Call of Duty Ghosts Experiencing Massive Hacking

Hacks now affecting use of perks, top scores, and even the sale of modded lobbies.

[LoveForGames]

There was hacking in others CoD's too... sad that they still cant fix this problem.

[supes_24]

And yet people still buy this excuse for a game. They won't fix it until the gamers speak, and that's by not buying their crap games. I'm literally sitting here dumbfounded as to why some people still buy this game!

[grahf]

Because people like it. And it will continue to be made as long as people like it. Does that dumbfound you?

[LackTrue4K]

lol....my sister has COD for the PlayStation3, and it comes with a code to download for the PlayStation4 from PSN for 10 bucks.

she offered me the digital game, I held the COD box in my hand and looked @ it and was like...
....."NAAAAAAaaaa.....no thanks"

[CerebralAssassin]

I buy it because its fun. Theres hackers in every game. Halo 2 was plagued with hackers like no game ive seen before. Doesnt make it a bad game. Using that as an excuse to call if crap is a reach. Skyrim is glitched like all hell. Still one of the best out there.

of course they dont fix it until gamers speak up. How else are they going to know theres a problem? Your post makes you seem like your just hating on the game and is reaching for more excuses to bash it. Do you even play cod? Doubtful. So why voice your opinion on something you dont interact with?

[Autodidactdystopia]

Whats funny is that in the cod engine, they don't even try to prevent it gameside.

They use static root addresses for all of their main variables, They don't even use multilevel pointers for their most sensitive memory addresses, its like once you attach the debugger you don't even have to try, its just a matter of finding the first address. They use no pointers at all which in my book is ridiculous, Injecting code is another story but the fact that you don't really even have to try to find values to change, says a lot.

I mean even plants vs zombies uses pointers.

The battlefield engine for example uses ~16 level pointers on almost all of the critical values that one would change to "hack"

"they cant fix it"

they wont even try haha.

[BX81]

I got ghost for the 360 for the campaign and was hoping for better mp. Boy was I disappointed. I really liked the story but the mp is a joke. They jacked up the unlock system IMO. Also the dog is glitchy, it will run past you then somehow side jump attack you and the new jugg running around with a knife is wack. Don't get me started on the spawn system. Needless to say I will not be trading up for a Xbox one version.

[Athonline]

@Autodidactdystopia
Do you know what pointers are in programming or you are just using big words?

Pointer is a variable that holds the address and nothing more to another variable/object. Nothing more. On their own they have no security implication, in fact the less pointers used the better security-wise as less fields (global variables) are exposed.

Pointers are the bread and butter of every C/C++ programmer and it will be ridiculous to claim that a game doesn't use them or even saying that a game uses "just 16". My OpenGL at University coursework had 50+ pointers, a complete game will have thousands.

EVERY game that uses local memory is valuable to memory injection. This is how bots in MMOs, aimbots and how trainers work. They scan your local memory, read and manipulate addresses values by accessing them at an OS level.

How do games protect themselves? During online play, your local values related to your character's stats are double-checked with server-side every few intervals. There is an "error percentage", but if the difference is much higher then the game reports that the user is "cracking" (hacking is not the correct word).

CoD is poorly program from the point of view that they rely too much client-side... Done to reduce servers' load and in extend, their costs.

Sources:
BSc in Computer Science, 2 years worked as a developer and now doing a phd in security.

[Retroman]

@ supes
they still buying this game becuz dev. feel it is a safe haven for them (cash cow) why bother producing new ip's when the old cow not broke.

[Autodidactdystopia]

@anthonline

Yes.

Do you or are you just using big words?

On a real note, I understand all of that.

Which would you rather have, a variable that is less exposed yet gives the "cracker" as you call it, unlimited access on any system to that value once they've found it.

Or would you prefer to have yes, many "exposed fields" easy to find, however hard to sift through that change each time memory is allocated.

You literally just did the same thing you accused me of.

what I said isn't wrong go check out any game on the cod engine yourself. you will see that their "vulnerable" values, health ammo and the like don't use dma for some odd reason. maybe so they have more control... to save memory beats me. you will find the static root address within a few sweeps.

1000 level pointers would be a waste of resources. I have no idea where you are getting your BS info from... oh that BS in all the crap your talking.

My wife has a BS in computer science. Still doesn't know shit about them. Throwing credentials at me is like.... Stupid

Did you even read my name? *checks dictionary*

oh and to all the other bs you just spouted.

NO shit didn't think it necessary to explain how the whole client, server system works, where certain functions are handled and how and what they communicate just to make a comment on my disapproval of their engine.

You've just been NOP'd out, <little "cracker" term there ;) let me guess, you have a BS in assembly too?

[Athonline]

@Autodidactdystopia

This is a pointer example in C++:
int *foo; See that "*"? That declares that foo is a pointer.

int **foo; This is a pointer-to-a-pointer pointer called foo, in "Cheat-Engine slang" a 2-levels pointer.

int ***foo; 3-levels.

What is a pointer? See comment above.

On your memory you get pointers holding the address of an object (I hope you know what objects are). This is done for memory saving, as by using a pointer you just hold the address and not a duplicate of the object. You use pointers to access objects' variables, read and write in them. Simply object manipulation.

We usually in programming use simple pointers to point to complicated data-structures. Having a mutli-level pointer is not good practise at all; not efficient and not really a security gain. Programmers, including myself, do this a lot as we are lazy. Sometimes it is easier to point to another pointer than find a way to access the pointer in the first place...

I didn't say 1000-level pointer, I am saying games got multiple pointers.

I will agree that CoD does not use DMA. This is due to the PC version being a port...

Static memory is allocated automatically on the stack. This is much easier to program. Dynamic values are stored on the heap. This means you adjust the timeout, size, etc yourself but also have to do the dirty work, aka the clean-up. So static is easier to implement and less chances of having a memory leak. Dynamic memory is harder to implement, but if done right much better imo. DMA is not used as a security measure, but rather as optimisation technique. Dynamic memory is as easy, as static memory to manipulate if you know what you are doing.

I agree that CoD for PC is a terrible, unoptimised port. However you can't claim that other games are better client-side; the moment you write something in the memory, whenever that is a pointer or a variable, it is exposed.

And no, I don't know assembly. I am familiar only with the following languages: C, C++ (with OpenGL), Java (main language), Javascript, GWTK, Spring, Ruby on Rails, PhD, Oracle's SQL, MySQL and know a bit of .net and C#.
For assembly, FOTRAN, etc you either have to travel back in the 80s or find a low-level programmer.

[Autodidactdystopia]

You keep telling me things I already know.

We seem to have the disagreement on what a pointer is and what barrier it stands to hackers.

That's ok.

Hacking memory space has a lot more to do with Assembly than any high level programming language.

I don't understand why you keep explaining to me what pointers are 0_o

I know what pointers are, they do not hold the object however they do occupy space in memory. The more there are in relation to any static address the more there are in memory. seems obvious. Absolutely there are many more than a thousand in any given game. What I was referring to is how far a single trace from Dma address to static root which I agree is used to manage memory as opposed to having to strictly place each value but it is also a useful tool against hacking.

In this regard static addresses are hidden from just blatant 1 step hacking of client side data, regardless of what the server/client protocol is doing to attempt to detect it.

As static addresses require offsets in memory back through the pointer addresses in order to hold the correct value. therefore in an intitial scan they are hidden from amateur hacker types and DO pose a significant barrier to hacking in the general gaming community.

in other words sure you can change the value cause you found it in dma space but once those addresses are moved or changed the address becomes un usable, you would first need to trace your way back through the pointers watching assembly go through the debugger and figuring out where where values are being pushed or moved from. and the more pointer levels you need to go through the more tedious and difficult it becomes not to make a mistake, as often you don't just get one address to try to trace and have to eliminate innumerable others to get to the next level.

Once you get that address though as you said the cows are free to roam.

Once you find static addresses though you can go through the assembly and literally change hard coded executable if you know what you are doing. Things like ammo can now add when the gun is fired, possibilities are endless.

but you have to get past dma first.

Maybe you know of methods I don't for attempting to hack any client side application that are super secret and super hidden, but I doubt it. Pointer scanning techniques only get you so far and only work on the first try one out of 100 times and involve huge tables that need to be stored and iterated in order to get what you want.

I still don't get why you keep explaining to me things I already know... 0_o

Your ideas on security might be more akin to enterprise level stuff where protecting the data from access altogether is outright more important in which case as you said, "exposed fields" = bad idea.

Still I disagree about the merit of pointers and their importance in videogames.

[chente0025]

Just get it for Wii U.....no hackers there and it runs great on the system!

[Detoxx]

"Just get it for Wii U".. Said no one ever.

[chente0025]

@Detox
well then,have fun being some hackers B*tch!
besides it is great on Wii U.I played Cod on ps3 last gen and since I played BO2 on wii u I have not gone back.

[BOWZER35]

Ya I feel like motion controls make it ten times funner on wii u, plus game pad co-op.

[medman]

Cheaters, glitchers, hackers, etc. etc. is a large part of the reason I will always enjoy a great single player experience that tells a great story to any multiplayer experience.

[ZombieKiller]

It's only because COD is so rushed. I bet if the release schedule was 2 years this game would be MUCH better. But instead they half-ass it every year. The old ones get hacked all the time, and it runs off the same engine since COD 4 so I would think this one would be easy to hack too.

@ Supes: They WILL fix it eventually, but not when gamers speak with their mouths. They've been doing that for a while now. It's when they speak with their wallets (just like Microsoft) will people get their attention.

[Playstationologist]

The release schedule is every 2 years for each development studio that releases COD games. Just Saiyan.

[ZombieKiller]

Yeah RELEASE schedule is every year. It's a 2 year development from IW/Treyarch and I am saying that they need more time to develop this game.

Single player games- ok 2 years, but a multiplayer game that millions play, look for glitches, play for money, etc etc NEEDS to have more development time. Polish that turd damnit!

[RedDeadLB]

Maybe they could if they used a completely new engine. I guess it's not hard to hack a game based on an engine that is as old as Jesus.

[Gozer]

I thought COD Ghosts was supposed to be running on dedicated servers. There should be no server side cheating if they are using dedicated servers.

[Gamer1982]

I wish this garbage would just die its nothing but a cash cow now and not a game that helps the gaming market anymore.

[Mastermarty_g96]

I Know Right

[AlexFili]

You think they'd be able to tell if someone got an insanely unreasonable score in a game. I guess it's not top on their priorities right now.

[inf3cted1]

They can fix the problem. Theyre just too lazy to make different coding.

[Lulz_Boat]

i can't belive that EVERY FU**ING YEAR IS ALWAYS THE SAME THING!

[Dee_91]

IW could give a crap about their games after the release.All the DLC is made early into the development of the game, and could be on disc day 1.Most of the COD's received only one update that doesn't even fix issues and glitches..Then they have these special editions for $100+ LMAO.
I will never spend a penny on COD or an IW game unless they sell the franchise to a team that actually care.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[dasbeer88]

I hate how Youtube forces us to create a Google+ account that way we can leave a measly reply on the comment section.

On topic:
As far as I'm concerned, CoD Ghosts shouldn't be an M-rated game anymore. Just change the game to T for Teen that way the children-polluted community may enjoy this game.

[Bolts-N-Rays1109]

Had a guy underneath the map yesterday. Every year people find a way to get under the map.

[MidnytRain]

It's a tradition.

[badz149]

yeah agreed. like Halloween

[windblowsagain]

I can't understand why people buy this crap.

It's the same game time and time again. A broken mess.

[Dee_91]

I watched the ending play through on youtube and the comments are hilariously sad.Like people were shocked that there was going to be a sequel, and actually felt some type of emotion for that crap story.. Well COD will always have its audience I guess.. I think a four year old could've wrote that story and it looked borderline ps2 era.

[_LarZen_]

People that hack games like this should get their game banned. And their XBL,PSN or Steam account banned.

Start doing that and the losers will stop.

[M-M]

They don't try because it's pointless, the hackers just keep coming back. If they get their console or ID banned, they'll just change their MAC address on the console and create a new account.

[Nitrowolf2]

ha, but won't they have to pay for online again ?

[zippycup]

i think if we sit down whit the gaming company's and explain that every time they perma ban some ones account even thou they can make a new one they would have to pay again for plus or live and gaming company's would make more money

then you will see them go ahh realy ok

and then they will have a room full of people just looking for cheaters

[Master-H]

Dedicated servers, they said..

[Bolts-N-Rays1109]

No more host migration, they said...

[Drabent]

Its not??? Wow....course I wouldn't know.

[badz149]

Next-Gen, they said...

Best fans in the world, they said...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[M-M]

IW/Activision is really starting to irritate me(they were before, just more now). This game keeps getting hacked because they keep using the same crap engine and coding in all of their releases. They have TWO years to develop their game, that's more than enough time to build a new game from the ground up to make sure it's more stable and faster than other iterations. As long as people keep buying it(thank goodness the sales are worse than before), they'll keep on re-hashing. It also irritates me that they're selling map packs for content that's already on the disc! Shouldn't that be illegal for any company to do?

[boldscot]

But they won't have anytime to spend all that beautiful money then.

[Mikelarry]

i have put my copy on ebay which sold this morning,as much as i enjoy playing with friends online on this i just got tired of the broken mess that is cod ghost.

[e-p-ayeaH]

Some kids will cry for this.

[MajorLazer]

Good!

[KillrateOmega]

I knew I made a good decision in not buying Call of Duty this year.

[EastBayPunk]

*abroad

[Fixay]

I'm pretty excited for PS4 just because hacking will be pretty much gone! I'm really hoping that hackers get their accounts banned too. This way even if they do return they will have to buy PS+ on a new account and lose out on money lol

Probably why Ps3 is riddled with hackers. Free online was in some ways bad near the end of the generation. USB youtube tutorial watching F***S

[kevnb]

atleast for awhile, there are still ways to cheat other than hacking. Devices that let players use keyboard and mouse and lag switches come to mind.

[Mikeyy]

When you use the same engine year after year, the same hacks work again every time.. They barely have to work for it.

[0pie]

well most of the cod had hacking issue but infinity ward are by far the easiest game to hack from what i heard.

[GentlemenRUs]

Script kiddies... Activision knew this would happen when recycling everything...

E-Peens... E-Peens everywhere!

[Ashunderfire86]

You can't fix a shit maker, even when it still is a shit maker every year. Call of Duty will die down next year when better games are release.

[Ashunderfire86]

Well you can't fix a shit maker if it keeps on dropping turds every year.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I've chosen the Wii U version.
I gave up clans and the free-fall map in exchange for few if any hackers and the Wiimote controls, which work so surprisingly well that I'm starting to wonder why people bother with normal controllers for shooters these days....
Unless, you know, they suck at playing shooters where you actually have to aim with an object to shoot.[anyone here remember light gun arcade games like Time Crisis? Yeah, the aiming's a bit like that; which means it's awesome.]

[lildudexst]

i see them around can careless i'm a big fan callduty but after BO2,BO,Ghost i'm like yeah they running dry on idea the game just trash plan trash. lobbie full of trash bum player all day. I took out whole clan the other day and noting but shit nigga on my team. smh friend told me to take your skill to bf4.I might just do that.

[ATiElite]

This is NOT news!

This is EXPECTED and has happened to EVERY COD since CODMW1.

[Phoenix76]

Personally I would of said 'pretty much the same since CoD2'!

[Grimhammer00]

I'm not sure why fps players always think that if there good in one game they'll be good in another franchise fps...

Being good in cod vs bf4 is so different you might as well be playing well bf4 or cod. Lol

[greenlantern2814]

how is this news to anyone, CoD games always have hacker problems.

[slimboss07]

This will be my last COD game I ever buy. Game just came out and I cant even play it because of all the hackers messing things up. I pre ordered this and am very disappointed. Wish I could get a refund.