I wrote:It has come to my attention that your Gamespy Masterserver is being attacked, by a group of people who want to prevent people having fun. To the best of my knowledge, they are sending false packets, and basically just trying to fool the masterserver. I have been in cotact with you before, for similar issues, but this time, it is directed at you, as they are attacking one of your services. I would hope you can make the culprits stop, ban their ip/sid details, completely off the masterserver. I fear they have the same intent to do similar things to more of your masterservers and hope you deal with the problem soon, and punish the culprits, who are abusing your Masterserver.
Thank you.
Aileen wrote:Hi Imperial
Can you please send your screenshots with proof that someone is doing that.
What we would need is documented proof of:
Who is doing this
Their IP address linking their name directly to their username.
The proof you have that the above person is doing this to our servers.
Yours sincerely,
Aileen Diefenbach
Customer Service
IGN Entertainment
I wrote:Afraid I can't, for a start, they are spoofing their ips, i.e it's not theirs, using loads of ip ranges too.
I can only investigate it, as far as my server goes, but seeing as it is a direct attack to your masterserver, I was hoping you could check the actviity, any suspicious stuff going on. TBH, I was hoping the ips that are attacking the msl are not spoofed.
If you would like, I can attach a server log, but nothing seems to be happening, as I have stated, it's not server related, it's masterserver related. Isn't there anyway you can track this sort of behaviour? Surely it has happened before in one of your more popular hosted game, bf and such?
I wrote:Hi again. I have got a conversation, attached, some parts that may help you. I fear they plan to target other games too, this people seem to be pretty clever. I'll attach the conversation and as for your masterserver,the proof is there, mostly augged servers are there, the few 0augged servers that remain are being kept to convince the other side they are in control(the people who are trying to come up with ways to stop the attacks, and then an attack they havent learnt to strenghten, YET. Most of the servers are now augged. They are using a tool, which blocks servers, so they have quite a bit of power. They mention you in there as well, something you'd have to do with the code. Anyway, I got quite a bit out of him, I'll try more tonight, do you think you could investigate this further?
Aileen wrote:HI again
We have checked the masterserver and there are no problems issues or attacks to it. As told before the problem is with the game coding itself and your requests have to be directed to the game makers. We are unable to help you.
Yours sincerely,
Aileen Diefenbach
Customer Service
IGN Entertainment
I wrote:I'm going to have to disagree. There is another tool, we use, called Nepyths, which block attacks, yet the masterserver is not even showing the servers. Seen or unseen, your Masterserver IS being attacked. Can't you get some techies to have a deeper look into it?
Even it it was something to do with the games coding, I cannot get contact information for Eidios, but I reiniate, it is a direct attack towards your masterserver.
Aileen wrote:Hi again
The technicans HAVE checked the status of the master server and there are no issues. We appreciate your concern for the game you enjoy playing, but we simply are not able to help you with your request.
Yours sincerely,
Aileen Diefenbach
Customer Service
IGN Entertainment
I wrote:Hello i know I have been in contact with you before, but I want you to check one thing( I know this accurate, because someone has been kind enough to help the Deus Ex community and are doing counter attacks, but being met with resistance.) The attack is basically unlisting servers on Gamespy
and completely fooling the masterserver: "Failed to send heartbeat to master server" This is the kind of thing they are doing, and I am so adamant about this and persistant that it is to do with your company, seeing as you are in charge of the Masterservers are you not? An attack is happening on the masterserver. I would invite your techies to try and host on the Gamespy Masterserver, in the game of deus ex. You will find the server does not show up on the list, and only does with luck, i.e hitting refresh endless times.
To my knowledge, Eidios aren't responsible for the masterserver are they? Will you please please check every config there is for Gamespy Masterserver for deus Ex, anything to do with it and send your techies in to host a server and see what happens for themselves. (also note, that attacks have started and stopped, but as I speak to you, attacks are happening.
There are two attacks, one directly aimed at your masterserver and one directetly at the server itself. I relaise this has nothing to do with you, we even have someone countering this attack, but I would ask you this one last request, to check for any trace of the Masterserver attack I have described in this messgae. If you do all this, and don't get any result, I will be satisifed and leave it.
Thank you,
Kind Reguards, Imperial
Aileen wrote:Good day
Please refrain from emailing us regarding this subject continuously. You will recieve the same answer each time.
All other emails to us now regarding this matter will be closed with no further response given.
Yours sincerely,
Aileen Diefenbach
Customer Service
IGN Entertainment
I wrote:Thanks for the help, appreciate it!
You just continue to be blind about the situation.
Say, seeing as gamespy don't know when their masterservers are under attack and don't do anything about it, then anyone can get away with it!
Some customer Service..
I wrote:*Reveals link.. not showing it*
The fact that this is changeable( and that a member of your staff lied to me, whose fault this is, I don't know, whether you misinformed your staff members or they just lied to me) pisses me off. So much so, I am willing to take action, if you as a company do not fix this. You really can't be bothered can you?
I play and pay for a server for the game Dues Ex, which this bug is being exploited on, through your masterserver. Don't bullshit me for a start, like you have done before. I will take legal action against your company if this simple matter isn't resolved. I am not prepared to be losing money, just because you guys couldn't bother to fix it. I would take this seriously if I were you

I have seen this happen to me before, and through legal action I resolved it, so lets not let the same thing happen
Fix the bug, or I take legal action
P.S I want the manager this time.
Christine wrote:Hi there,
Your email has been escalated to me for handling. My name is Christine, I am the Manager of Customer Service and hope I can help resolve the issue.
Please take note of the author's statement:
"I take the Gamespy master server as example but the same informations can be
applied to any other master server that works in the same way, that's
why the title of this document is about generic master servers and not
about the Gamespy one."
What this is telling you is that the code the game uses for multiplayer and NOT GameSpy is the cause of the problem. The game needs an update. Please contact the game maker.
Sincerely,
Christine Henderson - Manager, Customer Service
I wrote:I firmly disagree. What this is telling you, is some other masterservers, besides the Gamespy one, have the same vulnerability, therefore Generic Masterservers
Its not about eidios or game codes, so where you are getting this from i do not know
I will continue emialing yous into you resolve this issue, make an update, it is YOu who needs to make an update, I am amazed you cannot come to terms with this.
If you continue to insist its Eidios fault I want you to put me into contact with somebody else.
Chrsitine wrote:Hi again,
Unfortunately you are incorrect. We will not be making any changes as this is the multiplayer code in the game. Your only choice is to stop playing the game online.
You will not be put in contact with anyone else at IGN on this matter as I already consulted the engineers and this is their final answer. There is no need to contact us again on this matter.
Sincerely,
Christine Henderson - Manager, Customer Service
I wrote:no, Unfortunately it is you who is incorrect. I find it incredible how you try to convince your customers that you are right. Too bad, I know I amn't one of those who beleive any old crap that a company tells them. I'm not gullible. I quote: "Epic's masterserver implementation for UE1, which does use the gamespy protocol, isn't vulnerable. For the simple reason that it doesn't implement the feature being abused."
You've read the article so you know what is being abused. If Gamespy were hosting off the epic masterserver type ( all you need is the masterserver.ini, SDK and to type commands into cd) but I am sure you are aware of this. The feature that is being abused is not the games code, for Gamespys. Why you feel the need the Masterserver needs to be sent packets is a mystery to me. How to fix it, create a packet filter, it's not neccesary. If you still shift the blame onto Eidos I will continue contacting you. I feel we are going around in circles, so either try and help me out, or put me into contact with someone who can. I know for a fact there is someone who admits the Gamespy Masterserver is being attacked, so please don't give me the " It's the game makers fault" again. Maybe you are asking the wrong Engineers? Hmm? Perhaps the Apprentices? Not the fully trained ones? Of course you wouldn't ask those at the very top, because it won't benefit you in any way right? Money grabbers. I will continue to pursue this, until I am put into contact with the right people. You have read taht article totally wrong, There is absoulutely no mention of game codes, simply MAsterservers, in this instance, yours. I can insure you if you hosted on the unreal MAsterserver, the servers wouldn't be delisted, simply because they don't use the implemation that ie being abused, as stated in the quote in my first paragraph.
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