nProtect GameGuard

nProtect GameGuard (sometimes called GG) is an anti-cheating rootkit developed by INCA Internet. It is widely installed in many online games to block possibly malicious applications and prevent common methods of cheating.[1][2][3] nProtect GameGuard provides B2B2C (Business to Business to Consumer) security services for online game companies and portal sites. The software is considered to be one of three software programs which "dominate the online game security market".[4]

nProtect GameGuard
Developer(s)INCA Internet Co., Ltd.
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
TypeAnti-cheating
LicenseProprietary
Websitenprotect.com

GameGuard uses rootkits to proactively prevent cheat software from running.[5] GameGuard hides the game application process, monitors the entire memory range, terminates applications defined by the game vendor and INCA Internet to be cheats (QIP for example), blocks certain calls to Direct X functions and Windows APIs, keylogs keyboard input, and auto-updates itself to change as new possible threats surface.[1]

Since GameGuard essentially works like a rootkit,[2][6] players may experience unintended and potentially unwanted side effects. If set, GameGuard blocks any installation or activation of hardware and peripherals (e.g., a mouse) while the program is running. Since GameGuard monitors any changes in the computer's memory, it will cause performance issues when the protected game loads multiple or large resources all at once.[7]

Additionally, some versions of GameGuard had an unpatched privilege escalation bug, allowing any program to issue commands as if they were running under an Administrator account.[8]

GameGuard possesses a database on game hacks based on security references from more than 260 game clients. Some editions of GameGuard are now bundled with INCA Internet's Tachyon anti-virus/anti-spyware library, and others with nProtect Key Crypt, an anti-key-logger software that protects the keyboard input information.

List of online games using GameGuard

GameGuard is used in many online games.[3][9][10]

References
  1. Stevens, Scott M.; Saldamarco, Shirley, eds. (2008). Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2008: 7th International Conference. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 96. ISBN 978-3-540-89221-2.
  2. Fahey, Mike (18 September 2009). "Hooray! Aion Drops GameGuard For Launch". Kotaku. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  3. le Ricque, Edouard (25 November 2011). "L.A. Noire sur PC : Kaspersky n'aime pas". Tom's Guide France. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  4. Sung-mi, Kim (11 September 2012). "Wiselogic, the Hidden Champion in Online Game Security". The Korea IT Times. Seoul, South Korea. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  5. Cano, Nick (2016). Game Hacking: Developing Autonomous Bots for Online Games. William Pollock. p. 248. ISBN 978-1593276690.
  6. "RootRepeal – Rootkit Detector". Retrieved 3 February 2016. ...many antivirus programs and some games (for example, nProtect GameGuard) use rootkit-like technology to hide or protect themselves.
  7. Spohn, Steve (14 September 2009). "GameGuard Shuts Down Disabled Gamers". The AbleGamers Foundation. Archived from the original on 20 November 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  8. "CVE-2005-0295 : npptnt2.sys in nProtect Gameguard provides unrestricted I/O to any process that calls it, which allows local users to gain privileges". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  9. "nProtect gameGuard Partner". Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  10. "GameGuard Errors". NCSOFT. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  11. "Announcing Our New Anti-Hacking Partner XIGNCODE3". elsword.koggames.com. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
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