EVE Online Source Code Reportedly Stolen; Developer Claims Subscriber Information Is Safe

Suddenly I feel like getting back into Eve.

We are aware that an individual claims to have access to the source code of the EVE client, but this access is not a security risk to CCP or our customers in any way. The Python scripting language that is used by the client can be easily decompiled to generate readable code, and we have designed our server-side systems with that understanding. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the code was leaked by an employee and our internal investigations confirm that.

Access to the source code for the EVE client exposes no security vulnerabilities, has no privacy protection issues, and poses no threat to our customers billing information. The server-side interface used by the client is carefully protected to ensure that no abusive or unwanted information is transmitted to or from the EVE system.

Nothing the EVE client can do can affect the game state, a manipulated EVE client cannot affect the server, no advantageous or disadvantageous information can be transmitted to other EVE users by altering the EVE client. The EVE client is signed with a security certificate registered to CCP. Hashes are available on our web site for those who wish to ensure the integrity of EVE client download files they may have received from a source other than direct download from CCP’s web site.

Finally, there have been no mass bannings, as reported in some news articles, though we do remove all message board posts regarding violations of our EULA and Terms of Service as per standard policy and procedures. We consider any alterations of the client software, including decompilation, or discussions thereof, to represent such a violation.

You know, I hope someone did steal the Hellgate source code. Maybe then we can get some open-source version or a series of community patches after FlagShip goes under.

Ship Computer: Warp drive active....... EVE Online source code stolen.
Pilot: Errr..... What?
Ship Computer: Turret tracking decreased to 1.
Pilot: ........
Ship Computer: AlL yOuR DpS aRe BeLoNg To Us.
Pilot: 0_0

*Ship warps into the middle of a level 5 mission*

Actually, I could see a lot of ways in which a hacked EVE client could be useful. Stuff like:

-Gathering accurate market data from across regions
-Creating client side bots to mine/rat
-Continuosly scanning and adding this information to the overview to give players much improved situational awareness
-Creating macros for doing some of the stuff that requires more precise timing, like getting through gate camps
-Automatically turning off overloaded items before they die

.... etc not to mention all the things that I'm sure CCP hasn't thought of. That said, their game is patched pretty frequently so I think it would be challenging for someone to keep a hacked client working

"In addition, reports are being posted that CCP is seeding most of the torrent themselves, then using the IP addresses of those who download the client’s source code to ban Eve Online accounts." If that's true, yikes. That seems pretty harsh.

One of the Slashdot comments on this has pointed out that it appears that it's not so much that the actual source code has been released (i.e., like what happened with the Half-Life 2 source code back in 2003 where someone hacked into Valve and actually stole the code) but that since most of EVE is written in Python, someone just took the compiled files and executables and just decompiled them.

I'm no Python expert and I don't play EVE but offhand it looks like Python is similar to .NET in that unless the released code is obfuscated, it can be easily decompiled. There's a utility in the .NET world, .NET Reflector, which can look at the MSIL code of a .NET executable or assembly and then give you roughly equivalent C# or VB.NET code, right down to being able to create a series of source code files and projects for you. Generally the code's not quite good enough to compile on its own without some work and things like proper variable names and any comments are completely gone, but it's saved my ass before when I've lost source but need to get some section of it back in a hurry (or, when I have compiled code in C# and would like a cheap/easy way to get it into VB.NET).

And here I was under the impression that torrents were for linux .ISO files....