Epic's EAC2 v2 seems fairly easily bypassable
codon.org.uk
Epic just announced the upcoming version 2 of their Linux implementation of Easy Anti-Cheat. It’s based on using the Linux eBPF security module to monitor what’s happening, and then a bunch of extra infrastructure to make sure this can’t be bypassed. The core part of this is requiring secure boot be enabled (ensuring that modified kernels can’t be used), using measured boot to verify that secure boot is enabled and which keys are used (to prevent you from just signing your own modified kernel), and then doing remote attestation, a mechanism where the TPM generates a signed copy of the boot measurements and passes that off to a server which verifies it came from a real TPM, verifies that you have secure boot enabled and are using the right keys, and presumably then allows you into the game.
      • lobsters__wink@crustaceanson.theshelf.topM
        1·
        21 days ago

        I’m half wondering if the UI could be better/amended so we could tag “related stories” but not outright merge them. Basically not as vague as the same tag, but not as close as “3 people writing about the same thing in the span of one week”.

        Although this one is tricky. It’s timely, and it’s a direct response. I think the mods tend to merge those?

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  • lobsters__alandekok@crustaceanson.theshelf.topM
    1·
    21 days ago

    There have been many attempts to do remote attestation, going back to the mid 2000’s. Variations like NAC, SoH, trusted computing, etc. All of these attempts failed. Why?

    Because you’re asking a potentially compromised system if it’s compromised. That can’t end well.

    TPMs help a bit, as you get at least the promise that a private key isn’t being leaked. But so what? You don’t have to crack that. You can just ask the people involved to compromise the systems on your behalf.

    So it’s been 20 years, and people are still trying to do the same thing which won’t work.

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  • lobsters__orib@crustaceanson.theshelf.topM
    1·
    21 days ago

    From what I’m told by friends who work in the gaming industry, there are hardcore cheaters that hook into the HDMI and USB via an external computer. Assuming this hearsay is viable, I don’t think you can really prevent dedicated cheaters while keeping the games playable.

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    • lobsters__puffnfresh@crustaceanson.theshelf.topM
      1·
      21 days ago

      No, a virtual TPM wouldn’t be trusted. Physical TPMs include trusted keys: AMD has the Secure Processor, Intel has the On-Die Certificate Authority.

      Going back a few years, the TPM used to be on the motherboard - not the CPU. Keys from those vendors are usually trusted too.

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  • lobsters__m_eiman@crustaceanson.theshelf.topM
    1·
    22 days ago

    I would guess that having to buy a cheat dongle will stop a fair chunk of potential cheaters, but obviously not the determined ones. Perhaps a large enough chunk to not ruin the game for everyone else, and instead just make the high score boards (or whatever games these days use for clout) useless?

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