nProtect GameGuard

nProtect GameGuard
Developer(s) INCA Internet Co., Ltd.
Development status Active
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Available in C++
Type Rootkit
License Proprietary
Website nprotect.com

nProtect GameGuard (sometimes called GG) is an anti-cheating root toolkit 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]

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][5] players may experience unintended and potentially unwanted side effects. Since the game's process cannot be stopped from the task manager, if the protected game has an infinite loop or hangs in any way, it is effectively impossible to close without logging out or restarting the computer. This is even more frustrating since GameGuard checks if it is already running on the game's launch and does not permit the player to start a new instance in such cases. 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.[6]

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

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

GameGuard is used in many online games.[3][7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 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. 1 2 Fahey, Mike (18 September 2009). "Hooray! Aion Drops GameGuard For Launch". Kotaku. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  3. 1 2 le Ricque, Edouard (25 November 2011). "L.A. Noire sur PC : Kaspersky n'aime pas". Tom's Guide France. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  4. ↑ Sung-mi, Kim (11 September 2012). "Wiselogic, the Hidden Champion in Online Game Security". The Korea IT Times. Seoul, South Korea. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  5. ↑ "RootRepeal - Rootkit Detector". Google. Retrieved 2016-02-03. ...many antivirus programs and some games (for example, nProtect GameGuard) use rootkit-like technology to hide or protect themselves.
  6. ↑ Spohn, Steve (14 September 2009). "GameGuard Shuts Down Disabled Gamers". The AbleGamers Foundation. Archived from the original on 20 November 2009. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  7. ↑ nProtect gameGuard Partner at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 August 2012)
  8. ↑ "GameGuard Errors". NCSOFT. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
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