Can someone explain to me how EA bans "hardware"? What hardware do they ban? And what is stopping people from simply changing their registry to bypass it?
Most effective ban EA can do is a GUID ban. That stops your copy of ther game being used from anywhere and prevents people with dynamic IPs simply disconecting and reconnecting to get a new IP.
IP ban is the next best thing but that only really works with people who have static IPs, old Pentium 3s used to have a processor ID that could have been used to ban your "pc" but people got really fucky about that and I assume it got discontinued in later Pentiums, even if it didn't its disabled by default in the BIOS anyway so pretty ineffective.#
In short, they cant ban hardware, only software and ID codes that identify it/you.
EDIT:
Actually on later thaught they could ID you by your MAC address, which every network adapter has, wether it be modem. router. network card, they're all unique so that could be used, but I doubt EA's that smart or that bothered to be honest. but that can be got round by buying a new modem/NIC etc.
IP ban is the next best thing but that only really works with people who have static IPs, old Pentium 3s used to have a processor ID that could have been used to ban your "pc" but people got really fucky about that and I assume it got discontinued in later Pentiums, even if it didn't its disabled by default in the BIOS anyway so pretty ineffective.#
In short, they cant ban hardware, only software and ID codes that identify it/you.
EDIT:
Actually on later thaught they could ID you by your MAC address, which every network adapter has, wether it be modem. router. network card, they're all unique so that could be used, but I doubt EA's that smart or that bothered to be honest. but that can be got round by buying a new modem/NIC etc.
Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2006-04-11 06:19:24)
product serial number i guessFancy_Pollux wrote:
Can someone explain to me how EA bans "hardware"? What hardware do they ban? And what is stopping people from simply changing their registry to bypass it?
They can ban your MAC address. It is the unique serial number burned into your NIC (Network Interface Card). If your NIC is a part of your motherboard....guess what?
hardwear Ban What is it ?Fancy_Pollux wrote:
Can someone explain to me how EA bans "hardware"? What hardware do they ban? And what is stopping people from simply changing their registry to bypass it?
It's a ban that been isued after you have been busted using ANY PB by pass Hack I.E
any hack that messis with PB files it self, will almost certenly give u hardwear ban ( Private hacks )
Hardwear ban is when your harddrive of your PC has been baned ( includs, Game key , and afcorse the I.P adress
So Unless you wana Buy New game new harddrive and new I.P adress, I sugest u not using hack ( as thats what Im guesing u thinking about doing )
Peace Boris
You sure your from England? Your above post qualifies for my "Expert English As a Third Language Award"badhq wrote:
hardwear Ban What is it ?Fancy_Pollux wrote:
Can someone explain to me how EA bans "hardware"? What hardware do they ban? And what is stopping people from simply changing their registry to bypass it?
It's a ban that been isued after you have been busted using ANY PB by pass Hack I.E
any hack that messis with PB files it self, will almost certenly give u hardwear ban ( Private hacks )
Hardwear ban is when your harddrive of your PC has been baned ( includs, Game key , and afcorse the I.P adress
So Unless you wana Buy New game new harddrive and new I.P adress, I sugest u not using hack ( as thats what Im guesing u thinking about doing )
Peace Boris
You especially don't know what your talking about when you refer to a Hard Drive ban LOL. I love people who pretend to be all techy, talking about stuff they have noooo clue about.
Last edited by Cyberwolf (2006-04-11 12:13:15)
I don't know what Im talking about ?Cyberwolf wrote:
You sure your from England? Your above post qualifies for my "Expert English As a Third Language Award"badhq wrote:
hardwear Ban What is it ?Fancy_Pollux wrote:
Can someone explain to me how EA bans "hardware"? What hardware do they ban? And what is stopping people from simply changing their registry to bypass it?
It's a ban that been isued after you have been busted using ANY PB by pass Hack I.E
any hack that messis with PB files it self, will almost certenly give u hardwear ban ( Private hacks )
Hardwear ban is when your harddrive of your PC has been baned ( includs, Game key , and afcorse the I.P adress
So Unless you wana Buy New game new harddrive and new I.P adress, I sugest u not using hack ( as thats what Im guesing u thinking about doing )
Peace Boris
You especially don't know what your talking about when you refer to a Hard Drive ban LOL. I love people who pretend to be all techy, talking about stuff they have noooo clue about.
lol I run and own Advanced BF2clan tools and I don't know what Im talking about?
The fact that I use to make hacks, I think it certainly qualifies me to know what I'm talking about. Guy has asked a question how do you get Hardwear ban I simply given example here how its given and what ban you get. So Now tell me what do you do ? The fact that I speak 3 languages and English been my 3rd language, I think I have excuse for my spelling whats your excuse for been an asshole ?
A lot of NICs nowadays allow you to change the MAC address. Plus, if it actually bans you from the game by the MAC all they'd need do is either change the MAC address or buy a new network card. (which even for the good 3com ones are dirt cheap)
That wiki article is interesting. I never thought they'd do that, but punkbuster is a rather intrusive piece of software (but hey, if it works it's worth it I suppose).
The only thing that I can really think of offhand that really has an accessable unique ID would be the already mentioned MAC address. Hard drives, as far as I know, don't have an ID that can be accessed (while they do have serial numbers, these aren't hard coded anywhere for the software to look at). Hashing the hard drive would be silly, because that changes whenever you change any files on the hard drive.
They could hash the combinations of pieces of hardware you have on your computer, but that would mean banning people who have the same configurations, such as those bought from the same retail outlet.
I wonder how they do it.
Edit: If you're hardware banned, are you banned from all punkbuster games?
The only thing that I can really think of offhand that really has an accessable unique ID would be the already mentioned MAC address. Hard drives, as far as I know, don't have an ID that can be accessed (while they do have serial numbers, these aren't hard coded anywhere for the software to look at). Hashing the hard drive would be silly, because that changes whenever you change any files on the hard drive.
They could hash the combinations of pieces of hardware you have on your computer, but that would mean banning people who have the same configurations, such as those bought from the same retail outlet.
I wonder how they do it.
Edit: If you're hardware banned, are you banned from all punkbuster games?
Last edited by Sorrenart (2006-04-11 12:44:09)
A component of a computer program that tries to stop cheating at computer games.
As of June 30, 2004, Even Balance has incorporated the usage of unique hardware identifiers to permanently ban players from all PunkBuster enabled servers who raise a violation that corresponds to hacking or interfering with PunkBuster's normal operation and therefor violating the PB EULA.
Even Balance uses multiple private one-way hashes so that no serial number information for individual computers can be determined by admins or anyone else who may try to obtain this information from a hardware GUID.
As with previous PunkBuster GUID global bans, the new hardware GUID bans are permanent and will not be lifted.
To circumvent a hardware ban, you will have to replace several hardware components. Even Balance has not disclosed which hardware parts are used to ban players. Even Balance has the final say in matters of banning, and does not need to give a reason for suspicion in order to ban a player.
Peace Boris
As of June 30, 2004, Even Balance has incorporated the usage of unique hardware identifiers to permanently ban players from all PunkBuster enabled servers who raise a violation that corresponds to hacking or interfering with PunkBuster's normal operation and therefor violating the PB EULA.
Even Balance uses multiple private one-way hashes so that no serial number information for individual computers can be determined by admins or anyone else who may try to obtain this information from a hardware GUID.
As with previous PunkBuster GUID global bans, the new hardware GUID bans are permanent and will not be lifted.
To circumvent a hardware ban, you will have to replace several hardware components. Even Balance has not disclosed which hardware parts are used to ban players. Even Balance has the final say in matters of banning, and does not need to give a reason for suspicion in order to ban a player.
Peace Boris
People people, every machine has a serial ID that is hashed from the 4 main components that have identifiable hardware codes:
the CPU stepping ID (All are unique and are contained in the same STRAP address regardless Intel or AMD)
the NIC MAC address (All are unique and contained in the same IRQ resource address)
the Motherboard Revision number (Not unique, but added for additional granularity, located in the Shadow ROM CMOS)
the Hard Drive Manufacture date (Not unique, but added for additional granularity, located in the ROM chip)
WindowsXP uses a LUT method for hashing those 4 ID codes into something that is called a Hash Key.
Software Engineering 101.
Yawn.
the CPU stepping ID (All are unique and are contained in the same STRAP address regardless Intel or AMD)
the NIC MAC address (All are unique and contained in the same IRQ resource address)
the Motherboard Revision number (Not unique, but added for additional granularity, located in the Shadow ROM CMOS)
the Hard Drive Manufacture date (Not unique, but added for additional granularity, located in the ROM chip)
WindowsXP uses a LUT method for hashing those 4 ID codes into something that is called a Hash Key.
Software Engineering 101.
Yawn.
Last edited by Nyte (2006-04-11 12:54:30)
Alpha as fuck.
wow! you disable your onboard NIC and go buy another 14$ network card.Darth_Fleder wrote:
They can ban your MAC address. It is the unique serial number burned into your NIC (Network Interface Card). If your NIC is a part of your motherboard....guess what?
And the Serial ID is specfic to each machine as long as none of those specfic harware have been changed. So in theory if ya change your NIC, and you have a different Serial ID? Forgive me if im wrong, im a linux guy.
Hardware Ban! Oh my! please...its a bunch of shit. Is that going to stop hardcore cheaters? No way.
Last edited by Snipedya14 (2006-04-11 13:33:46)
Was wondering how they did that. Now I know.
That's neat. Except for one thing. You can spoof a MAC address, with certain, uh, bootable harddrive tools from *cough cough* factory diagnostic technicians *cough cough*, you can tell the drive it's Abraham Lincoln, and there's ways around the mobo revision number. Processor, I haven't figured that one out yet.
First off I'm not a cheat of any sort. But three out of the four steps are beatable. We've had to use many of them on factory production systems to get things to work right. Get a certain mobo to take a revised BIOS, get a drive functional, test network settings.
Most times run three programs, edit a few values and you're set, then swap the processor, get a new CD Key and you're back in the game in 30 minutes or less. But to go through all that work just to grief someone or to become the uberleet General or whatever so you can use an aimbot or a wall hack or whatever, great your e-penis grows larger, but most normal people won't give a damn.
That's neat. Except for one thing. You can spoof a MAC address, with certain, uh, bootable harddrive tools from *cough cough* factory diagnostic technicians *cough cough*, you can tell the drive it's Abraham Lincoln, and there's ways around the mobo revision number. Processor, I haven't figured that one out yet.
First off I'm not a cheat of any sort. But three out of the four steps are beatable. We've had to use many of them on factory production systems to get things to work right. Get a certain mobo to take a revised BIOS, get a drive functional, test network settings.
Most times run three programs, edit a few values and you're set, then swap the processor, get a new CD Key and you're back in the game in 30 minutes or less. But to go through all that work just to grief someone or to become the uberleet General or whatever so you can use an aimbot or a wall hack or whatever, great your e-penis grows larger, but most normal people won't give a damn.
YesSorrenart wrote:
Edit: If you're hardware banned, are you banned from all punkbuster games?
It has cause a great deal of consternation amongst several hacker boards I read. It's quite funny actually. As far as what is used in the hardware ban and what you have to do to get around it, I'm sure the info is out there. The question is, do you have it completely right? Cause if you don't, PB just adds the info you changed to the banned id's and goes on.
Banning a MAC address is only possible on a local LAN segment as the MAC address is at layer 2 of the OSI model. Your PC has no concept of MAC addresses beyond your local subnet, ping something on the internet and look at your arp tables...
As nyte pointed out there is probably a serial hash based upon several devices within the PC, the NIC being one of them. If your NIC drivers support it simply change the a MAC, as long as it isn't all f's or all 0,s and is unique on your segment you can use pretty much anything you want (not really, there are exceptions but we wont go into that).
The main thing really is not to get a hardware ban, dont be a cheat, dont hack and play fair and it wont be a problem.
Gandlers
As nyte pointed out there is probably a serial hash based upon several devices within the PC, the NIC being one of them. If your NIC drivers support it simply change the a MAC, as long as it isn't all f's or all 0,s and is unique on your segment you can use pretty much anything you want (not really, there are exceptions but we wont go into that).
The main thing really is not to get a hardware ban, dont be a cheat, dont hack and play fair and it wont be a problem.
Gandlers
BORIS.....isnt it good to know that assholes are everywhere you go...even on forums???
Cyberwolf = pwnd
Nice work Boris. Enlighten the tool on what other languages you speak just to finish it all off....
Nice work Boris. Enlighten the tool on what other languages you speak just to finish it all off....
I didn't mean for it to sound as if it were impossible to repair...just a pain in the ass. One other thing....old fashioned NIC cards are becoming dirt cheap because they are becoming an integrated piece of hardware to the motherboard, just go down to Best Buy and see how wide the selection is. They are not rare, yet, but are going the way of the floppy drive.
You Know that Big ole Activation code u use when activating windows? Welp its comprised of the windows software, your motherboard, Vidio cars and NIC and your MAC addy. This is how they will ban your hardware. You litterally need to get a new computer(almost) to play again. EVERY piece of hardware and software has a code of numbers that identifies it. Thats why when you change too many pieces of hardware in your computer, you have to reactivate windows through the phone, and tell them you changed the stuff so they can give you a new number. This same principle is how a hardware ban works.
Harry
Harry
If I ever get hardware banned, it's just one more reason to upgrade my piece of shit computer.
Though a new NIC and video card would probably suffice.
Punkbuster is useless, though. Every game I've played with PB lags really bad while PB does its scanning shit and updates. I've also seen only one hacker EVER kicked by PB from ANY PB game. I'd rather deal with some hackers (nice challenge) than deal with lag (not a fun challenge, except for testing my keyboard's durability).
Though a new NIC and video card would probably suffice.
Punkbuster is useless, though. Every game I've played with PB lags really bad while PB does its scanning shit and updates. I've also seen only one hacker EVER kicked by PB from ANY PB game. I'd rather deal with some hackers (nice challenge) than deal with lag (not a fun challenge, except for testing my keyboard's durability).
This may be true, but remember that Punkbuster is running on your computer, it can collect whatever information it wants from your PC and then send it off into the interweb.gandlers wrote:
Banning a MAC address is only possible on a local LAN segment as the MAC address is at layer 2 of the OSI model. Your PC has no concept of MAC addresses beyond your local subnet, ping something on the internet and look at your arp tables...
MAC adresses can be changed quite easily, even on not-so-new computers.
Anti-cheat software is a notorious cause of system slowdown, though less noticable in BF2 than in other incarnations (like Jedi Knight and Battlefield 1942). AntiTCC for Unreal is also damn inconvenient, and offers almost no output for the second-long lag it produces.
Bottom line: I despise software that collects information about my system and spreads it around the internet. Loophole City.
Bottom line: I despise software that collects information about my system and spreads it around the internet. Loophole City.
Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2006-04-12 02:09:57)
HINT: Windows doesn't care how you change it if you're using a corporate copy with a generic volume license key.
To most of us, these concepts may be far out, because we don't think like these cheats and hacks.
In dealing with network security, system administration, building systems in a corporate enviroment, etc, the cheats probably have all the tools I have and then some. They probably have a script written that will change everything with a click on a single icon and a system restart.
It's deplorable but some people have to beat the system.
To most of us, these concepts may be far out, because we don't think like these cheats and hacks.
In dealing with network security, system administration, building systems in a corporate enviroment, etc, the cheats probably have all the tools I have and then some. They probably have a script written that will change everything with a click on a single icon and a system restart.
It's deplorable but some people have to beat the system.