Punk Buster Hardware Ban

[YourGrandpa]

What do you guys know?

From what I've read it sounds a bit intrusive. Apparenlty a PB Admin. uses what's called an MD5 Tool to scan your system for software that can alter a PB protected game. I've even read accounts of people who have had a hack from one game on their system and got Hardware banned in a different game. So this would mean that the hack doesn't even have to be running to be detected. Once this modification is located, PB reads different system properties (ie. hard drive serial number, ect...) , creates a profile for those properties and bans that profile from every game that is governed by PB. This ban is also non-negotiable, leaving the affected person having to buy new hardware or possibly an entire computer to be able to play current and future PB games.

BTW, no I haven't been Hardware Banned, nor do I run hacks. I just read about this and wanted to substantiate it.

[Foo]

Where did you read about it?

Punkbuster gets a lot of bullshit stories made up about it.

[plained]

what does pb do anyway i wanna be a puckbuster howd i join?

my hardrive light sure goes nuts alot from what seems like them.

[YourGrandpa]

I've read several different personal accounts and followed multiple google links to related information.

I was hoping someone here may know more about this.

[inolen]

md5 tool to scan your system for software.. uhm.

Edit: And to be helpful, PB only tosses out hardware bans if you try to hack punkbuster itself I beleive.

[r0n1n]

I actually have read/heard of this before. Apparently it bans you by your hardware ID instead of just by the traditional cdkey/guid.

I thought that it was pretty harsh considering people buy refurbished hardware from online vendors. I've even gotten hardware from friends of mine and I don't really agree that it would be the best method of banning cheaters.

PB sucks anyway for the most part. They don't even keep it updated for most games. I think it's pretty harsh to ban someone from every and all future games that have PB support. I wonder if there's something in the EULA, for current pb games as well as future games that come out, that covers something like that.

But one simple fact remains: If people want to cheat in an online game, they are going to find a way no matter what kind of anti-cheat methods are implemented.

[jayP.lq]

I think that kind of ban is used if you attempt to hack punkbuster itself, not a game.

[bitWISE]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD5

[Canis]

Sucks to be them...dont use hacks and play legitimately, and you'll be golden.

[Massive Quasars]

Punkbuster gets a lot of bullshit stories made up about it.

PB is shit, always has been, always will be.

[Tormentius]

Punkbuster gets a lot of bullshit stories made up about it.

PB is shit, always has been, always will be.

Its not perfect but its a hell of a lot better than nothing.

[+JuggerNaut+]

great links

[Grudge]

I think that kind of ban is used if you attempt to hack punkbuster itself, not a game.

bingo. chalk another one up for assumption.

Actually, I've heard that too.

[dzjepp]

The've been doing this for over a year, scroll down to June 30th, 2004.

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=announce.php

[^misantropia^]

I thought that it was pretty harsh considering people buy refurbished hardware from online vendors.

The ID is computed from multiple pieces of hardware in your system so buying, say, a used video card that previously belonged to a banned cheater, shouldn't give you his or her ID.

[YourGrandpa]

I'm not quite sure I really agree with this tactic. This makes them the judge and jury across the board for all games that use PB for security. And who really knows what all they're getting from your PC, because they're not telling anyone. It doesn't seem right that a company can take undisclosed information from your PC without your permission.

Does this concern anyone else, or am I way off base?

[HM-PuFFNSTuFF]

why would it concern us non-cheaters gramps?

[glossy]

why would it concern us non-cheaters gramps?

that's like saying "Why would all this hoo-har about rootkits concern legit music buyers such as us, who don't pirate music?"

Seriously, it's the same thing. Both (the PB bans and the rootkits) are invasions of privacy and allow bigger companies to screw you on a whim. It's really that simple.

[plained]

so your saying puff everybody with pb on cant be a cheater?

i doent like people takeing anything from me without saying so and paying me.

who are they responsable too anyway?

[HM-PuFFNSTuFF]

yup plained and glossy cheat too i see

[plained]

haha i never even tweak my cnfig lol

i am teh real and it owns all bitters.

[plained]

who are they responsable too anyway?

?

you all know so much so?

[YourGrandpa]

why would it concern us non-cheaters gramps?

Maybe they have access to information you don't want them to.

I also don't like the fact that this one entity is the judge and jury that can make these decisions on undisclosed information without an opportunity for you to appeal.

I don't know..... I think the concept is good. But giving a company this much control over the industry isn't such a great idea.

BTW, I already qualified the cheating aspect in my first post.

[feedback]

NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME, I DON'T HAVE AN ENORMOUS CHILD PORN COLLECTION. I DON'T PLAY COMPUTER GAMES EITHER.

[Foo]

One or both of those is a lie.