Cheating remains a persistent issue in online multiplayer games, often leading to frustration for legitimate players. A student at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Christopher B. Didriksen, has dedicated his Master's thesis to addressing this problem in Counter-Strike 2.
Didriksen's research proposes a biometric-based solution that analyzes player input to create a unique "fingerprint." By examining the signals from a player's mouse and keyboard during gameplay, his system can identify individuals with a high degree of accuracy. This "fingerprint" has been shown to remain consistent across different maps, sessions, settings, and even after changes in sensitivity. The analysis is derived from in-game 'demos' of competitive matches.
In a dataset involving over 1,000 players, the mouse movement biometrics successfully identified players, while keyboard input achieved a 98% accuracy rate. When these metrics are cross-referenced, the system can identify the human behind an account with considerable reliability. Didriksen claims his method can detect "smurfs"—experienced players using alternate accounts—that may have gone unnoticed by current systems. The process is reportedly fast enough to compare every new match against the entire monthly player base of Counter-Strike 2.
This proposed system aims to complement existing anti-cheat measures like Valve Anti-Cheat and Trust Factor by answering the question: "Is this the same human?" The motivation behind the thesis stemmed from Didriksen's dissatisfaction with the current limitations of banning systems, which allow banned players to create new accounts and quickly re-enter games.
Didriksen acknowledges that his method is not foolproof. It does not account for situations where a banned player might genuinely change their behavior on a new account, nor does it easily accommodate shared accounts. Nevertheless, the research garnered significant support, with numerous Redditors participating in data collection earlier this year. Didriksen credits this community involvement for the success of his thesis, which ultimately received an 'A' grade.