Vanguard bans 8,873 cheaters.
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Tag: Hackers
ArcheAge Hackers Strike Back: Arena
Hackers are playing a large role in ArcheAge, like it or not. Presently, and until XL Games figures out a way to fix the numerous glaring holes in their system, they are taking over many aspects of the game. Armies of bots make their way around the game’s world, farming gathering locations and mobs for drops and gold. Other bots teleport around the map, running trade routes instantly to farm large quantities of gold and picking up plots of land as soon as they become available in order to sell to players for gold to sell to other players for cash.
The exploit that is our topic today is being used by regular players. User Sorcerer posted the above screenshot from an arena game which lasted just ten seconds before one team managed to destroy the other team’s crystal. The exploiter in question, Shylo according to the poster, destroyed the crystal in a single shot. The incident took place on the Kyrios server. Scott Hartsman responded earlier today to a Reddit post, noting that while Trion Worlds is limited in their detection tools, the company is working on tools to weed out exploits.
Unlike in the case where its our own game, where we can (and do) add new instrumentation/logging/detection daily until problems get stomped with prejudice, we’re limited here in only being able to act on what the game throws off as outputs to us. We can’t add new ones. That said, this one is the next biggest priority. New theory being worked on right now, will holler if it pans out and we can act on it with confidence.
(Source: ArcheAge)
Hundreds of Thousands To Lose Internet Access In July
MMO Fallout is all about the internet, and in order to maintain our world we must keep it secure. Last November, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a raid alongside other agencies to take down a massive internet ad-fraud scheme. The hackers involved were exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows to redirect users to false websites for phishing purposes.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the virus the FBI was unable to simply pull the plug as the computers had become reliant on the servers being up. So they replaced the servers with clean hardware and have maintained the systems at a rather high cost (over $80 grand), without anyone knowing that their internet was being modified. Approximately 360,000 computers are still believed to be infected.
The bad news gets worse, however. The servers are having their plugs pulled in July, after which anyone still infected will lose access to the internet, and that brings us to why I am talking about this here at MMO Fallout.
I strongly suggest that all users visit the following website. If dcwg.org is down (which is probably will be), try the website below it.
These websites will check if your computer is looking up IP addresses properly. If they aren’t, you are infected, and should head over here to find a fix:
Browse safe, my friends.
Oh Joy, The Sony Hackers Are Back!
Apparently someone is nostalgic for seven months ago when Sony’s services on Playstation 3 and PC were offline for weeks on end after a hacker broke into the database and walked out with a cartload of personal data. Thankfully, in their usual fashion, the Denial of Service group Anonymous has released a video in advance, warning Sony of an impending assault on their servers over the company’s support of SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) which is being heavily criticized for claims that it infringes on first amendment rights and will cause even more stability and less security on the internet.
Does Sony support SOPA? This is the fun part, they don’t. All three console manufacturers (Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft) pulled their support of SOPA after heavy public backlash, although Sony is technically part of the Entertainment Software Association, who do still support SOPA. I suppose being right “in a manner of speaking” is still better than rushing out of the starting line with your shoes tied.
With luck, Sony still has the phone numbers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from the last time. Looking forward to the arrest articles.
Everquest Channels Jagex: Sends Cheaters Final Warning
Players who partake in cheating are hereby put on notice: stop now. This isn’t an idle warning. We have quietly invested significant behind the scenes effort into detecting cheaters quickly and accurately. The vast majority of players enjoy the game on a fair and even playing field. Those who gain unfair advantage over others will not be tolerated.
Everquest is among the elders in our list of MMOs and while the game has seen updates over the years to allow for more a more casual friendly experience, the game still stands as one of the hardest on the market. Unfortunately, the engine and the systems in place have aged far in their years, and the Everquest team has a lot on their plates to deal with hackers (real hackers exploiting the engine, not your run of the mill bug abusers). Well, on the official forums, SOE Piestro has unsheathed his sword (pictured above) and issued a final warning to cheaters: Stop now, or face the +5 banhammer of troll smite.
Ten Ton Hammer published an incredibly in-depth article earlier this year discussing the epidemic that is hacking in Everquest, which you can read here. Scripts and bots that allow players to warp themselves and NPCs, despawn bosses, and more. At the end of the interview, we’re left with a tease that investigations into cheating would ramp up once Veil of Alaris was completed.
Best of luck to the Everquest team in fighting this never ending threat.
APB Reloaded: Thank You, Cheaters!
Reading K2 Networks (GamersFirst) talk about cheaters reminds me of the black knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Even though King Arthur continues to hack the black knight apart, limb from limb, he continues his volley of verbal assaults at Arthur’s ability with a sword, to the point where, in defeat, the knight offers a draw.
In an alternate reality, I might be complacent with Gamersfirst’s handling of cheaters, but given their work in titles like Knight Online (which is full to the brim with cheaters, bots, and gold farmers), my hope for APB’s future is on uneven grounds. Of course, if you go by Gamersfirst’s words, back when Realtime Worlds was still running All Points Bulletin, the company had the information to ban the high number of cheaters, but simply chose not to enforce the rules. The implication being that the new host will be enforcing the rules.
With the latest K2 Networks blog, the APB team has offered a thank you to the cheaters for providing them with useful information.
For the past 3 weeks we have been watching and observing user behavior in Closed Beta. We’d like to extend a “thanks” to the 60 odd players that have been toying around with various hack tools (about 0.4% of the players). Thanks to your hard cheating work, we are now much better equipped to deal with you going forward. How? I guess you will find out.
I wish GamersFirst the best of luck with APB, and I will be there when the game comes out. Unlike their other titles, however, APB isn’t going to survive if it is filled with cheaters. The first failed launch should have been enough of an indicator.
Guild Wars Mass Ban, Disbanding
This is Dhuum, he doesn’t like cheaters, hackers, botters, and exploiters. If you cheat, hack, bot, or exploit bugs, Dhuum will find you, and Dhuum will murder you in cold blood. As the God of death, when Dhuum takes your soul, there is no coming back, you are banished from the world of Guild Wars forever.
ArenaNet has announced that they have banned over 3,700 accounts, not to mention disbanding over a dozen guilds, with more on the way. Not only are players being banned, but they are being smitten in-game by the God of Death. See the video.
This isn’t the first NCsoft title to have flashy public executions of botters. Aion is well known to have GM’s personally firebomb chat spammers out of existence.
More on Guild Wars as it appears.
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