Protecting Online Multiplayer Games with VPN and Proxy Detection
Maintaining the integrity of gaming platforms, ensuring fair gameplay and keeping out abusive players is complex challenge. In this blog post we will explore how VPN and Proxy detection can effectively keep banned players out, combat cheaters, prevent players from using multiple accounts, and tackle various other abuses that plague the gaming industry.
Challanges in online gaming
Multiplayer online gaming has become increasingly popular in recent years, providing a platform for players worldwide to connect, compete, and have fun. However, the rise of cheating, abuse, and fraudulent activities in online games has posed significant challenges for gaming companies. Such activities in include but are not liited to:
Cheating has become a growing problem in the gaming industry, with players resorting to hacks, cheats, and exploits to gain an unfair advantage. This not only ruins the experience for honest players but also undermines the credibility and revenue of gaming companies.
Creating multiple accounts is a common practice among cheaters to evade bans and engage in malicious activities such as trolling and harassment. Such behavior negatively impacts the player community, leading to frustration which drives away legitimate players.
Botting is the use of automated bots can lead to a unfair advantage. Bots may be used to level up in a automated way or "farm" ingame currency, points or rewards. Again, such behvaiour leads to frustration among honest players, driving them away from the game. Bots are also commonly used to spam other players with ads or other messages.
Understanding the role of VPNs, Proxies and Bots in Online Gaming
By using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), players can spoof their IP addresses, making it difficult for gaming companies to track and identify cheaters. Additionally, VPNs allow players to bypass regional restrictions and geo-blocking, enabling them to access game servers that may be restricted in their country.
Similar to VPNs, Proxies allow cheaters to change their IP address and continue engaging in malicious activities.
Bots may be used by cheaters and hackers to abuse game mechanics, spam ingame chat channels or to farm virtual ingame currency. Bots are often run from professional datacenters of commercial hosting providers or cloud infrastrucutre providers such as AWS or Azure.
Gaming companies need robust systems to detect and block VPN and Proxy connections to maintain a fair gaming environment. Additionally gaming companies should look into detecting connections orignating from commercial datacenter, which is a strong indication that the account may be used for automated bots.
Detecing VPNs and Proxies in Online Games
To effectively combat cheating, abuse, and fraudulent activities, gaming companies need to adopt a multi-layered approach that combines the use of VPNs, proxies, TOR, and bot detection systems. By integrating the Focsec VPN Detection API into their infrastructure, companies can better safeguard their games and maintain a fair gaming environment. Focsec detects VPN, Proxy, Bot and Datacenter IPs.
However, it is essential to understand that cheaters will always seek new ways to exploit systems, requiring gaming companies to remain vigilant, adapt, and innovate to stay one step ahead of the curve.
Want to talk about implementing effective VPN and Proxy detection for your game? Contact us now to talk to an technical expert. Our technology is already used by gaming companies around the world to keep their games safe and fair.