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Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

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Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#11

Post by ReptileMan »

dijit wrote: post #8
sanxiyn wrote: post #4

> "Anytime source code gets leaked it's not good," said Ekram Ahmed, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity firm Check Point. "Hackers can comb through the code, identify deeper flaws for exploit, and sell that previous code on the dark web to malicious threat actors." This seems like a strong argument against using open source codes. Should I take this argument seriously and avoid them?

No, he's being a bit stupid, security through obscurity is arguably no security at all however it makes identifying vulnerabilities _easier_. The main issue for leaking source code of _games_, especially _multiplayer games_, is that people learn how to bypass the anti-cheat mechanisms which leads to a degraded online experience for everybody. I worked on Tom Clancy's The Division and the mantra was always "write code…

There is much simpler solution about cheaters. Local servers to play on lan. Many games came with them.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#12

Post by scambier »

sanxiyn wrote: post #4

> "Anytime source code gets leaked it's not good," said Ekram Ahmed, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity firm Check Point. "Hackers can comb through the code, identify deeper flaws for exploit, and sell that previous code on the dark web to malicious threat actors." This seems like a strong argument against using open source codes. Should I take this argument seriously and avoid them?

Open source projects that have a high usage and high visibility have their flaws quickly fixed _because_ the code is open and for everyone to see. It's an iterative process that grows with the popularity of the project. Popular open source projects have been open for years and/or have lots of people that participate, review, report bugs, and fix them.

A closed source projects can have thousand of security bugs no-one will never know about. Since it's closed, it's hidden so no problem... until it's leaked.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#13

Post by scambier »

Otek wrote: post #7
mlatu wrote: post #3

"steal"... it's still there, no?

I take it you think pirating things is not stealing either?

"Stealing" a digital product implies that every stolen copy is a net loss for the distributor. It's definitely not.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#14

Post by mercora »

Otek wrote: post #7
mlatu wrote: post #3

"steal"... it's still there, no?

I take it you think pirating things is not stealing either?

for me stealing implies change of possession. this does not apply here. what might have been taken is the possibility to monetize it the way they imagined or that they had been hurt by the PR afterwards and similar things. but nothing has been stolen everything is still in place were it was before and nothing is missing except for some of the confidence in their infrastructure security.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#15

Post by danielheath »

dabeledo wrote: post #10
mlatu wrote: post #3

"steal"... it's still there, no?

in the same way that you can steal secrets

When I copy your secrets, you no longer have secrets - just information that someone else also has. When I copy your code, you still have the code.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#17

Post by lrem »

sanxiyn wrote: post #4

> "Anytime source code gets leaked it's not good," said Ekram Ahmed, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity firm Check Point. "Hackers can comb through the code, identify deeper flaws for exploit, and sell that previous code on the dark web to malicious threat actors." This seems like a strong argument against using open source codes. Should I take this argument seriously and avoid them?

There's a presumption that open source code has been looked at by independent researchers. "Many eyes".

In contrast, source code of games is a trade secret. It is being worked at by famously overworked developers. And companies in the industry are known to sit on vulnerability reports for months or years.

Don't ever install games on a machine you use for work or identity.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#18

Post by scambier »

ReptileMan wrote: post #11
dijit wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, he's being a bit stupid, security through obscurity is arguably no security at all however it makes identifying vulnerabilities _easier_. The main issue for leaking source code of _games_, especially _multiplayer games_, is that people learn how to bypass the anti-cheat mechanisms which leads to a degraded online experience for everybody. I worked on Tom Clancy's The Division and the mantra was always "write code…

There is much simpler solution about cheaters. Local servers to play on lan. Many games came with them.

That completely disregards the fact that local multiplayer requires you to have players who are geographically close, willing and able to gather at the same time in the same place. Also, some recent world events you might have heard about somewhat made these kinds of gatherings quite difficult or illegal.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#19

Post by okamiueru »

mlatu wrote: post #3

"steal"... it's still there, no?

Not sure what the benefit is of turning this into semantics. "Get a hold of" is what is implied here, everyone should understand that. As such, getting hung up on "stealing" is rather pointless.

Re: Hackers breach Electronic Arts, stealing game source code and tools

#20

Post by tovej »

sanxiyn wrote: post #4

> "Anytime source code gets leaked it's not good," said Ekram Ahmed, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity firm Check Point. "Hackers can comb through the code, identify deeper flaws for exploit, and sell that previous code on the dark web to malicious threat actors." This seems like a strong argument against using open source codes. Should I take this argument seriously and avoid them?

It's a question of information asymmetry.

It's always easier to be on the attacking side of cyber security. If the attackers have good intel, and the defense isn't organized, their work is much easier.

With (popular) open source projects, there are hundreds of eyeballs looking at the source and trying to fix security issues before they can be exploited.

The closed source project is typically less secure, but attackers also have less information to work with. Open source is typically more secure, but attackers have more information. Leaked closed source is the worst of both worlds.

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