Demofreak

eliotmateliotmat Join Date: 2002-12-01 Member: 10350Members, Reinforced - Shadow
<div class="IPBDescription">Is this a reliable way to catch h4x0rZ?</div> One of my server admins uses this tool: <a href='http://www.demofreak.com/index.php?pid=3' target='_blank'>DEMOFREAK</a>
to catch cheaters.

He records a demo of someone suspicious then uses demofreak to check if the suspect is cheating.

Here is a screenshot of how he shows someone is cheating:

My admin says, "Ok, here we go, see the s4 pigeon line? That means that this player uses buzz hook or has used buzz hook. "

<img src='http://img254.echo.cx/img254/9823/evidence9fk.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Is this an accurate way to catch a cheater?

Comments

  • Renegade.Renegade. Join Date: 2003-01-15 Member: 12313Members, Constellation
    its an accurate way of catching a possible cheater, or a past cheater. But the problem is not every hack includes the s4-pige0n tag in your setinfo line. Nor do the ones that do, remove the tag after uninstallation. So s4 tag is a handy tool for insight into that players background, but is not a sure-fire way to catch a hacker, the only way to do that is intensive scrutinization of the demo.

    (also, it may even be the case, if someone is odd enough, to actually include the s4 pige0n line in their setinfo on purpose, by simply typing "setinfo s4 pige0n" into their console).

    Sadly, the only true effective way to catch and prevent hackers is to have a secure hook checking program whose footprint is updated on a regular basis, and without prior warning, exposing hackers and banning them on connection (of course, I'm talking about VAC, which I hope to see include support for NS sometime soon...)
  • SkySky Join Date: 2004-04-23 Member: 28131Members
    It's nice to have as added proof, but nothing beats experience and spectating the guy for a while.

    Also:
    boob.dem?
  • surprisesurprise Join Date: 2003-01-16 Member: 12382Members, Constellation
    in conclusion: s4 pidge0n does not help in any way to detect cheaters
  • AbixAbix Join Date: 2003-12-14 Member: 24359Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    setinfo "s4" "pige0n"
  • kalimxskalimxs Join Date: 2005-04-30 Member: 50543Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Abix+May 31 2005, 10:34 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Abix @ May 31 2005, 10:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> setinfo "s4" "pige0n" <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    feel free to ban people who do this anyway
  • eliotmateliotmat Join Date: 2002-12-01 Member: 10350Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    If someone openly claims to be cheating, whether it be a joke or not, I'll ask them to repeat themselves for confirmation then I ban.

    When people joke about cheating not everyone on the server knows it's a joke. Then the newer players assume it's okay to cheat. I don't tolerate it at all.

    Thanks for your feedback on DemoFreak, everyone.
  • typical_skeletontypical_skeleton Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13944Members
    surprise, actually... the conclusion is that the line supports your suspicions that the player either cheats or has cheated.

    I find it unlikely that random people who are suspected of cheating would have also, just purely by coincidence, perfectly typed setinfo "s4" "pigeon" into their console, and then just played super well on the server.

    it's something you should consider impropable.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    gg, you just banned esuna


    and any one else who has tested hax. Remember you can't recognize hax if you don't know what they ACTUALY do.

    (search the forums you will find a thread where esuna made demos of what hax look like)
  • ChezChez Join Date: 2004-01-05 Member: 25074Members, Constellation
    it is a good way to catch some of them, like the s4 pige0n but their are others that dont show up, some show up in the console and spam the commands coming out of their clint like +a1m or +now4llz stuff like that but you really dunno whos doing it unless its blatant. But from playing this game for so long you really can tell who cheats and who's legit.
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-typical skeleton+May 31 2005, 03:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (typical skeleton @ May 31 2005, 03:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> surprise, actually... the conclusion is that the line supports your suspicions that the player either cheats or has cheated.

    I find it unlikely that random people who are suspected of cheating would have also, just purely by coincidence, perfectly typed setinfo "s4" "pigeon" into their console, and then just played super well on the server.

    it's something you should consider impropable. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It's a line in your config. People almost never type setinfo's into thier console. I know a few people who have intentionally added s4 = pige0n into thier config, a few members of cX. come to mind...

    Either way, no, it is not a reliable way to detect hacks. Like said before, it isn't removed if the person was hacking a long long time ago and has uninstalled thier hacks, and it isn't every hack that adds it. I've also heard rumors that one of the popular NS bots adds an s4 = pige0n to your config... At best it is corroberating evidence. Doesn't prove anything on it's own.
  • SirusSirus Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8466Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
  • ZavaroZavaro Tucson, Arizona Join Date: 2005-02-14 Member: 41174Members, Super Administrators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    edited June 2005
    Looks like a pretty accurate way to catch cheaters. I would surely use it...

    But...
    You would have to know the setinfo code for each and every one of the many hacks that exist. And go through every person.. unless there is a search option?
  • HellbillyHellbilly A whole title out of pity... Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 3931Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    Well, i was playing yesterday on a server and 2 of the people there had s4=pige0n in their setinfo. But i wouldn't have banned them if i was an admin on that server because in no way did they seem like they were using an aimbot or ESP, they just had that line in their config.

    Anyone who has ever tried it once, will have it in their setinfo, until they remove it. It would be a whole other matter if the hook removed it by itself after each use, but that isn't the case.
  • vermifaxvermifax Join Date: 2004-03-02 Member: 27075Members, Constellation
    To state for the record.

    s4 pigeon in their setinfo variables MEANS NOTHING.

    It doesn't mean they're hacking, and it doesn't mean they have hacked.

    So, looking for s4 pigeon is of NO use for detecting hackers, none.
Sign In or Register to comment.