Blizzard going through our processes?

[proe]

From seeing how recent bans include mule accounts, blizzard definitely isnt using in game pattern based methods to flag our accounts anymore.

I was running the mule on the same computer as the bots but never ever botted on the mule(it was paragon lvl1 from hand playing). As I have done the same in the past and mules stayed safe through the harshest banwaves, I am sure something is different this time.

This leads me to believe that blizzard is using something other than in game activities(rotations, patterns, invisible mob/objects, etc) to detect botters and the only other way is scanning our computer or detecting when db attaches to diablo or do an IP ban.

I can definitely remember once or twice when I mistakenly attached demonbuddy to my mule account and that could have caused a flag.

I would like to see feedback from people whose mules got banned/stayed safe if they were using purely separate comps/IPs, never attached db on mule(doesnt have db installed at all on mule comp), etc so db team can possibly come to a conclusion on how blizzard flagged mules and develop a workaround for it.

This is not only intended to save mules but the actual farmers as well because the detection method now would mean quicker flags and possibly lead to quicker bans.

Tony, this is intended to be a discussion on the bot detection system that blizzard seems to have changed recently which seems like a legitimate post to this forum so hope you dont close it

 

[pindleskin]

Accidently attached DB to my mule few weeks ago for like 2mins or so. Mule is still alive, but bots arent. This doesn't seem like a process detection at least to me.

 

[flr]

You can put it this way... if 100 accounts are caught botting and all of them were sending mats to 1 mule, any GM can figure out the scheme They didn't do that in the past, but it's easy to see where the money went from all the botting accounts and track the mule who sold it.

 

[kork09]

And so the drama begins

Here is an advice from a 8 months(on and off) ex D3 botter(with 1 ban tho that one was my fault) . There are basically 2 situations :

1. the bot is software detected and there's nothing you can do about it - this is entirely the buddy stuff's role to make it undetectable from the standard detection methods

2. botting behaviour detection which is not as easy as the first one and usually involves a human (who can usually tell it's a bot or not - you would be able to tell as well if you were the one behind the banning buttons and actively searching for bots) this is where in my opinion the responsibility is shared among yourself and the buddy staff to test and take the advice from them and basically try to behave as much as humanly as possible - and i suggest you read the older threads (how they ban all your farm at once - ip/trading/ links between bots or the fact that you didn't use AH when leveling up)

Of course there is also a degree of "social engineering" and strategy involved where they will of course try to cover up the detection ways so that you don't know how they detected you so don't be fooled by what is very obvious.

 

[ad3ddd]

I think it doesn't matter, at the end.. People will either start over or quit. Question for these who wanna start over is, however, whether or not DB/Profiles/YAR need to be changed in some way, since a huge number of bots were banned. I don't think it is DB's fault, of course, but some reassurance seems to always help people sleep better

 

[ezpwnd]

If that's the case how come not everyone is banned? I know that they will usually distribute their bannings over a few days so we might see another "banwave" tonight or in the next few days but for now I'm still online with my 40 + the two mules I used to transfer everything to. Mules never touched a botting rig and vice versa, seperate IPs as well.

 

[ad3ddd]

Hehe, i wish you good luck with your 40+ bots running, bro. Maybe you are just lucky, but if all my toons get hit and people still have 40 on, something is off. I had them on separate IPs as well, nothing you do matters. I mean nothing.. Suppose you started like a week ago, that might change things. But i know you've been doing this for some time now, so, either you are incredibly lucky or you are in for a big surprise soon.

 

[ezpwnd]

No way they can surprise me. Like most ppl I expected to be banned for months, even though I'm not (yet). Seperate IPs don't matter but might safe my mules.

I noticed some strange behaviour 3-4 hours prior to the bans and shut my bots off. Might have prolonged my life for a day or two. ^_^

 

[ad3ddd]

YEah, it will probably save your mules. This is correct, but i don't think 2 mule accounts will matter for a large operation like yours. I mean, i got 4 mules and 2 got banned 2 are still safe, but big deal.. i gotta level 20 chars again

 

[JoshYoJoshYo]

No way they can surprise me. Like most ppl I expected to be banned for months, even though I'm not (yet). Seperate IPs don't matter but might safe my mules.

I noticed some strange behaviour 3-4 hours prior to the bans and shut my bots off. Might have prolonged my life for a day or two. ^_^

I just kept botting lol. I figure with the acct bans and more peoples' stuff being taken off AH, I'm bound to find a couple "extra" legs. I'll keep you guys posted on if I survive or not.

 

[zorked]

10 bots, all banned. 1 mule not banned
All on the same rig, same ip.

 

[feske]

I left one of my bots running all night even tho I knew the maintenance was coming, it was trying to start new games even when the servers went down, woke up to the login screen. Not banned. botting on that account since my join date on this forum.

 

[Tryingtofarm]

Keeping all accs, different ips/computers between main and bots. 24/7 so idk which could be the pattern