Possible Hack/Cheat

[Lubinski 0]

Numerous times on Karrillions RTS server, people have started playing just fine then wham! They lose all control of their soldier. The game still goes on but your guy is totally frozen and cant move. You cant even hit the esc button for the menu. The only option is to alt-f4 the game and restart. This has happened to most of the people on the server on and off. Any clue as to what it is?

[-DirTyDeeDs--Ziggy- 0]

I recommend Karrilion put a password on his server, open only to trusted friends.

[.kju 3245]

very likely a cheater using "disableuserinput" ...

[WATCHMAN 0]

Cheater executed "DisableUserInput true" remotely.

80% - he used cheat from the russian site, which i linked here:

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....;st=105

[BLSmith2112 0]

After my little experience today, check "I am not a cheater"... I have had Karr use a "-mod="

No addons other than what the server uses (currently no addons), will be allowed to be used in the server. So this means no @XAM, no Chammys SFX, no FDF, nothing. Sound kinda depressing? Well that's the reality we live in folks, currently this is one of the few things we can do to try and prevent hackers from ruining our games.

If Karr put a password on his server, no one would be in his server constantly for a RTS. He'd lose a huge RTS fanbase... and his server wouldn't be one of the most popular.

Personally, I think a password on the server should be mandatory. People should have to go into teamspeak in order to get the password, microphone or not.... and talk to Karr, Cam51, Shadowmaster, Catalyst, or myself and ask about the server password. The password should frequently change to not only promote teamspeak use, but to keep the password from being exchanged between players.

But I'm not Karr and will not be making any decisions any time soon. This game is slowly being distroyed, and is one of the many reasons the old bootcamp regulars never play arma anymore. They play other games.. Including Karr. So unless something can be done.. I'll have to give up on ArmA as well.

[Lubinski 0]

Yes it is really really annoying when you get to the enemy base to all of a sudden lose control of your chopper and crash into a mountain.

I believe the file checks and no addon files should be mandatory for the server. That may stop the hacker/cheating trouble.

Is there any way we can turn disable user input back to false/0 after it happens?

[KaRRiLLioN 0]

Here's the problem. If I use equalmodrequired, then the server will not show up to anyone with mods active because the Gamespy list will put a red "X" next to the server and drop it to the bottom of the list.

If you try to join it, you'll get a "bad server version" error message. So that won't work too well.

I've been searching, but haven't found a list of files that should be checked with checkfiles, aside from data.pbo. And would that even make a difference?

The worst part is that we have a few script-kiddies running amok in our community, tainting the online experience for some, and ruining it for others. This sort of cheating is hard to prevent because ArmA is meant to be flexible so modders and mission makers can create all sorts of experiences for players.

But it's the very same code that allows RTS, CTI, Evolution, and other missions to exist that also allows KFC to wreak havoc.

So what can BIS do about it without killing the potential of the scripting?

A couple of minor things might help.

1) Allow all servers with "equalmodrequired" active to still show up normally in the server list. When a player tries to join, have the server give them a message "You cannot join this server without matching the server addons" or something that makes sense, instead of X-ing the server out and giving a "bad server version" error.

2) Have the server check for command flooding from clients. It may or may not be possible to see if a client is spamming global commands, and then auto-ban him.

I'm sure there are other good ideas out there, but what we need are some simple tools without killing the flexibility of ArmA.

[-DirTyDeeDs--Ziggy- 0]

I dont believe for a second that a password on Karrlions server would end the RTS.

Take the Tactical Gamer or ShackTactical community. They continue with full servers and have passwords.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt it mostly regulars that play on Karrs server?

I think its worth a try rather than give up.

I have pmed Maruk numerous times about the current events of cheats, but he has never once replied.

[Junker 0]

-Ziggy- @ Aug. 25 2007,01:05)]I dont believe for a second that a password on Karrlions server would end the RTS.

Take the Tactical Gamer or ShackTactical community. They continue with full servers and have passwords.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt it mostly regulars that play on Karrs server?

I think its worth a try rather than give up.

I have pmed Maruk numerous times about the current events of cheats, but he has never once replied.

I myself pay to run a server and that server is getting bombarded by these guys and all they can say is "ITS JUST A GAME", Fair enough yes it is JUST A GAME, Yes coding the cheats is a challenge but what do you get out of ruining something thats costing people alot of money, Isnt there a law against this stuff ??

We pay for a service and these cheaters claim its all legal and above board ?

They stat they dont hack yet they lock peoples keyboards, reverse engineer IDs (Supposedly) force HARDWARE to overload and shutdown, If this isnt hacking what is or is it a kind of INTERNET TERRORIST ACT.

Play your cheats on your own servers and stop forcing your way of playing down our throats.

Im not mad im just fed up with the attitude of these guyz, they harass, abuse, bully or even use racist names, No Need for it.

@BIS please disable the DISABLEUSERINPUT command it has no purpose to mission makers.

[BloodOmen 0]

Because maruk doesnt give a flying ....... ?

I hope jerry asks on his next interview with Suma about future Anti-Cheat ideas

When you have them on a talkshow or similiar, grab them by the balls, cut them by the neck. Let loose on things that have never been answered and avoided

[deady 0]

No there is no law to help you. At a stretch it could be seen as a denial of service attack, but such a thing has to be very serious before its worth taking action over.

Really i'm surprised we got a "Hotfix" to fix the terrible event of "sometimes getting slightly stuck on a ladder", but no hotfix to give admins a little help with the current cheat situation.

They could do numerous things:

Add IP banning. Sure, IP addresses can change, but currently, ArmaIDs can be changed easier.

Improve server side scripting to allow a simple ?_theirID > 999999999 then kick.

Fix signature checking so that the regular check doesn't kick people when the server lags during evolution.

Make powerful scripting commands only available on the server. SetPos, setVelocity, DisableUserInput, CreateUnit, SetDammage and so on. Moving these commands to the server would give only a little inconvience to mission makers.

Realise that 50% of people playing Arma right are using a generated CDkey to enjoy your game for free, and start activating FADE or working with gamespy to contact ISPs about piracy from their customers.

[zaphod 0]

disableuserinput executed on clients doesn't affect other clients on servers... as i know.

[Nutty_101 0]

disableuserinput executed on clients doesn't affect other clients on servers... as i know.

Except when they use it inside a setinit on a created vehicle

[.kju 3245]

please add additional info and comments to this bug in the CBTS:

2761: ArmA cheat protection needs rework / updates (metabug)

please sign up and vote the issue!

[sbsmac 0]

Created as new topic for better visibility

[zyklone 1]

The thing is that people were abusing modfolders in OFP to overcome some limits.

That has continued in ArmA..

Modfolders are for mods, not for addons.

There is no way to make cheat protection when players want to use modfolders, there wasn't in OFP either.

equalmodrequired together with strict signatureverification is the solution, but then players get upset when they use one of the crappy texture mod people release that changes all original files.

MP has always been an afterthought in both OFP and ArmA, especially competitive MP, BI just doesn't care.

I don't think any server admins were even invited to beta test not to mention ignoring all the tournament organisers.

Oh well, guess this turned into a whine post which wasn't really the plan.

[1-8thBadger 0]

Well seems to me that since they dont want to list boycott their next game til they do.

It has been worse since KFC came out with their new SCP pack last week where they can lock the admin out of his keyboard.

I too have gone on to other games now since its almost impossible to have a good game and try to check every single persons ID that comes on to the server now adays for 9 or 10 digit id numbers to ban them.

Reading their lastest comments now they are supposely getting close to generating ID numbers that can go as low as 6, wonderful

I dont know what the answer is but without the support I dont intend to spend another dime on them.

[mattxr 9]

I use mod folders to keep my orgional game files/folders clean and free. i dont want loads of addons clogging it up becuase if an addon courses a error it would take ages to find where as you can switch on and off mod folders to see what it is.

[1-8thBadger 0]

-Ziggy- @ Aug. 25 2007,02:05)]I have pmed Maruk numerous times about the current events of cheats, but he has never once replied.  

umm, Your post on the 25th, but yet Maruk had time to make a post on the 29th plugging their new game.

Yea I can see where their priorities are at this time.

[kronzky 5]

BI is aware of the problem of cheating, and (AFAIK) is trying to find a solution to it.

Since we don't want this board to be used as advertisement to any kind of cheats or cheating clans we ask you to refrain from discussing this particular issue in public (or to mention any cheats or related clans by name).

If you come across any new cheats or exploits, please forward them to Placebo@bistudio.com, so that BI has an opportunity to analyze them.

Thank You.