Steam might be sending websites you visit to Valve. - General

[I]As of the time of posting, Valve has not yet commented on these findings and the validity cannot be guaranteed.[/I] [I]Please try to get in contact with Valve about this issue.[/I] [B]What's happening?:[/B] So there has been information making the rounds that a new module for Valve Anti-Cheat has implemented over-zealous methods of cheat detection. Namely, Valve is possibly now [I]keeping track of the websites you visit[/I] by stealing your DNS cache. [B]How would it work?:[/B] Domain names that have been resolved are stored in a DNS cache. This is pretty much the websites you visit or receive information from. VAC allegedly now checks this cache and hashes the entries in it. VAC then sends these hashes back to Valve serves. [B]Why would Valve want to do this?:[/B] At it's worst, it would store a list of websites you visit and uses it as further evidence if VAC flags you. At it's super worst, it would store a list of websites you visit and pre-emptively bans you for websites you visit that may contain hacks. [B]How can I be more secure?:[/B] Flush your DNS Cache with 'ipconfig /flushdns' before starting Steam (turning it off completely on Windows will probably make it shit the bed, but it's possible) Switch to a GNU/Linux distribution as it does not support DNS Caching natively. [B]Links:[/B] [t]http://i.imgur.com/z9dppCk.png[/t] Code of decompiled module incase you want to read through it,[B] note "DNSGetCacheDataTable" and related strings.[/B] [URL]http://www.unknowncheats.me/forum/anti-cheat-bypass/108228-vac-update-spying-like-nsa.html[/URL] Original (terrible) thread where the module was decompiled, [URL="http://www.speedyshare.com/ys635/VAC3-MODULE-bypoink.rar"]you can download the module[/URL] and decompile it yourself if you wish but Valve has gone to great lengths to obfuscate the code. [URL]http://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/1y0kc1/vac_now_reads_all_the_domains_you_have_visited/?sort=new[/URL] There's also a thread on Le Reddit if you are into that.

shit they know about my kinky contortionist porn fuck

Well, that's a bit too far I think.

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;43942100][B]I repeat[/B] (like I have on several subreddits on reddit): this is likely bullshit. See [url]http://www.reddit.com/r/tf2/comments/1y2k9o/psa_vac_now_acts_like_sypware_logs_every_domain/cfgt419[/url][/QUOTE] I'll just repost this since it was posted recently in another thread where someone referenced this.

Interesting. If they use it to make pre bans that would cause hell. I doubt valve is that stupid though. They most likely would use it to flag to watch or use as evidence

I love it when uneducated people make bold claims.

Also keep in mind that it only keeps the MD5 sums of the addresses; you can't ungrind meat.

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;43942871]Also keep in mind that it only keeps the MD5 sums of the addresses; you can't ungrind meat.[/QUOTE] It's entirely possible for valve to keep a list of hashes of popular cheat site domains and just compare those. But they won't because that's fucking stupid.

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;43942871]Also keep in mind that it only keeps the MD5 sums of the addresses; you can't ungrind meat.[/QUOTE] MD5 is pretty insecure now so it is possible.

and cheatpunch is a trojan when will this games company tyranny cease

Zips at TGN (formerly CS Nation for those who remember it being a bot in News Node) did an article about why this isn't true. [url]http://totalgamingnetwork.com/entry.php?1-Valve-is-Stealing-Your-Data-Examining-Your-Browsing-Habits-and-Invading-Your-Privacy[/url]

So they will know I visit facepunch and porn sites.....no big deal

I think even if they don't fax the data home, it's still a rather bad intrusion of my privacy. Why do they need to know the sites I've visited? It's none of their business whatsoever.

Who uses steam browser for anything except steam itself anyway? I'm fine with this.

[QUOTE=MatheusMCardoso;43944586]Who uses steam browser for anything except steam itself anyway? I'm fine with this.[/QUOTE] You might try actually reading what this is about.

That'd be pretty bad to ban for going to websites that contain hacks. Even with drugs in America which can make you end up in prison, you can go up to someone and talk about buying drugs, but you only get in trouble when you actually do it.

I wouldn't even care if they were spying on me. I like the attention

Not like I visit important stuff anyway. They may pick up some new pornsites they would like, but that's about it

Like I give a fuck honestly, they'd be picking up billions upon billions of sites at a time, as if they'd care about my choices.

[QUOTE=DrDevil;43944300]I think even if they don't fax the data home, it's still a rather bad intrusion of my privacy. Why do they need to know the sites I've visited? It's none of their business whatsoever.[/QUOTE] They don't. They know the MD5 hash of the sites you visited. Scratch that they don't even know that. your local steam client does.

10 Known hackers get banned, hashes are checked, similar ones found, hashes added into flag system, dns is then checked and hashed for comparison on other clients, similar hashes found, flag set on user account to valve for future reference as evidence encase the user is banned for hacking in the future. It's just basically an evidence system of similar sites cropping up, its all hashed in one way so they don't know what site it is you visit but they can discover patterns and maybe in the future act on that (in a way that isn't pre-banning people because that would be so easy to abuse with url shortners).

So if I post a picture of my ass, then what's chargers is that going to be like? [B]You got banned for posting your ass.[/B]

It seems the general reaction to this is "who cares", makes me wonder what people would be saying if it was Origin doing this...

[QUOTE=Zeke129;43950079]It seems the general reaction to this is "who cares", makes me wonder what people would be saying if it was Origin doing this...[/QUOTE] We'd be 10 pages deep in Tortellini

A teeeeny bit to far. Just a teeny bit. [editline]18th February 2014[/editline] Oh and that tortellini sounds great.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;43950079]It seems the general reaction to this is "who cares", makes me wonder what people would be saying if it was Origin doing this...[/QUOTE] Origin already does shit steam does, people bitched about it scanning your HD for games. Steam does that as well. Really origin isn't much different from steam other than its made and ran by EA and they are the devil of gaming and must be slammed whenever.

We don't even know if this is legit. This is a cheat site we're getting this info from, they're not exactly the most reliable source.

facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com,facepunch.com..... and my school's homework website

[url]http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/[/url] From Gabe himself.

[QUOTE=Banned?;43952709][url]http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/[/url] From Gabe himself.[/QUOTE] tl; dr: 1) Do we send your browsing history to Valve? No. 2) Do we care what porn sites you visit? Oh, dear god, no. My brain just melted. 3) Is Valve using its market success to go evil? I don't think so, but you have to make the call if we are trustworthy. We try really hard to earn and keep your trust.