SETI@Home Cheaters

from the get-a-life dept

Apparently, a lot of people who use SETI@Home cheat to bring their rankings up on the leader board. Who are these people and why are they doing this? What a waste of time for absolutely nothing. A lot of SETI@Home’s resources are now focused on preventing cheating and on security. If people are really interested in helping the SETI project, then they should help. If they want to be a fake “leader” somewhere, why don’t they go try to be “first posters” over at Slashdot. That’ll show people how cool you really are.


Rate this comment as insightful
Rate this comment as funny
You have rated this comment as insightful
You have rated this comment as funny
Flag this comment as abusive/trolling/spam
You have flagged this comment
The first word has already been claimed
The last word has already been claimed
Insightful Lightbulb icon Funny Laughing icon Abusive/trolling/spam Flag icon Insightful badge Lightbulb icon Funny badge Laughing icon Comments icon

Comments on “SETI@Home Cheaters”

Subscribe: RSS Leave a comment
7 Comments
FalconFly says:

Re: this article

BOARD ADMINISTRATORS !

I need to have any possibly logged Information about the previous posting “Anonymous Coward”.

This subject is CONFIRMED to be a member of the above mentioned group. This subject is WANTED by all means!

I have had mail contact and followed its trace since the beginning of all this.

If you have logged information, being it only for statistical purposes, please Contact me, or one of the SETI@Home officials!

Even if hardly useful, it is a piece of the puzzle to narrow down the search, and put together the path of destruction these people try to leave behind!

With the help of international ISP’s and Routers, there WILL BE a chance of tracing down its origin one day !!

Thanks in advance.
FalconFly
Team Erster Kontakt, Germany
http://www.ersterkontakt.de

Anonymous Coward (user link) says:

Re: Re: this article

Good luck idiot.

Heres how the exploit was done.

SETI@HOME EXPLOIT/Hack (c) Copyright 2oO1
All rights reserved UFCF Team 2oO1 Trademark UFCF
Team 2oO1, UFCF, UFCF Crew

Exploit Date ………… May 31, 2001
Released by …………. UFCF Team 2001 (Canada)

WARNING! WE NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE! USE AT OWN RISK

Exploit Seti@home user information……. 1
Cheating work units ………………… 2

1

SETI@HOME EXPLOIT:
——————

– Explains how exploit works. NOTE: EXPLOIT ONLY
WORKS UNDER UNIX.
– Change line 2 (any number 1 thru 3 million),
the software will fill in the rest.
You have full information about the user.

– Do not change Line 1, 3 Thru 18.

key.sah – contains the encryption key.
Changes all the time.
lock.sah – nothing just lock file.
outfile.sah – contains results (final product)
userinfo.sah – contains user information
(about user)

– line 1:
– line 2: change id=
– line 3: key=
– line 4: email_addr=
– line 5: name=
– line 6: Url=
– line 7: country=
– line 8: postal code=
– line 9: show_name=
– line 10: show_email=
– line 11: venue=
– line 12: register_time=
– line 13: last_wu_time=
– line 14: last_result_time=
– line 15: nwus=
– line 16: nresults=
– line 17: total_cpu=
– line 18: params_index=
Temp.sah – line 2, 3

2

CHEATING WORK UNITS.
——————–

– EXPLOIT ONLY WORKS UNDER UNIX.
– This explain how cheat work units.

STEP 1:
– Download seti@home software
http://www.setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu
– unzip & un-tar setiathome software
– rename setiathome directory “seti”
– make temp directory

– Run seti@home software using switch:
./setiathome -verbose -stop_after_process
Stop after current WU – do not send work unit.

– After work unit is complete:
copy all *.sah files to temp directory

STEP 2:
This sections explains how exploit the hole:
in your temp directory will contain the
following files:

key.sah – Security key. Changes all the time
lock.sah – Lock file (check seti@home
running)
outfile.sah –
pid.sah – Pid/Process id seti@home software
running
result.sah – Results – sends back to server
result.header Result_headers – send back to
server
state.sah – user_info.sah – Contatins “User
Id, Key, Email address, Full name,
URL, City/Provice, Postal code,
Show name (Yes/No), Show email
(Yes/No), venue, Registered time
Last work unit (Last work unit you
return), Last result time (Time
took to complete), nwus (Country
code), nresults (number result you
return), total_cpu Total cpu
calc.), params_index (unknown)
work_unit.sah Work unit
wtemp.sah Work unit (output version)

STEP 3:
– Cut&Pase User ID & User Key (user_info.sah)
change following files:

Filename: Header: Lines Change:
Result.sah: user_id 2
user_key 3, 17
Result_header.sah: user_id 5
Temp.sah: id 2
key 3
Wtemp.sah: user_id 5

STEP 4:
Change the following files:
Filename: Header: Line change:
result.sah name= 16

*READ Technical notes, more information*
1-8
Contains date (day, month, year, 2 letter)
*Do not change*
10-14
Contains work unit id (add+1)
16-20
Contains work unit id *Do not change*
22-27
Contains work unit id *Do not change*
29-31 *Do not change*

result_header.sah name= 4 *See result.sah*
work_unit.sah name= 4 *See result.sah*

Technical Notes:
—————-
NOTE: Software will report (attempt send dup)
to trick the software you must change
work_unit.sah line 4:
(#1) ie. name=01jan01aa.12715.33457.636084.195
^ add +1 = 12716 and keep adding +1
name=01jan01aa.12716.33457.636084.195

If you run out numbers in field 3
ie. name=01jan01.12716.00000.636084.195
^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^
add+1 | | |
|- reset using 00000
| |- leave
|- leave alone
name=01jan01.12717.00000..636084.195

if you run out of numbers in field 2&3 change
01jan01 02jan01 and so on.

ie. name=02jan01.12716.12715.636084.195

Technical:
ie. name=01jan01 .12716.12716.636084.195 *SEE TABLE BELOW*
^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Table:
1=Day
2=Month
3=Year
4=Add +1 work unit number
5=Do not change (unknown)
6=Do not change (unknown)
7=Do not change (unknown)

STEP 5:
Copy following files /seti directory:

key.sah
lock.sah
outfile.sah
pid.sah
result.sah
result_header.sah
state.sah
temp.sah
user_info.sah
version.sah
work_unit.sah
wtemp.sah

YOUR ALL DONE. KEEP ADDING +1 IN STEP 4…
———————————————

Add Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here

Comment Options:

Make this the or (get credits or sign in to see balance) what's this?

What's this?

Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. Credits can be purchased at the Techdirt Insider Shop »

Follow Techdirt

Techdirt Daily Newsletter

Ctrl-Alt-Speech

A weekly news podcast from
Mike Masnick & Ben Whitelaw

Subscribe now to Ctrl-Alt-Speech »
Techdirt Deals
Techdirt Insider Discord
The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...
Loading...