RE: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Rick Winscot
] The High Score Problem Take a screenshot with the score and base-encode it, take a digest (signature) of the whole of it with the score plus some 'secret sauce' as a seed value and then send the lot of it to your server and re-run the process to see if what you received is valid. To add

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread EECOLOR
The problem would be solved if we knew how FMS 3 does SWF Verification. My guess is that it works something like this: - NetConnection.connect sends a hash of the swf that has been loaded - Server creates a hash of a copy of the swf that has been placed on the server - If the hashes match, access

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Tom Chiverton
On Thursday 29 May 2008, Rick Winscot wrote: At the start of game request a token from the server - persist that on the server with the time it was requested. At the end of game request another token. To successfully submit the score you will need two valid tokens, submit within [n] minutes of

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Josh McDonald
Https is only good against man-in-the-midle attacks, not when the client is the attacker. On Thu, May 29, 2008 at 10:30 PM, Tom Chiverton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Thursday 29 May 2008, Rick Winscot wrote: At the start of game request a token from the server - persist that on the server

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Tom Chiverton
On Thursday 29 May 2008, Josh McDonald wrote: Https is only good against man-in-the-midle attacks, not when the client is the attacker. Aye, as I've said several times, sometimes to incredulous looks. And even *then* who actually uses client certificates / checks the certificate hash ? As part

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Troy Gilbert
This has been debated *eternally* in game circles since the advent of networked games, and I've followed these discussions for at least the last decade. The conclusion is always the same and is not disputable: in a broad-based, open competition (such as a web-based game for prizes, e.g. a casino

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Troy Gilbert
don't use SWFEncrypt on the scoring SWF until right before you send it to the user and have SWFEncrypt use a different seed value for its obfuscation; this ensures that the SWF's checksum (or any other fingerprinting the user could do on the SWF) can't be used to detect repeats in the

RE: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-29 Thread Rick Winscot
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem This has been debated *eternally* in game circles since the advent of networked games, and I've followed these discussions for at least the last decade. The conclusion is always the same and is not disputable

RE: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-28 Thread Rick Winscot
Tom hit on a key point - the value of your data (high scores) needs to parallel your security mechanism. I have an idea that I haven't seen anyone touch yet. Take a screenshot with the score and base-encode it, take a digest (signature) of the whole of it with the score plus some 'secret

Re: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-28 Thread Troy Gilbert
Take a screenshot with the score and base-encode it, take a digest (signature) of the whole of it with the score plus some 'secret sauce' as a seed value and then send the lot of it to your server and re-run the process to see if what you received is valid. To add an extra hurdle – you could

RE: [flexcoders] The High Score Problem

2008-05-27 Thread Scott
I've ben struggling with this as well. The issue is not with Flex; you'll have this with any client server application. You even have a bigger issue than what you are outlining... The components you have to expose on the server can be directly accessed by a skilled programmer without using