Managing and Monitoring Bots contained in VMWare or VirtualBox

[wizardslayer]

First off, which is the application of choice? VMWare or Virtual Box?

How are you guys managing / monitoring the VMs running the WoW clients?

I'm looking to move my bots from the same PC I run my main account from to play things safe. I currently run a pretty extensive HBRelog setup for the 3-4 different toons, and moving them all to separate VMs would require some work, so I want to make sure it is an easy setup to manage since it will cause me to running 4 different instances of HBRelog instead of one.

Also with it on my main pc, I just keep the WoW windows off on a 3rd monitor, so it is easy to monitor / assist / takeover if something happens. How are you dealing with that an VMWare? Do you just use Vsphere and open a console to each WinXP/Win7 guest?

I only bot for personal benefit, not profit, so I don't mind a bit of work, but moving the setup to a whole new system and running individual VMs adds a bit as it is.

 

[thatwouldbestealing]

Remember you can Export and Import HBRelog settings, as well as manually edit the XML data therein.

Likewise export a GUI 'master' settings which you can then use for all instances of HonorBuddy.

It will be a lot of work, as you suggest.

PS, are the toons across different Battle.net accounts? Otherwise I'd think this plan is a little overkill.

 

[wizardslayer]

Yes, all toons are different battle.net accounts.

 

[bambam922]

I often wonder why people think VMWare (or any virtual machine for that matter) is a valid way to protect yourself.

Do you really think that software can't tell when it is running inside a virtual environment?
What is the only reason why you would run WoW, Diablo, etc. in a virtual environment?

Think about it..

 

[wizardslayer]

I often wonder why people think VMWare (or any virtual machine for that matter) is a valid way to protect yourself.

Do you really think that software can't tell when it is running inside a virtual environment?
What is the only reason why you would run WoW, Diablo, etc. in a virtual environment?

Think about it..

Well given the fact that I have more than "thought" about it, and have looked at the packet captures sent during a login, there is a specific HWID parameter that is sent during login. I compared this HWID to the other HWID's for different accounts run from the same machine, and they were identical.

Therefore it is easy to correlate accounts running on the same set of hardware if so desired. Running it in a virtual environment changes that set of hardware and creates a different HWID, even if the host hardware is the same.

Does that mean a ban for X account will result in a ban for all accounts with the same hashed HWID? No.

But it does mean that running everything with different HWID's gives some level of obfuscation.

 

[dturner]

Well given the fact that I have more than "thought" about it, and have looked at the packet captures sent during a login, there is a specific HWID parameter that is sent during login. I compared this HWID to the other HWID's for different accounts run from the same machine, and they were identical.

Therefore it is easy to correlate accounts running on the same set of hardware if so desired. Running it in a virtual environment changes that set of hardware and creates a different HWID, even if the host hardware is the same.

Does that mean a ban for X account will result in a ban for all accounts with the same hashed HWID? No.

But it does mean that running everything with different HWID's gives some level of obfuscation.

Strike. You obviously don't know what HWID means and how to mask it or randomize it. It takes more work than running a simple VM program.

 

[wizardslayer]

Strike. You obviously don't know what HWID means and how to mask it or randomize it. It takes more work than running a simple VM program.

?

Blizz derives HWID from hashing the host system configuration, such as CPU, memory, etc.

It takes nothing more than running a system in VMWare to change the HWID since the reported system configuration is one of a virtualized configuration.

My host system might an i7 CPU and report more than a single core CPU, but with a VM configuration, the system reports a single core CPU if I have allocated it as such.l

I suggest reading a primer or two on virtualization before stepping into batting cage. But if you feel up to the challenge, post some packet captures proving your theory to disprove mine.

 

[thatwouldbestealing]

I often wonder why people think VMWare (or any virtual machine for that matter) is a valid way to protect yourself.

He wants to create a unique HWID (MAC) for his instances of WoW.

Some users (I read one recently, will try find link) provide anecdotal evidence that their bans were related to MAC; different IP, credit/payment etc... but still banned; the only thing he'd neglected was his HWID/MAC.

So if you want to 'tick all boxes' then the pursuit of unique HWID isn't so bad. The real irony is whether the new setup will compromise in any way the OP's ability to navigate, operate and monitor all bots. If you're certain on these parameters then go virtual box and spoof HWIDs to your hearts content, just don't compromise the actual operation of your bots to do so.

The whole debate on Blizzard's algorithms is so ambiguous but there is one constant. Player reports. Changing your HWID, running virtual boxes etc etc won't do squat for player reports.

TL : DR Player reporting a stuck bot trumps all the time in the world you spent making virtual boxes, buying unique IP and spoofing HWIDs.

 

[wizardslayer]

He wants to create a unique HWID (MAC) for his instances of WoW.

Some users (I read one recently, will try find link) provide anecdotal evidence that their bans were related to MAC; different IP, credit/payment etc... but still banned; the only thing he'd neglected was his HWID/MAC.

So if you want to 'tick all boxes' then the pursuit of unique HWID isn't so bad. The real irony is whether the new setup will compromise in any way the OP's ability to navigate, operate and monitor all bots. If you're certain on these parameters then go virtual box and spoof HWIDs to your hearts content, just don't compromise the actual operation of your bots to do so.

The whole debate on Blizzard's algorithms is so ambiguous but there is one constant. Player reports. Changing your HWID, running virtual boxes etc etc won't do squat for player reports.

TL : DR Player reporting a stuck bot trumps all the time in the world you spent making virtual boxes, buying unique IP and spoofing HWIDs.

Exactly, it may never prevent them from getting banned, but I want to distance them as far as possible from my main account.

 

[Soldieron]

i know this thread is a tad old but after reading through i had a question, how can you be sure Blizzards so called HWID ban is based on the their detection through the packets sent during login only ? im quite new to all this myself but i just thought id ask if there is not another possible way for them to detect your HWID ? or only during the packets sent during the login phase ? of course its all speculation but just thought id ask on your experience