and stricter SecuROM More, and stricter SecuROM

Honest customer suffer, pirates laugh SecuROM had the opposite effect that companies wanted. Man in Pennsylvania files class action lawsuit against EA for installing files not mentioned in his installation manual or End User License Agreement. How far is too far? How far is too far? Should companies have the right to install unwanted, additional software on our machines? Are the machines resources not the customer’s? Why so hard to remove?

SecuROM causing more people to pirate? Spore, a recently released EA Games PC game, was not only pirated, the game’s SecuROM was removed from the pirated version, and being downloaded BEFORE the actual release date. Spore, a recently released EA Games PC game, was not only pirated, the game’s SecuROM was removed from the pirated version, and being downloaded BEFORE the actual release date. Over 500,000 copies of the pirated version of Spore had been downloaded just days after release. Over 500,000 copies of the pirated version of Spore had been downloaded just days after release. Over $13,333,333 loss Over $13,333,333 loss

The harsh SecuROMs are not causing an acceptable solution. Honest customers suffer Honest customers suffer – Unwanted software. – Has been known to cause problems with machines. Developers suffer Developers suffer – Harsh feedback from actual customers. – Game still gets pirated, possibly more so than it would have without the harsh SecuROM. Pirates laugh! They just remove the harsh SecuROM and continue to pirate the games. Pirating becomes more acceptable to honest users to avoid the harsh SecuROM.

Acceptable Solution? Steam. Online video game purchase/storage device. Cheaper, no middle man Easy access Games stored to account, not machine Light on SecuROM since game is guaranteed to be legit. /

Questions?