A Diablo IV speedrunner's world record was debunked by hackers who modified the game to replicate the supposedly impossible circumstances of the run. They discovered the runner, who claimed to have benefited from extremely rare item drops and enemy spawns, actually used a cheat to manipulate the game's random number generator, making the fortunate events occur on demand. This manipulation, confirmed by analyzing network traffic, allowed the runner to artificially inflate their luck and achieve an otherwise statistically improbable clear time. The discovery highlighted the difficulty of verifying speedruns in online games and the lengths some players will go to fabricate records.
The post details the reverse engineering process of Call of Duty's anti-cheat driver, specifically version 1.4.2025. The author uses a kernel debugger and various tools to analyze the driver's initialization, communication with the game, and anti-debugging techniques. They uncover how the driver hides itself from process lists, intercepts system calls related to process and thread creation, and likely monitors game memory for cheats. The analysis includes details on specific function calls, data structures, and control flow within the driver, illustrating how it integrates deeply with the operating system kernel to achieve its anti-cheat goals. The author's primary motivation was educational, focusing on the technical aspects of the reverse engineering process itself.
Hacker News users discuss the reverse engineering of Call of Duty's anti-cheat system, Tactical Advantage Client (TAC). Several express admiration for the technical skill involved in the analysis, particularly the unpacking and decryption process. Some question the legality and ethics of reverse engineering anti-cheat software, while others argue it's crucial for understanding its potential privacy implications. There's skepticism about the efficacy of kernel-level anti-cheat and its potential security vulnerabilities. A few users speculate about potential legal ramifications for the researcher and debate the responsibility of anti-cheat developers to be transparent about their software's behavior. Finally, some commenters share anecdotal experiences with TAC and its impact on game performance.
Summary of Comments ( 27 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43058522
Hacker News commenters largely praised the technical deep-dive in uncovering the fraudulent Diablo speedrun. Several expressed admiration for the hackers' dedication and the sophisticated tools they built to analyze the game's network traffic and memory. Some questioned the runner's explanation of "lag" and found the evidence presented compelling. A few commenters debated the ethics of reverse-engineering games for this purpose, while others discussed the broader implications for speedrunning verification and the pressure to achieve seemingly impossible records. The general sentiment was one of fascination with the detective work involved and disappointment in the runner's actions.
The Hacker News post titled "Diablo hackers uncovered a speedrun scandal" has generated a robust discussion with several compelling comments. Many commenters focus on the technical details of the exploit and the detective work involved in uncovering it.
One commenter delves into the specifics of the "rubberbanding" exploit, explaining how manipulating the game's netcode could create the illusion of faster movement. They highlight the complexity of identifying and proving this manipulation, praising the hackers for their meticulous analysis. This comment receives several replies further discussing the technicalities and implications for online gaming security.
Another commenter emphasizes the broader significance of the incident, drawing parallels to financial fraud and highlighting how seemingly minor exploits can have substantial consequences. They argue that the dedication shown by the community in uncovering this cheat demonstrates the importance of integrity in competitive environments, even in gaming.
Several comments discuss the ethical implications of reverse engineering and hacking games, even for seemingly positive purposes like uncovering cheating. Some argue that while the outcome was positive in this case, such actions could be misused in other contexts. This sparks a debate about the boundaries of acceptable game modification and the responsibility of players in maintaining fair play.
Some users express skepticism about the speedrunner's claims of ignorance, suggesting that the complexity of the exploit makes it unlikely to have been unintentional. Others defend the speedrunner, pointing out that even experienced players might not fully understand the intricacies of game netcode.
A few comments also touch upon the broader culture of speedrunning, with some arguing that the pressure to achieve record times can incentivize cheating. They suggest that the community needs to implement stricter verification processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Finally, some commenters express admiration for the collaborative effort and technical expertise demonstrated by the individuals who uncovered the cheat. They view this incident as a testament to the power of community-driven investigation and the importance of transparency in competitive gaming.