Protection of ArmA game-server operations

[Dwarden 1125]

Purpose of this thread is to cover any issues which are related to problems of ArmA game server hosting by unlawful actions like:

- server crashing (by script, flooding, buffer overflows or w/e fits)

- disruption of network traffic flow (flooding / denial of service (DoS))

- preventing any administration operations (kicking or blocking regular admins or owners from work)

- disruption of default game-server service (game breaking operations)

- anything similar as above

as these actions happens 'on server inside it's memory then they no different from similar issues with other servers on internet (IRCs, web servers/sites/forums/databases, Im networks etc.)

these unlawful actions usually leads to additional expenses (financial loss) of server owner and also game hosting companies

such actions ARE criminal acts in most countries where internet is income source recognized by law (even it's just minor infraction like transgression)

please discuss below tactics, server side solutions to prevent these disruptive actions and/or possible legal actions allowed by law etc.

Must read notes:

* Admins, server owners, server hosting companies staff, server script&tool coders, mission makers, lawyers are twice than welcome to post on subject

ideas like SUE this guy for using client side wallhack are so naive and waste of readers time in this THREAD !

For players this thread is NOT for complains about cheaters ...

there were multiple threads related to this subject yet they were locked due to off topic or cheat talk

here is link to biggest one as it also contains some useful posts http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....77;st=0

(i avoid merge because it's already too big and hard to find useful info)

If these posters wish please re-post in this thread (ideally merge as much as possible into single post with good formating)

note:

If local law authorities take actions and offender is e.g. fined or just examined by them then You get informations who it was (name,address) where (location, ISP, IP ranges) and so on ...

yet prior posting any personal data consult this with Your lawyer and ideally don't post it here but link to site / report with them

[BraTTy 0]

Nobody posted?

I can start...

On Sept 16th I was playing MP game Evolution and the game got hacked, causing my PC to lockup and get HD errors after reboot.

Reading that computer privacy act that this is in violation of federal law.

If we get enough server owners and complaints together, officials will have to act

I am not associated with law at this point (considered getting night job with PD) I have several relatives in PD

-

Ok your right...reviewing CFAA it would need to cause 5000$ damage or loss.

The laws appear to be mainly written for protection of govt computers. Anyone using a govt computer? Just acessing one is illegal.

Bratty, i am sure your computer came up with hard drive errors from hackers (oh wait, they don't hack the game they write scripts like everyone else in the scripting forum does).

Dude writing a script for more enjoyment is on a different basis than writing one that intentional will cause harm to others computers isn't the same. (ie: writing a script to take control of admins pc, flood the user off etc..)

Your whole outlook that Bis/505 can stop hacking fits your name. MS can't stop it. Laws will be revised eventually.

Only way I can see Bis stopping this is rewrite the code and not allow clientside scripting which would change the whole way the game is played (miision scripting etc..)

[walker 0]

Hi all

Here is the current criminal law solution that is being discussed.

The minute unauthorised packets pass over the network to affect machines not owned by the purpertrator is when the crime is committed. If you are not clear on this, please read the laws linked in this thread.

The laws apply across borders and most countries enact a form of them.

Ignorance of the law is no defense.

If you wish to dispute interpretations of the law by all means do so.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COPY AND PASTE THE SECTION BELOW ACROSS ALL GAME FORUMS

Cheating is a crime!

At 18:36 on Sep. 12 2007 a member of the ArmA game community reported to the police the actions of a group of TK/Cheater/Griefer who were using altered files and or exe's so as to alter in game data and to reduce server usability/deny service/or bring down the game server.

And the police are treating it as a crime!

Quote[/b] ]Already sent in a complaint, within 10 minutes  i got a call with a case number, case manager, they have the thee IP records already of the IP and using there website for info.

Case Manager is also handling all the cases  with (web site of TK/Cheater/Griefer supporters redacted as it is now a crime under investigation) within the US so hope all is well

There no such thing as a secure system that is connected to the internet

That is why there are laws to prevent people altering data on a server without permission.

Even the pentagon can be and is on occasions cracked.

Much the same with banks or peoples houses they can all be broken in to.

You may say the police will just laugh it out, yet posts in the ArmA thread prove you 100% wrong. The police are investigating TK/Griefer/Cheater's and the web sites that conspire with and organise them.

They are investigating them because the mere act of altering any data on any server in a way the owner does not wish you to do so is a criminal offence. In much the same way as stepping through your open door and taking your computer is a crime.

TK/Cheater/Griefers can say all they want; it is against the Law

Here are the laws in the UK as they pertain to even altering data without permission they are the country I live in but other coutries have the same kinds of laws, see below.

The Computer Misuse Act 1990

Quote[/b] ]Computer misuse offences

( 1 ) Unauthorised access to computer material (1) A person is guilty of an offence if—

( a ) he causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer;

( b ) the access he intends to secure is unauthorised; and

( c ) he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that that is the case.

( 2 ) The intent a person has to have to commit an offence under this section need not be directed at—

( a ) any particular program or data;

( b ) a program or data of any particular kind; or

( c ) a program or data held in any particular computer.

( 3 ) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/Ukpga_19900018_en_1.htm As always follow link to the original materials and to read more

Also see the Computer Misuse Act 1990 as amended by the Police and Justice Act 2006.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa....-i.html

That makes for even heavier punishments and easier cases for use against people abusing your server/computer.  

In the US I believe it is under section five of the COMPUTER FRAUD AND ABUSE ACT. 18 U.S.C. § 1030

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode....0-.html

Have a read if you are a US citizen.

And follow this link to find the laws for your own country

http://www.cybercrimelaw.net/laws/survey.html

You can and should report cheaters who alter data on your servers in ways that you do not wish them to. So Yes! They are even breaking the law using a speed crack because you have not given them your permission to do so. It is your server and they need your permission to alter data on it.

If you invite someone into your house that does not give them permission to burn it down.

Whether it be by using variants of game files that you have not expressly authorized or if they are using an external exe. In each case if they connect to your server and use them to change server data in a way you the server owner did not authorize they have committed a crime.

Remember the police are already investigating both TK/Griefer/Cheater's and the web sites that conspire with and organise them.

It is really important for us to spread the word across the whole gaming community. The more server admins that report the crimes the better evidence there is!

AND REPORTING CRIME IS FREE!

No costly lawyers involved.

As Victor said if you play these games

Quote[/b] ]---- Vietcong 1 & 2

---- Armed Assault

---- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

---- Battlefield 2/2142

---- Call of Juarez

---- Counter Strike: Source

---- WarRock

---- Americas Army

---- Call of Duty

---- Soldner: Secret Wars

---- Jedi Academy

---- Grand Theft Auto (MTA)

---- FIFA 07

---- SOCOM 3

---- Splinter Cell 3

If you know of a thread on their forums tell them how to report any crime that takes down a server, denies service, or even alters data on a server that is not authorized by the server owner.

Where to report Cyber Crime

Here are the important links to the police cyber crime units of different countries.

In the US

http://www.ic3.gov/

In the UK.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-v....t-crime

In the Netherlands

http://www.meldpuntcybercrime.nl/english_information.html

Interpol is the place to report Cyber crime throughout Europe

http://www.interpol.int/

The link to do so is right there on the web page use it.

You can find your own countries cyber crime department by tanslating "Cyber crime police" into your mother tongue and searching for it in Google.

Gathering evidense

For server host admins. You can use a packet sniffing tool of which there are many to gather evidense of unaurthorised packets being sent to your computer or misusing your computer to send the same to others.

There is an explanation of how they work as well as links to some of the best in this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_sniffer

Nutty_101 has been developing an ArmA packet sniffer tools to gather evidence of who is sending unauthorised packets to your ArmA servers although he has said he is not sure they are security grade so one of the others maybe a better choice. I know some others in the community are developing plug ins for existing security grade Packet Sniffing tools.

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....16;st=0

We need to speak to police involved in the cases on how they want the evidence presenting. Usually they will want a sworn affidavit where you swear the relevant log files such as packet sniffer files in to evidence as being a true and accurate record.

Criminal Law not Civil

The law is quite clear that these are criminal actions and let me remind all that this is criminal law nothing to do with civil suit.

So when Lt.Chris wrote

Quote[/b] ]In my personal opinion on this matter i think it should be 505/BIS taking the legal action against the cheaters like KFC to get them shut down etc

While it is an interesting proposal it belongs in a separate thread.

Dwarden and the Moddies would you like me to take this section and place it in a seperate thread?

Remember Remember the 5th of November.

Remember also let us make November 5th 2007 action day for all games to strike a blow against the TK/Griefer/Cheater's and the web sites that conspire with and organise them.

Overall think of the 5th of November as a Giant Flash Mob effect of loads of gamers getting together to raise a fuss. It is the way that you get crimes that are being ignored raised in the public conscious.

The 5th of November is a date for all games to band together to raise awareness of the problem by contacting the police to ask what is happening with existing cases; contact your local politician to get them involved and if cases are not successful to change the laws so they become successful; contact media to create a buzz around the subject.

Remember what we are here for is to put an end to the criminal activity that is costing gamers and game companies time and money by making examples of those who commit crime.

Kind Regards walker

[Nutty_101 0]

Bratty, i am sure your computer came up with hard drive errors from hackers (oh wait, they don't hack the game they write scripts like everyone else in the scripting forum does). Your whole I have drones and groups of leet wankers to take their site offline junk is not helping anything. If anything please sit down and try and contribute something useful to people here.

  No one is going to shut that domain down nor get them booted from their ISP. They get the tickets anyway and it's not going to help. Nov 5th thing is junk. Yeah lets all submit a report that gets us no where and you guys know it.

[SeppSchrot 0]

As a server admin, I say the first step has to be an enhanced (and configurable) logging facility. For example, it would be nice to have not only the player ID in the logs but also the IP.

Next, there should be more ways to administrate the server from outside (give me the ability to #kick via a documented API or similar).

When I think about it, I begin to understand why open-source is so popular in the server market. Because every provider can enhance and protect his services in a way he likes. And he doesn't need to wait for the original developer to fix flaws.

The Server-Side-Scripting was a step in the right direction but it needs to be expansible by the admin staff.

[76 0]

Australian Law in regards to this issue...

If they have reverse engineered, modified or deliberately corrupted any software without permission of the developer then they have unlawfully breached Australian Copy Right laws.

Clearly in NSW and in other states it is illigal to obtain or partake in:

308D Unauthorised modification of data with intent to cause impairment

(1) A person who:

(a) causes any unauthorised modification of data held in a computer, and

(b) knows that the modification is unauthorised, and

© intends by the modification to impair access to, or to impair the reliability, security or operation of, any data held in a computer, or who is reckless as to any such impairment,

is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.

(2) A conviction for an offence against this section is an alternative verdict to a charge for:

(a) an offence against section 195 (Maliciously destroying or damaging property), or

(b) an offence against section 308E (Unauthorised impairment of electronic communication).

furhter to this:

308E Unauthorised impairment of electronic communication

(1) A person who:

(a) causes any unauthorised impairment of electronic communication to or from a computer, and

(b) knows that the impairment is unauthorised, and

© intends to impair electronic communication to or from the computer, or who is reckless as to any such impairment,

is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.

(2) A conviction for an offence against this section is an alternative verdict to a charge for:

(a) an offence against section 195 (Maliciously destroying or damaging property), or

(b) an offence against section 308D (Unauthorised modification of data with intent to cause impairment).

Its illigal to hack with the intention to inhibit the performance of the server or cause it to crash. Its illigal to obtain data from the servers without autherisation or to "hack" server in order to cause it some sort of damage or "slow down".

[sickboy 13]

@Sepp, ever looked at the -netlog start parameter? If im not mistaken, you get ip adresses and such with it.

[Dwarden 1125]

huge cleanup of offtopic trashtalk not related to thread topics

@walker re-edit your posts into single (first) post and mark the rest

otherwise i erase them w/o mercy