In-play detection of altered game data

Abstract

An online service provides detection of tampering of game data. During game play, the service provides challenges to inspect select data in memory of a game device. A challenge includes an executable program that is configured to locate select data and analyze the select data for tampering. Upon locating the select data, the challenge computes cryptographic hash values from the located select data and returns those hash values to the online game service, where they are compared against expected hash values to determine whether data tampering has occurred on the game device. If the cryptographic hash values match, the service allows online gaming to continue. If the cryptographic hash values do not match, the service discontinues online gaming by terminating the game session for example.

1 . A method for detecting altered data in memory of a game device, the method comprising:
 during execution of a game, receiving a challenge to inspect select data of data in the memory;   locating the select data in memory;   generating an indication of the select data in memory;   providing the indication of the select data in memory;   if the indication of the select data in memory matches an expected indication of the select data in memory, continuing execution of the game; and   if the indication of the select data in memory does not match the expected indication of the select data in memory, halting execution of the game.   
   
   
       2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein execution of the game comprises online execution of the game. 
   
   
       3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the challenge comprises an executable program configured to inspect the select data in memory. 
   
   
       4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 the indication of the select data in memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the select data in memory;   the expected indication of the select data in memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the expected select data in memory; and   comparing the indication of the select data in memory with the expected indication of the select data comprises respectively comparing at least one of the at least one hash value indicative of the select data in memory with at least one of the at least one expected hash value.   
   
   
       5 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the select data in memory is located via an obfuscated lookup table. 
   
   
       6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the select data comprises at least one of a game constant and a game characteristic. 
   
   
       7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the challenge comprises an indication of at least one name of a portion of the select data. 
   
   
       8 . A device for detecting altered game data, the system comprising:
 a processing portion configured to:
 locate select data in a memory of the device; 
 execute an executable program received via a challenge to inspect the select data in the memory of the device; 
 generate an indication of the select data in the memory in accordance with the executable program; 
   an input/output portion configured to:
 during execution of a game on the device, receive the challenge; 
 provide an indication of the select data in the memory determined in accordance with the executable program; 
 receive an indication that a comparison of the indication of the select data in the memory with an expected indication of select data in the memory do not match; 
 receive an indication that a comparison of the indication of the select data in the memory with an expected indication of select data in the memory do not match; and 
 receive an indication that a comparison of an indication of the select data in the memory portion with an expected indication of select data in memory do match; and 
   the memory configured to store the select data.   
   
   
       9 . A device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein execution of the game comprises online execution of the game. 
   
   
       10 . A device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 if the indication of the select data in memory matches the expected indication of the select data, online gaming is allowed to continue; and   if the indication of the select data in memory does not match the expected indication of the select data, online gaming is not allowed to continue.   
   
   
       11 . A device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein:
 the indication of the select data in memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the select data in memory;   the expected indication of the select data in the memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the select data in memory; and   comparing the indication of the select data in memory with the expected indication of the select data in memory comprises respectively comparing at least one of the at least one hash value indicative of the select data in memory with at least one of the at least one hash value indicative of the expected select data in memory.   
   
   
       12 . A device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the select data in memory is located via an obfuscated lookup table. 
   
   
       13 . A device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the select data comprises at least one of a game constant and a game characteristic. 
   
   
       14 . A device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the challenge comprises an indication of at least one name of a portion of the select data. 
   
   
       15 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instruction for detecting altered data by performing the steps of:
 during execution of an online game, receiving a challenge to inspect select data of in-memory data;   locating the select data in memory;   generating an indication of the select data in memory;   providing the indication of the select data in memory;   if the indication of the select data in memory matches an expected indication of the select data in memory, continuing execution of the game; and   if the indication of the select data in memory does not match the expected indication of the select data in memory, halting execution of the game.   
   
   
       16 . A computer-readable medium in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the challenge comprises an executable program configured to inspect the select data. 
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable medium in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein:
 the indication of the select data in memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the select data in memory;   the expected indication of the select data in memory comprises at least one cryptographic hash value indicative of the expected select data in memory; and   comparing the indication of the select data in memory with the expected indication of the select data comprises respectively comparing at least one of the at least one hash value indicative of the select data in memory with at least one of the at least one expected hash value.   
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable medium in accordance with  claim 15 , the computer-executable instructions further for locating the select data in memory via an obfuscated lookup table. 
   
   
       19 . A computer-readable medium in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the select data comprises at least one of a game constant and a game characteristic. 
   
   
       20 . A computer-readable medium in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the challenge comprises an indication of at least one name of a portion of the select data.