Can be RVP videos faked? - RunUO

Dows · 11-12-2005, 09:13 AM

Hi,

in our shard we've been talking about the possibility of using razor videos as evidence of bugging. However GMs are not sure if this kind of files can be easily faked.

I 've read in another post that they can be faked, but it would take too much work so in fact it would be a real waste of time.

what's the official position?

Thanks

**Serp** · 11-12-2005, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dows

Hi,

in our shard we've been talking about the possibility of using razor videos as evidence of bugging. However GMs are not sure if this kind of files can be easily faked.

I 've read in another post that they can be faked, but it would take too much work so in fact it would be a real waste of time.

what's the official position?

Thanks

Yes they can be faked.

Dows · 11-12-2005, 01:06 PM

but...how?

**Serp** · 11-12-2005, 01:07 PM

by modifying the .rpv file

**Zippy** · 11-12-2005, 01:12 PM

Yes, while anything can be faked, RPVs are designed to be hard to fake.

The RPV format is "closed" which means the only way to figure it out is to hax Razor and figure it out, or hex edit the rpv until you can figure it out.

RPV security features: Files are compressed and checksumed, meaning they cannot be edited by a hex editor without decompressing them, making changes, and then rechecksumming them the same way that razor does and rewriting the file properly, recompressed and all. In order to do this, you'd also probably need a decent knowledge of the UO protocol.

Included in RPVs are all of the following information which can help determine authenticity:
The server name and IP address where the file was recorded (Command: -rpvinfo)
Serial numbers of all mobiles (-getserial)

So when the RPV is playing you can use the -getserial command to target any player or NPC on the screen and their serial number will be displayed. You can use this to verify the same players exist on your server and get their account information, etc.

So, its sort of up to you how much you want to trust the information in RPVs. Certainly anyone with enough time can fake anything, but to my knowledge there are very few people who know enough about the RPV format to do it, and even then it would take a bit of effort. Consider who you're dealing with, and consider any other evidence that may be available before convincting someone based on an RPV.

**ASayre** · 11-12-2005, 11:48 PM

Also, remember that there's nothign stopping anyone from putting up their own shard and recording things from there and making it LOOK like it's your shard.

XxSP1DERxX · 11-13-2005, 06:24 AM

Asayre, wouldn't the IPAddress of the server be different if they did that?

**Zippy** · 11-13-2005, 12:56 PM

The IP address, and likely the serial numbers of characters involved. That's why those are there... with that stuff in place, they would have to go to meticulous detail including spoofing their IP to record an RPV and have it be indistinguishable from the real shard.... It becomes easier at that point to modify a faked file, which is also fairly difficult as outlined above.

XxSP1DERxX · 11-13-2005, 09:58 PM

Zippy, I like your avatar... I just wanted to say that

11-12-2005, 09:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dows Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 5	Can be RVP videos faked? Hi, in our shard we've been talking about the possibility of using razor videos as evidence of bugging. However GMs are not sure if this kind of files can be easily faked. I 've read in another post that they can be faked, but it would take too much work so in fact it would be a real waste of time. what's the official position? Thanks

11-12-2005, 01:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Zippy Administrator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 25 Posts: 4,868	Yes, while anything can be faked, RPVs are designed to be hard to fake. The RPV format is "closed" which means the only way to figure it out is to hax Razor and figure it out, or hex edit the rpv until you can figure it out. RPV security features: Files are compressed and checksumed, meaning they cannot be edited by a hex editor without decompressing them, making changes, and then rechecksumming them the same way that razor does and rewriting the file properly, recompressed and all. In order to do this, you'd also probably need a decent knowledge of the UO protocol. Included in RPVs are all of the following information which can help determine authenticity: The server name and IP address where the file was recorded (Command: -rpvinfo) Serial numbers of all mobiles (-getserial) So when the RPV is playing you can use the -getserial command to target any player or NPC on the screen and their serial number will be displayed. You can use this to verify the same players exist on your server and get their account information, etc. So, its sort of up to you how much you want to trust the information in RPVs. Certainly anyone with enough time can fake anything, but to my knowledge there are very few people who know enough about the RPV format to do it, and even then it would take a bit of effort. Consider who you're dealing with, and consider any other evidence that may be available before convincting someone based on an RPV. __________________ Zippy, Razor Creator and RunUO Core Developer The RunUO Software Team "Intuition, like a flash of lightning, lasts only for a second. It generally comes when one is tormented by a difficult decipherment and when one reviews in his mind the fruitless experiments already tried. Suddenly the light breaks through and one finds after a few minutes what previous days of labor were unable to reveal." ~The Cryptonomicon

11-12-2005, 11:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
ASayre RunUO Developer/Demise Person Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California Age: 20 Posts: 1,700	Also, remember that there's nothign stopping anyone from putting up their own shard and recording things from there and making it LOOK like it's your shard. __________________ Andre Sayre, Core Developer The RunUO Software Team The day we are born is the day Death inches ever closer... E-mail: ASayre ( AT ) RunUO ( Dot ) c o m I'm as graceful as a gazelle galloping over glistening green grass with it's head on fire.

11-13-2005, 12:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
Zippy Administrator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 25 Posts: 4,868	The IP address, and likely the serial numbers of characters involved. That's why those are there... with that stuff in place, they would have to go to meticulous detail including spoofing their IP to record an RPV and have it be indistinguishable from the real shard.... It becomes easier at that point to modify a faked file, which is also fairly difficult as outlined above. __________________ Zippy, Razor Creator and RunUO Core Developer The RunUO Software Team "Intuition, like a flash of lightning, lasts only for a second. It generally comes when one is tormented by a difficult decipherment and when one reviews in his mind the fruitless experiments already tried. Suddenly the light breaks through and one finds after a few minutes what previous days of labor were unable to reveal." ~The Cryptonomicon

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11-12-2005, 01:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dows Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 5	but...how?

11-12-2005, 01:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
Serp The noob formerly known as Jakob Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 316	by modifying the .rpv file

11-13-2005, 06:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
XxSP1DERxX Join Date: Oct 2002 Age: 23 Posts: 4,689	Asayre, wouldn't the IPAddress of the server be different if they did that?

11-13-2005, 09:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
XxSP1DERxX Join Date: Oct 2002 Age: 23 Posts: 4,689	Zippy, I like your avatar... I just wanted to say that

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