nProtect GameGuard

[Kugyou]

Well, this might be more suited to the Soap Box forum, but since it's about games I thought I should put it here. Both Gunbound and MapleStory use a program called nProtect GameGuard as an "anti-hack" program. And it sucks. What's so bad about it?

1. It does not stop hackers. I've been on MapleStory (I don't play GunBound, and now won't because of GameGuard chicanery) a number of times while someone is reporting an actual hack going on (most of the time it's an authoritative auto-kill bot).

2. It stops all outside macro programs. Yes, I know this is to keep bots from working, but see point number 1 above. Without running a bypass on GameGuard, I can't use a joystick or my SpeedPad. I have horrible osteoarthritis, and it's very uncomfortable to use my keyboard to play. Considering I spent $200 on my keyboard/mouse combo (Bluetooth diNovo), I'm not going to go out and buy *another* keyboard just so I can be comfortable while playing a game.

3. It's a security hole. Do a google search for "remove GameGuard" and you'll eventually find Unrestricted I/O access vulnerability in INCA Gameguard. This includes a proof-of-concept on an attack using GameGuard's cloaking ability (much like the Sony rootkit) to gain undetectable I/O access to one's computer. GameGuard is also listed as a medium security risk by the Department of Homeland Security (http://nvd.nist.gov/nvd.cfm?cvename=CAN-2005-0295).

4. Constant use of bandwidth. Anyone who plays Maple Story or GunBound, run a netstat. Tell me how many connections to the game's gameguard update server are running right now. While you are not playing the game. At the moment, I am not running Maple Story, yet there are 16 connections to the GameGuard server, making sure that I don't compromise the program while I'm not playing.

5. Interference with/denial of play because of legitimate security tools. A recent update to GameGuard for GunBound made it so that the game will not start simply if you have the program ProcessGuard running on your computer. PG is a security tool that allows you to set specific access for each and every process running on your computer. Yes, some hackers have used it to disable GameGuard, but many people don't even touch GG with it, yet cannot log on to GunBound simply because the program is on their computer (Softnyx actually asked users to uninstall ProcessGuard if they wanted to continue playing GunBound).

6. It DOES NOT UNINSTALL ITSELF. In point number 4, I mentioned that there are 16 connections to gameguard.maplestory.com, yet I am not playing the game. I should have been more specific. I no longer have MapleStory installed, yet gameguard is still making sure it's up-to-date. In order to uninstall GameGuard, one has to stop a service via net stop (because the service is cloaked and does not appear via the Computer Management console), delete entries out of their registry, delete two driver files out of WINDOWS/system32, and then hope that GameGuard will finally leave them alone. I've just done all of that, and I still have 16 open connections (maybe a reboot will finally kill it all).

I'll give a final update after rebooting.

[Kugyou]

And...16 connections to gameguard.maplestory.com. I've deleted the service, removed the files, deleted the driver, modified the registry...I'm officially calling this program a hack. Then again, there are rumors that INCA was founded by a hacker. Not a reformed hacker, like when L0pht became a group of upstanding citizens, but an active black-hat hacker. Final Verdict:

Boycotting any game that uses nProtect GameGuard.

Forgot a point above while I was at it, too:

7. Installs without permission. The EULA for Maple Story and GunBound do not inform the user that they will be installing GameGuard, or that acceptance of this rootkit/hack/backdoor is a requirement to play their game.