Trustworthy High-Performance Multiplayer Games with Trust-but-Verify Protocol Sensor Validation

Alexander Joens ¹, Ananth A Jillepalli ¹, Frederick T Sheldon ²

⁰School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA.

Sensors (basel, Switzerland) +

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July 27, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Cheating in multiplayer online games threatens the industry. The Trust-Verify Game Protocol (TVGP) offers a high-performance solution for secure game state information, aiding cheat detection.

Area Of Science

Computer Science
Cybersecurity
Game Development

Background

Widespread cheating poses a significant threat to the multibillion-dollar multiplayer online video game industry.
Compromising game security for performance increases vulnerability to malicious exploitation.
Existing alternative security sensors are often intrusive and resource-intensive.

Purpose Of The Study

To introduce the Trust-Verify Game Protocol (TVGP), a novel sensor protocol.
To provide game state information for behavior-based cheat detection schemes in low-trust environments.
To address the security challenges in real-time online multiplayer games.

Main Methods

Development of the Trust-Verify Game Protocol (TVGP).
Implementation of a framework to supply game state information to trusted third-party referees.
Validation testing of TVGP under specific operational domain assumptions.

Main Results

TVGP demonstrates high efficiency and performance standards.
The protocol effectively supports behavior-based cheat-sensing detection schemes.
Experimental results validate the protocol's suitability for demanding performance requirements.

Conclusions

TVGP is an effective solution for implementing independent trusted referee capabilities in environments with low trust.
The protocol meets high-performance demands crucial for real-time online gaming security.
TVGP mitigates risks associated with compromised game security and intrusive sensors.

Keywords:

behavior-based trust sensors cheating sensors in games client/server gaming referee security