Technical Difficulties Due to Third-Party Attacks

Dukuji · Post by **Dukuji** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 9:35 pm

This comes from the Playonline site. Does anybody have any more information on this? I guess it was a matter of time ....

*************************************************************

From:PlayOnline
Apr. 15, 2005 09:15 [PDT]

Technical Difficulties Due to Third-Party Attacks

This is an announcement about PlayOnline network technical difficulties since Apr. 9, 2005.

It has come to our attention that recent technical difficulties with our PlayOnline server are due to a DDoS from anonymous third parties. We have determined that this activity was undertaken with malicious intent and specifically targeted our network. Our technicians are taking every measure possible to prevent further attacks. However, attack methods have varied, which has caused a more time-consuming review of our network protection.

Currently we are unable to determine the precise source of attack. However, with the cooperation of ISP companies, our investigation continues to make progress. Law enforcement authorities in Japan, the United States, and Europe have been contacted for support.

We chose not to make an announcement of this nature earlier due to the unwanted effect it could have on our investigation, on the investigations of authorities abroad, and for stopping information that could be used to undertake additional network attacks. The most recent server difficulties and PlayOnline service interruption, however, have persuaded us to disclose more information on this matter to our users.

We deeply apologize for the inconvenience these attacks have caused in recent days. Attacks continue at this hour in intervals and we regret that our investigation cannot allow for estimates as to when we expect service to return to optimal levels. Our technicians will continue to select the most effective measures available as we work with local and international authorities to take legal action against those obstructing PlayOnline service. We ask for your understanding and cooperation as we strive to maintain the best service possible. Thank you.

*************************************************************

So, what is an "attack"? Or was it a hack? It seems that SE wants us to know that an "attack" happened but they still don't want us to know too much. This news release (IMO) is just bait for a lead. I'm sure out of the 600,000 players, somebody somewhere knows something ....
I'm also pretty sure SE is watching their technicians as well.

Azureskye · Post by **Azureskye** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:40 pm

wow that's crazy

Post by **JediKitsune** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:55 pm

DDoSing is pretty old news, I'd say. Whoever did it is probably some pissed off script kiddie who got banned for using a fish bot or something trivial like that...

Prrsha · Post by **Prrsha** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 11:36 pm

For some odd reason I have a feeling the attack came from China or South Korea. With all of the anti-Japanese sentiment that has been brewing between those nations of late, it wouldn't surprise if that was the cause.

Post by **Karou Ariyen** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:17 am

JediKitsune wrote:DDoSing is pretty old news, I'd say. Whoever did it is probably some pissed off script kiddie who got banned for using a fish bot or something trivial like that...

agreed, i had baned somebody off my old msg boards once for an illegal password stealing script (amatuer, too easy find

( who then dismanted every security code up there oi.

lest i point to www.armoredcoreonline.com banned a guy he took out the site >.<

Lihera · Post by **Lihera** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:42 am

Righto, here's the most likely situation.

The most common form of a DDoS, is when a group of computers (note: this can mean several thousand), each under the control of a remote administrative device. Now, we're all aware that thses servers send packets to our computers, and they recieve them from ours. Each packet that is recieved, requires a bit of cpu power. Now imagine, several thousand computers, sending hundreds of thousands of phony packets each at the POL servers, they're going to go over their processing limit, and overload.

Now DDoS has been around ever since there's been a thing called a network, so it's had some time to spread around.

Mind you, this is just my guess on this matter.

Views expressed by lihera are those solely of Lihera, not nesicarily those of POL, or Square enix. Some restrictions apply, results may vary.

Post by **JediKitsune** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:00 am

Lihera wrote:Righto, here's the most likely situation.

The most common form of a DDoS, is when a group of computers (note: this can mean several thousand), each under the control of a remote administrative device. Now, we're all aware that thses servers send packets to our computers, and they recieve them from ours. Each packet that is recieved, requires a bit of cpu power. Now imagine, several thousand computers, sending hundreds of thousands of phony packets each at the POL servers, they're going to go over their processing limit, and overload.

Now DDoS has been around ever since there's been a thing called a network, so it's had some time to spread around.

Mind you, this is just my guess on this matter.

Views expressed by lihera are those solely of Lihera, not nesicarily those of POL, or Square enix. Some restrictions apply, results may vary.

Since I don't think many hackers (or script kiddies as I hypothisize) have an entire room full of computers at their disposal to DDoS something like POL, there had to be something else happening. One way is to actually trojan a computer via the internet. That computer DDoSes along with the rest and the end user has no idea they're doing it.

Jay D. · Post by **Jay D.** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 5:42 am

You could just send a virus email out to anyone. Once open it would copy and send itself to the next person. After a preset timer the virus in every computer that was sent the email would then ping (or whatever) the POL servers.

Someone who has never even heard of Square Enix might be part of the "attack" force.

This is something that happens a lot when someone feels they want to crash the pentagon or something.

Lihera · Post by **Lihera** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 5:56 am

GAH! what has happened to me?

Fayin · Post by **Fayin** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:28 am

Lihera, video artifacts. Do you OC?

JediKitsune wrote:Since I don't think many hackers (or script kiddies as I hypothisize) have an entire room full of computers at their disposal to DDoS something like POL, there had to be something else happening. One way is to actually trojan a computer via the internet. That computer DDoSes along with the rest and the end user has no idea they're doing it.

The new windower came out shortly before this started. The author won't release the source code either. Maybe I'm paranoid but I don't trust the new version.

Lihera · Post by **Lihera** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:42 pm

The new windower has been verified by many sources. Azaril has released it to a few trusted members. Besides, why would he want to?

Prrsha · Post by **Prrsha** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:31 pm

Lihera wrote:The new windower has been verified by many sources. Azaril has released it to a few trusted members. Besides, why would he want to?

Why does anyone do anything? Maybe he got banned from FFXI for making a windower and he wanted revenge? Or maybe he was bored? Or maybe it was not even him? *shrug*

Kahvi · Post by **Kahvi** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:35 pm

Maybe it is part of an elaborate plot instigated by the CIA and the KGB to keep our attention diverted from teh fact that JFK was assasinated by aliens that were funded by the mafia and the telephone company...

but then again... thats just a guess..

Neoshinobi · Post by **Neoshinobi** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:16 am

Kahvi wrote:Maybe it is part of an elaborate plot instigated by the CIA and the KGB to keep our attention diverted from teh fact that JFK was assasinated by aliens that were funded by the mafia and the telephone company...

but then again... thats just a guess..

*Several noises, screaming, loud gunshot....*

Anyway thats -not- what happend!

Waef · Post by **Waef** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 4:59 am

Well, even when they said AH and search was down, they both worked pretty well for me. I also love this:

Views expressed by lihera are those solely of Lihera, not nesicarily those of POL, or Square enix. Some restrictions apply, results may vary.

That's great.

Post by **Tivia** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:45 pm

Prrsha wrote:
Lihera wrote:The new windower has been verified by many sources. Azaril has released it to a few trusted members. Besides, why would he want to?
Why does anyone do anything? Maybe he got banned from FFXI for making a windower and he wanted revenge? Or maybe he was bored? Or maybe it was not even him? *shrug*

I have fairly constant contact with Azaril, as he is a member of one of the communities I am a part of and he regularly releases his code to a select few of us for testing. I assure you He has done nothing out of spite nor would he. He like a large number of us simply believes that a Game should be able to be alt tabbed to view web pages and such, not having to log out every time.

Also as a note to those who do not trust the windower software, you can run another program Microsoft Virtual PC, and Run FFXI in a virtual environment and keep it windowed that way without altering SE's software in any manner.

Sanzou · Post by **Sanzou** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:32 pm

Honestly, pointing fingers is pretty pointless at this stage and will only result in hurt feelings. There is such a wide possibility on who is to blame that it's a bit early to go "He did it!" Let's chill and wait to see what Square says. Since our accounts are in no danger (at least, I believe so, since they're on separate servers) it serves only as an irritation and not a vital danger.

Now, first count of accounts being stolen, I'll probably freak out. ^^

Eviticus · Post by **Eviticus** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:21 am

Remember, they merged. It's "Squeenix" now...

Ephi · Post by **Ephi** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:41 pm

i dont even no what a DDoS is

Prrsha · Post by **Prrsha** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:15 pm

Ephi wrote:i dont even no what a DDoS is

Denial of Service Attack. It floods the servers with attacks causing it to overload.

Yokki · Post by **Yokki** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:33 pm

So I go and play Guild Wars the whole weekend and I miss out on a lot of fun

Lihera, sometimes my graphics mess up like that too, usually in Jeuno when there's a lot of people. I don't really know why but if I do a temporary logout that'll usually fix it.

Post by **Sugami** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:26 am

Prrsha wrote:
Ephi wrote:i dont even no what a DDoS is
Denial of Service Attack. It floods the servers with attacks causing it to overload.

Distributed Denial of Service ^^ the attack itself is a spamming of packets being sent to the server from multiple locations causing the server to crash and/or not allow legit users to communicate with it.