Automation and Scripting - An investigation into further abuses of BGS and Powerplay

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OK! I've got the solution... When you ask for docking permission you get

Captcha is not a solution to anything. It just makes things a problem for everyone else. ;)

Why are so many people willing to accept captcha?! These days, it is completely unnecessary.
 
Hi CMDR Tom D,

Awesome documented investigation!

I’d like to throw in a suggestion your way, and if you agree, you could pass it on to FDEV. So, I suggest a simple image-based security access to Station Services like CAPTCHA e.g click on the limpet:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/156205264448651265/424705260951568384/Captcha.png

There are many other forms of CAPTCHA but something that works in with some Elite Dangerous lore would be nice, and I for one wouldn't mind just a little CAPTCHA when I dock to ensure our game rolls with less cheating.

This one was better!
 
Captcha is not a solution to anything. It just makes things a problem for everyone else. ;)

Why are so many people willing to accept captcha?! These days, it is completely unnecessary.

Most responses were against it (I would guess). Actually I like the idea. It must be fast and easy, but hard for bots, than it wouldn't bother me.
The intercepting mini game is more annoying because it takes so long.
 
The so called "proofs" are not enough in my opinion. It doesn´t convince me at all, I have seen so many idiots flying in the last 4 years that someone who is leaving a station with gear down going straight for 10 km could be simply AFK.

FD though should be able to extract telemety data from their servers that should make it possible to clearly identify bots.

But regarding the amount of players in total I don´t think that a couple of bots are harming someones gameplay. It might be a problem, but regarding the current situation of Elite we should concentrate on real problems and not on a couple of guys who are disappointed because of powerplay.

The fact that the offending accounts identified by the Mahon group disappeared when FDEV took action, the focused attacks stopped, and remained out of the game for exactly 30 days doesn't raise any red flags with you?

WOW!

And I am now supposed to take anything you say seriously?

Sorry... I can't grant you credibility you don't have.
 
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Most responses were against it (I would guess). Actually I like the idea. It must be fast and easy, but hard for bots, than it wouldn't bother me.
The intercepting mini game is more annoying because it takes so long.
Captcha is not a solution to anything. It just makes things a problem for everyone else. ;)

Why are so many people willing to accept captcha?! These days, it is completely unnecessary.

Pssssstt! It was a joke! :)
 
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Guess voice attack and similar software should be banned too.

https://imgur.com/dAkBKUX

No Voice Attack just navigates menus.

It doesn't automatically select missions and trade.

It doesn't fly the ship from point a to point b

Edit: I've love it if Elite had Voice Control as part of the game itself, rather than having to use third party.

The so called "proofs" are not enough in my opinion. It doesn´t convince me at all, I have seen so many idiots flying in the last 4 years that someone who is leaving a station with gear down going straight for 10 km could be simply AFK.

True, but a CMDR doesn't do it EVERY, SINGLE, TIME, they leave the station when running loop trade/pp


FD though should be able to extract telemety data from their servers that should make it possible to clearly identify bots.

Agreed, hence why we have no idea why FDEV doesn't seem to be doing anything about it, or already have such a system in place to track anomalous player behaviour during or after the fact.

But regarding the amount of players in total I don´t think that a couple of bots are harming someones gameplay. It might be a problem, but regarding the current situation of Elite we should concentrate on real problems and not on a couple of guys who are disappointed because of powerplay.

Not just powerplay the issue effects BGS and the Economy.

The bots are not just harming gameplay, they are plowing north of 30k pp merits to a single system weekly, meaning that us CMDR's have to do more work/play the game more to counter it. The bots can put in more play time hours than the CMDR's can.
 
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Most responses were against it (I would guess). Actually I like the idea. It must be fast and easy, but hard for bots, than it wouldn't bother me.
The intercepting mini game is more annoying because it takes so long.

i propose to receive a code by sms and a scan of my driving licence..
 
Friends in high places.
This response is a noticeable pattern of yours over the thread, using smoke and mirror terminology to exaggerate data accuracy or the connections needed to obtain the data/evidence. I'll only address this specific example as there's no need to turn it into a more personal matter.

EDDN re-transmits data sent to it so that other individuals can store or use that data as they choose. Tying into this process is as simple as connecting to the stream via TCP and decompressing each incoming message, resulting in one of the more easily human-readable data formats: JSON

Though it requires a small amount of technical knowledge, it does not require having implied connections to individuals in "high places".

EDDN Documentation
Code:
EDDN provides a continuous stream of information from uploaders. To use this data you'll need to connect to the stream using ZeroMQ (a library is probably available for your language of choice).

 Currently available relays:

    • tcp://eddn.edcd.io:9500


Which produces the following result (uploaderID redacted):

Python Example
Code:
{'$schemaRef': 'https://eddn.edcd.io/schemas/journal/1', 'header': {'[COLOR=#00ff00]gatewayTimestamp[/COLOR]': '[COLOR=#99ffcc]2018-03-21T10:47:46.384153Z[/COLOR]',
'softwareName': 'E:D Market Connector [Windows]', 'softwareVersion': '3.0.1.0', '[COLOR=#ff0000]uploaderID[/COLOR]': '[COLOR=#ff6666]REDACTED[/COLOR]'},
'message': {'Factions': [{'Allegiance': 'PilotsFederation', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Democracy', 'Influence': 0.0, 'Name': 'Pilots Federation Local Branch'}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'CivilWar', 'Government': 'Anarchy', 'Influence': 0.090457, 'Name': 'Ngaliba Blue Camorra', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}], 'RecoveringStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.059642, 'Name': 'Apoyota & Co', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'War', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.00994, 'Name': 'Mbukuravi Crimson Major Dev', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': -1}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': -1}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'War', 'Government': 'Confederacy', 'Influence': 0.00994, 'Name': 'Coalition of Ngaliba', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Democracy', 'Influence': 0.012922, 'Name': 'Progressive Party of L 639-45', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': -1}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.672962, 'Name': 'Ngaliba Network', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'CivilWar', 'Government': 'Feudal', 'Influence': 0.144135, 'Name': 'Lords of Ngaliba', 'RecoveringStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}]}], 'Population': 11987, 'StarPos': [-30.5, -8.625, 58.0625], 'StarSystem': 'Ngaliba', 'SystemAddress': 5068464072129, 'SystemAllegiance': 'Independent', 'SystemEconomy': '$economy_Refinery;', 'SystemFaction': 'Ngaliba Network', 'SystemGovernment': '$government_Corporate;', 'SystemSecondEconomy': '$economy_None;', 'SystemSecurity': '$SYSTEM_SECURITY_low;', 'event': 'FSDJump', 'timestamp': '2018-03-21T10:47:44Z'}}


I appreciate what you are trying to do on behalf of the community but involving intellectual dishonesty will only weaken your assertions.
 
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All solutions are just like a bandage on a leg with gangrene.
you need to ho to the rootcause of this issue, which we all know what it is.
 
This response is a noticeable pattern of yours over the thread, using smoke and mirror terminology to exaggerate data accuracy or the connections needed to obtain the data/evidence. I'll only address this specific example as there's no need to turn it into a more personal matter.

EDDN re-transmits data sent to it so that other individuals can store or use that data as they choose. Tying into this process is as simple as connecting to the stream via TCP and decompressing each incoming message, resulting in one of the more easily human-readable data formats: JSON

Though it requires a small amount of technical knowledge, it does not require having implied connections to individuals in "high places".

EDDN Documentation
Code:
EDDN provides a continuous stream of information from uploaders. To use this data you'll need to connect to the stream using ZeroMQ (a library is probably available for your language of choice).

 Currently available relays:

    • tcp://eddn.edcd.io:9500


Which produces the following result (uploaderID redacted):

Python Example
Code:
{'$schemaRef': 'https://eddn.edcd.io/schemas/journal/1', 'header': {'[COLOR=#00ff00]gatewayTimestamp[/COLOR]': '[COLOR=#99ffcc]2018-03-21T10:47:46.384153Z[/COLOR]',
'softwareName': 'E:D Market Connector [Windows]', 'softwareVersion': '3.0.1.0', '[COLOR=#ff0000]uploaderID[/COLOR]': '[COLOR=#ff6666]REDACTED[/COLOR]'},
'message': {'Factions': [{'Allegiance': 'PilotsFederation', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Democracy', 'Influence': 0.0, 'Name': 'Pilots Federation Local Branch'}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'CivilWar', 'Government': 'Anarchy', 'Influence': 0.090457, 'Name': 'Ngaliba Blue Camorra', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}], 'RecoveringStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.059642, 'Name': 'Apoyota & Co', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'War', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.00994, 'Name': 'Mbukuravi Crimson Major Dev', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': -1}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': -1}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'War', 'Government': 'Confederacy', 'Influence': 0.00994, 'Name': 'Coalition of Ngaliba', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Federation', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Democracy', 'Influence': 0.012922, 'Name': 'Progressive Party of L 639-45', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'Bust', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': -1}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'None', 'Government': 'Corporate', 'Influence': 0.672962, 'Name': 'Ngaliba Network', 'PendingStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 1}, {'State': 'CivilUnrest', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Lockdown', 'Trend': 0}, {'State': 'Famine', 'Trend': 0}]}, {'Allegiance': 'Independent', 'FactionState': 'CivilWar', 'Government': 'Feudal', 'Influence': 0.144135, 'Name': 'Lords of Ngaliba', 'RecoveringStates': [{'State': 'Boom', 'Trend': 0}]}], 'Population': 11987, 'StarPos': [-30.5, -8.625, 58.0625], 'StarSystem': 'Ngaliba', 'SystemAddress': [URL="tel:5068464072129"]5068464072129[/URL], 'SystemAllegiance': 'Independent', 'SystemEconomy': '$economy_Refinery;', 'SystemFaction': 'Ngaliba Network', 'SystemGovernment': '$government_Corporate;', 'SystemSecondEconomy': '$economy_None;', 'SystemSecurity': '$SYSTEM_SECURITY_low;', 'event': 'FSDJump', 'timestamp': '2018-03-21T10:47:44Z'}}


I appreciate what you are trying to do on behalf of the community but involving intellectual dishonesty will only weaken your assertions.

I am curious. If you have set as anonymous, you see an number ID but not the cmdr name isn t it ?
but can you something with the number as ID ?
 
I am curious. If you have set as anonymous, you see an number ID but not the cmdr name isn t it ?
but can you something with the number as ID ?

Due to a recent change ALL data over EDDN has anonymous ID which is the same for a short period of time. It works the same as a "CMDR Name" you just don't know "exactly" whom it is.

https://ross.eddb.io/eddn/log/30988985 for example

See also my notes on this post https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...nd-Powerplay?p=6546118&viewfull=1#post6546118
 
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The identifier is anonymous, (EDDN recently made a change to make EVERYONE anonymous on an ID that changes regularly, which makes this sort of tracking difficult but of course you shouldn't be tracking people via EDDN like this), which means we are doing traffic pattern analysis, watching for heat spots where people perform irregular activities, and watching for particular types of data coming over the feed. And associating that with other information, like BGS influence etc.

The most obvious one is tracking Identifiers that travel via Soholia a metric tonneof times in a week (more than "enough" to maintain a rating level) for example, and correlating that will in game observed behaviour.

Anonymity in EDMC still means you have an ID the ID just isn't your CMDR name.

Edit: An example update consumed by EDDB via EDDN: https://ross.eddb.io/eddn/log/30988985

Note the uploaderID in the header.
thanks for answer. Very interesting. I knew about the raw data and uploader ID but i thought you found a way to link this id to an account...
 
thanks for answer. Very interesting. I knew about the raw data and uploader ID but i thought you found a way to link this id to an account...

Player in Open. We see them login to the game after a board flip.

AnonIDA and AnonIDB send a "location" to EDDN at about the same time.

Player in open flies out of the station and flies from, say Gateway to Chaxiraxi.

AnonIDA sends a "FSDJump" for Indaol
AnonIDB sends a "FSDJump" for Chaxiraxi

Us in open scans the highwake of the player leaving the station with a wake scanner.

The wake says it went to Chaxiraxi, good assumption taht the Wake For CMDR Bob to Chaxiraxi is AnonIDB.

For example.

("sends a" meaning "sends an event to EDDN", substitube player for bot/cmdr where relevant)
 
I am curious. If you have set as anonymous, you see an number ID but not the cmdr name isn t it ?
but can you something with the number as ID ?
You are correct.

Until recently you could send your CMDR name as identification for the EDDN network unless you specifically chose to remain anonymous, but as of a few months ago only the hashed names are allowed - to combat name-tracking. However, with a bit of cunning you could figure out who owned which hashname by sitting at a station and watching people come and go, checking for submitted data around that timeframe.

Twelve days ago
another change was pushed by EDDN so that the hash IDs for each uploader would changed every 12 hour, to combat the hash-tracking and making sure that even if you knew the hashname for a specific pilot... it would change in 12 hours anyway.

Or to simplify: It is no longer possible to track by pilot name. Reversing the new IDs to get the pilot name is not practical. Getting the ID by following a pilot and checking EDDB timestamps is not practical, since IDs change every 12 hours. You would have to follow the pilot nonstop to each location.
 
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