Reverse Engineering in Game Hacking

Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only.

Reverse engineering in game hacking can be both technically intricate and fascinating. It’s the process of dissecting a game’s code to manipulate it for an unfair advantage. In this case study, we’ll explore how a hacker could reverse engineer a multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) to create an aimbot (an automated aiming tool), while also staying under the radar of anti-cheat systems.

The Beginning: Targeting a Game

Imagine a popular multiplayer FPS where players compete in fast-paced shootouts. One player, instead of improving their skills, decides to gain an unfair advantage by building an aimbot. Their goal is to make their character automatically aim and fire at enemies with pinpoint accuracy. To do this, they need to reverse engineer the game and understand how it tracks player data.

They’ll need tools like IDA Pro or Ghidra to analyze the game’s binary code, and Cheat Engine to find and manipulate the game's memory while it's running. To avoid getting caught by the game’s anti-cheat system, they’ll also require methods to bypass or evade detection—perhaps by using kernel-mode drivers.

Dissecting the Game: Static Analysis

The first step in the reverse engineering process is static analysis, where the hacker examines the game's executable file without running it. By loading the game’s .exe file into IDA Pro, they can inspect the disassembled code and search for important functions and variables.

For example, the hacker might search for the part of the code that handles player movement....

Author

Hakin9 TEAM

Hakin9 is a monthly magazine dedicated to hacking and cybersecurity. In every edition, we try to focus on different approaches to show various techniques - defensive and offensive. This knowledge will help you understand how most popular attacks are performed and how to protect your data from them. Our tutorials, case studies and online courses will prepare you for the upcoming, potential threats in the cyber security world. We collaborate with many individuals and universities and public institutions, but also with companies such as Xento Systems, CATO Networks, EY, CIPHER Intelligence LAB, redBorder, TSG, and others.

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