developer FAQ: Account security and forbidden game modifications

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FAQ: Account security and forbidden game modifications

 

Q. Can malefactors possibly access War Thunder accounts passwords?

 

 

A. We can officially state that the player’s database has never been compromised and any rumours of such are false. Users’ login data is not grouped in any kind of ‘database’, so the breach of any database is not possible. User authorization in War Thunder is a subject to a secure salted hash algorithm, these are near impossible to breach even if a malicious individual could even access any player database. Unfortunately, some of our players still use the same or similar logins and passwords to access different systems, which give an attacker the best opportunity to steal information from unsecured sources and use it to compromise careless players’ accounts.

 

 

We advise you to use a unique complex password for your War Thunder account; it will greatly improve your personal data security.

 

 

Q. Is it possible to use cheats in War Thunder (like speed-hack, invulnerability and other unfair advantages)?

 

 

A. All movement and player interactions like collisions, damage etc. are calculated on the server side. It means that even if corresponding parameters are modified on the client side, the cheater will not actually gain any advantages like invulnerability, increased damage or anything similar. Anyone pretending to distribute software that gives such advantages is probably a fraudster looking to steal your money or compromise your personal data.

 

 

Q. Can cheats enabling markers and lead indicators in Simulation Battles exist?

 

 

A. Finding and identifying targets is an essential part of the Simulation battle mode and players are, theoretically, able to modify game files to see target markers on much greater distances than intended (thus violating EULA and becoming susceptible to permanent ban). Calculating visibility on the server side is an option, but it will raise the connection quality requirements dramatically; players will need zero packet loss with a latency of 50ms or lower. Higher latency values will cause players to appear and disappear in plain sight. Our game is not so demanding to player’s internet connection, basically allowing to play on any server from anywhere in the world. One of the consequences is that enemy aircraft visibility is only calculated in a set radius around the player.

 

 

Nevertheless, visibility “cheats” do not give any noticeably advantage in aircraft duels, because markers are always displayed at distances allowing to reliably hit a target anyway. Our tests show that enabling lead indicators for one of the teams does not give it any significant advantage. On the contrary, tactics, communication and skill always determined the outcome of battles.

 

 

But we still continue working on identifying illegal game modifications and banning players that use such modifications because we believe that cheating breaks the spirit of sportsmanship even if it doesn’t give a big advantage.

 

 

Q. What is an aimbot or auto-aim?

 

A. The term originates from First Person Shooters, since in the majority of shooters it is enough to move mouse cursor to a certain point and press “fire”; huge part of gameplay is to match crosshair with a target.

 

 

In War Thunder in “aiming mode” a player controls not the direction of fire but the desired direction of a plane instead. AI and predictive calculations manage aircraft controls and aircraft tries to adjust to the intended course as soon as possible. Sometimes it is not possible at all, in other cases the optimal path is not possible to calculate correctly. Also it is never possible to change the flight path immediately unlike the FPS games. Enemy is usually a considerable distance away so you need to lead your target while firing and shoot the point where you expect your enemy to be when the bullets reach it. This requires understanding of the situation, manoeuvring accurately, knowing advantages and disadvantages of both aircraft, imposing your initiative on the enemy.

 

 

Practically auto-aim is the targeting mode itself in aircraft games. When you direct where to fly, all the complex operations with aircraft’s controls are made by your computer. Matching mouse-aim crosshair with lead indicator grants no advantage to the player since it does not guarantee a hit, but takes away the control of battle - player’s aircraft is copying his enemy’s manoeuvres thus losing the initiative and giving his opponent an opportunity to use all the advantages of his plane.

 

 

We have conducted multiple tests and they show that “ideal” auto-aim-bot (which is hard to achieve without a possibility to modify both server’s and client’s code at the same time) shows results similar to those of an average player in arcade battle mode, even worse in realistic battles and (simulator battles do not have mouse-aim). In duels such an “ideal” aim-bot (still impossible without modifications on server) will more likely weaken the player.

 

 

As a result we decided not to implement auto-aim as a control mode in the game, since it rather misleads players, prevents them from learning how to fly and gives no advantages to the experienced pilots.

 

 

Q. What should I do if I find an exploitable game bug?

 

 

A. Online games, like any other programs, may contain errors that users can exploit to gain some benefits. We do our best to fix such exploits as fast as possible, but sometimes new ones appear. If you find a potentially exploitable game bug, you should immediately report it to one of our moderators or administrators on the forums or via a private message. Using them to obtain any advantages is strictly prohibited by the EULA and may cause permanent blockage of your War Thunder account.

 

 

Developers’ answers regarding personal data security and forbidden game modifications

 

 

Q. What’s up with the password databases? Are they secure? Should I change my password?

 

 

A. We do not store your passwords per se, which means there is no password base that can be stolen. We store salted hashes instead.

 

 

Q. Does that mean my War Thunder password is absolutely safe?

 

 

A. There are plenty of hacks and scams developed to steal your password on the Internet: phishing sites, malware and social engineering - just to name a few. So even if attackers cannot steal your password from us, they can steal the very same email/password combination from other less secure resources, if you’re not careful enough. Using the same password for many online services that you consider important is definitely a recipe for disaster.

 

 

Q. Give us an option to link accounts and cell phones!

 

 

A. That’s exactly how the Two-step authentication works! It is already implemented.

 

 

Q. I have seen a guy using speed hack on YouTube!

 

 

A. As explained above: physics, damage and many other interactions are calculated exclusively on the server side, that’s why speed hacks are absolutely impossible. Swindlers can only modify game files on their computers to record videos of aircraft reaching escape velocity. They use such videos to distribute malware in the guise of “cheats”

 

 

Q. Is my War Thunder password stored on my PC?

 

 

A. Only if you choose the ‘Save password (not secure!)’ option in the authentication menu. But it actually is NOT secure (and not recommended), even though it stores the password in the encrypted part of the Windows registry.

 

 

Q. Will you take any actions against players that the system identifies as using modified game files or side programs affecting the game?

 

 

A. We store all the information about the activity that may be considered suspicious. If it is confirmed to be a hack, we ban all the accounts involved after a period of time (from one day to several months).

 

 

Please discuss any security-related matters in this thread

 

The War Thunder team

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In view of the recent "False Positive" Issuers with Avast - Here is a useful topic that is not the official guideline to resolving this issue now and in future. We hope it helps.

 

http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/158212-official-virus-software-and-how-it-works-false-positives/

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We can report on the latest group of gaming account locks found in violation of the user agreement - use of prohibited modifications. (EULA)

On January the 21st at 09:30 GMT - 16 accounts were permanently blocked from accessing War Thunder. In the future, we will continue to inform you of any actions where we actively protect our players from offenders.

Although the amount of account lock actions we have to take with each wave is significantly less each time - a number of users still continue to consciously trust the fate of their accounts to third party attackers.

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Dear players!

We take great interest in the security of your accounts and protect the game throughout every battle in War Thunder, but your security is very dependant on you, the player and we strongly advise you to avoid any software not officially recognised by us that seems at first glance to be attractive.

You may find that on running the game, your initial login can be marred by a message that was initiated by an attacker when attempting to change the password, at best, by direct control of your War Thunder account, and at worst - via email registration.

How can you avoid this? Don’t trust third party applications for War Thunder! Some players who believe the promises of great battle efficiency turn off their anti-virus and install the modifications, thus voluntarily giving control over their computer to the malefactors or even give access to their personal account data.

 

More information here: FAQ: Account security and forbidden game modifications

 

Q: Is it possible to use cheats in War Thunder (like speed-hack, invulnerability and other unfair advantages)?

A: All movement and player interactions like collisions, damage etc. are calculated on the server side. It means that even if corresponding parameters are modified on the client side, the cheater will not actually gain any advantages like invulnerability, increased damage or anything similar. Anyone pretending to distribute software that gives such advantages is probably a fraudster looking to steal your money or compromise your personal data.

 

Since all physics and damage calculations are made on the server it is impossible to receive invulnerability, more efficient weapons, or an advantage in speed or power; all such modifications offer changes or additions to the game interface - increasing the brightness of 3d models, markers highlighting and such, that mainly affect game modes with greater “immersion” (e.g Simulator).  

Besides this, the very fact of using such modifications means quite obviously that a person's intent towards unsportsmanship behaviour which should be punished regardless of whether such a modification is efficient or not.

The War Thunder Team

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Dear players,

an update on our active blocking of game accounts, seen in violation of the user agreement - use of prohibited modifications.

From today, March 31st, we have  permanently blocked 63 gaming accounts in War Thunder.

Important! Among the members blocked, 33 members of the gaming community "GOF", were seen in a coordinated attempted use of prohibited modifications in random battles and squadron combat.

Since the violation of the user agreement occurred with the apparent connivance of organised squadron use, the community "GOF" and the associated "G0F" have been forcibly disbanded without any possibility of restoration of rights.

 

Members of the squadron, as well as players who have left the squadron before the publication of this update, have been permanently blocked.

Full list of blocked players from the "GOF" community.

 

Adremchik
_ABATAP_
_Den__
_DURACELL_
_STVOL_
Andrei_ishim
Angelio
APJIEKIH
blitzLicht
CHECHEN_WOLF
ChinGa4GuK
DarkD0KER
Dava_One
DOK__96
iGunship
Klimov24_105
Lord_of_Drinks
MrMuXXXa
MrNev
PATRIOT_RUS
prisadchik
Ra1nB0W_DasH
Rocket___Bunny
RUSSkuu
ScrappyRug
Steel_Monster_UA
Thiefx (former An1MaTr1x)
Truth_Seeker
WARlockk
xupypg55
xVDVx
Yumor_FM
zmey791

Please note! We are keen to encourage fair play for both individual players and squadron communities!

GOF actively participated in the Thunder League tournaments and although the format of the Thunder League battles has no advantage in attempting to use modifications, taking into account the fact that the evidence of foul play has been attempted in both random battles and squadron battles, regardless of effect "GOF" has been deprived of all titles and its place among the finalists for the Thunder League and this position will be redistributed amongst other squadrons. This position in the Pro division, we will be reporting separately.

 

There is absolutely no point in even trying to use these advertised cheats chaps, firstly they will likely cause you security issues on your machine, secondly, they offer no real advantage and thirdly, you will get found out, 100%.

 

Many thanks for your support.

 

The War Thunder team

 

Updated  (14.07.2016): After the additional investigation some users received temporary ban instead of permament, becasuse we found out that they did not use illegal modifications on their PCs themselves but suffered whilst trusting their Squadron mates. We would like to remind that sharing your account with other people is illegal according to our EULA.  

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Overnight, we noticed password reset requests by attackers on hundreds of accounts. These accounts have been frozen to protect owners and they must write to support for further instructions.

 

https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us
 

Two factor protection will add another layer to your precious WT account - Please enable it.

No passwords or details have been shared from our databases nor sourced by this attack.

 

Please ensure you regularly change your password in War Thunder (this should, as a matter of housekeeping apply to all internet related accounts, especially your email accounts)

 

Protect your War Thunder account and game mail - connect two-factor authorization of the Gaijin account (https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us/articles/203623622-How-to-set-up-the-Two-Step-Authorization-Google-Authenticator-) and your registration mail using standard means.

 

This is a concerned warning for our players as all indicators point to Email accounts being stolen outside of WT Control, nothing has been sourced from us. Please take steps to secure your data.