Master Ban System

[HotRod-Lincoln]

Here is something that I would like to see, a master ban system in TS2 and TS3.

Say.... some kid logs on to my server, my server contacts a master server containing a ban list, the master server sends back a list a servers the kid was banned on via his IP addr, my server has a 2+ ban per month limit and he has been banned 3 times that month, then my server boots the lil punk before he starts annoying me or my clients.

I fully support a master ban system, and will use it if added, just another way to keep the rif raf out. :)

Btw, I had a kid logon to my server yesterday morning screaming as loud as he could and making wierd animal noises, I just want to make sure that those people that decide to act a fool wont do it to others,

[Judas]

Fair enough, but you can't by any means "globally" ban IPs.

IPs are for the most cases dynamic and an IP that has belonged to an offender 2 days ago might now just as well belong to one of your m8s.
You could claim that with the growth of broadband connections a lot of people do get static or close to static IPs (IPs that don't really change all that often even when the ISP claims to do 24 hour disconnects or similiar). However those people being a nuissance are perfectly aware of the flaws in IP-banning and they usually return almost as fast with new IPs than you can ban them.

Last but not least, it might make sense to have huge ranges banned on your personal TS server when you know that you only have users in a certain IP-Range. Yet if you are trying to host anything like a public server or even consider global ban-lists, IP-bans become next to useless.

The general idea you had is good, however it's impractical.
The next step would be to use GUIDs (global user IDs) however you'd need means to manage them (It's a lot easier with games using GUIDs as they can ensure that only the paying customer does actually get a GUID... yet even they have quite a few problems with stolen GUIDs). Using such a GUID system with software that is freely available will not do you any good as you can get as many GUIDs as you like.

Conclusion: Make the GUID Computer dependant. We're slowly getting closer to your original goal... yet even when you somehow calcualte a unique ID for each computer (depending on the hardwar, mac-address or whatever) there are always ways to work around those systems.

Last but not least you'd require a server (and depending on the choice of validation process) people maintaining the list. This comes at hardware cost and might require people validating IDs (which just isn't realistic).

This all leads to only one possible solution:
Protection of a server will always be the job of the admin. Having easier to controll and more userfriendly tools for doign it will definitely help but I can't see a global ban-list as there are just too many (easy) ways of working around. The amount of work you'd have to put into it would not be justified the least bit.

But heads up... thats just what I think. Maybe the defs have a different oppinion (yet i dare to doubt it)

[Peter]

Global Banning sounds cool, but who should decide whom to put on that list?

Suggestion 1: The TS-Team - won't work the way you intend it (keep out the rif-raf) because we can impossibly track the need for such bans with the hundreds of thousands of users.

Suggestion 2: Every server admin (maybe the ban only becomes global when issued from multiple server-admins etc.) - will work some of the time, but can be abused (just setup enough servers and ban somebody "for fun" on all of them -> global ban -> can't use ts anymore), so that's no good idea.

Oh and of course the other more technical points that Judas made apply, but on technical things we can work, not on the issues I raised.

[HotRod-Lincoln]

Granted the idea has its holes, but think of it this way, if you start early you will have time to refine it before TS3 is out. So i was thinkin,
1> IP's will never be a perfect ban method used alone, just look at the problems with ip spoofing on other servers, also people with dialup or dynamic DSL IP's. But, the IP bans do work on the young punks using mom's high speed cable line, most ive seen keep the same ip for awhile.

2> GUID's would be great if you had multiple GUIDs. For instance, have 3 IDs calculated from cpu, mac, windows serial (the one found in my computer prop). If two change, instant ban global, if windows serial changes, instant global ban (should never change). Having multple redundant GUIDs would help keep the less savvy kids from unbanning themselves.

3> Node system. Every Authorized copy of TS Server comes with node server that contains a list of banned GUIDs and ips (server farm copy). Say you start your server, your server contacts master server (if server admin sets the option to use master ban), the master server gives a list a nodes to connect to, your server connects to the nodes. When a client connects the server would send a request to the nodes, if no reply then client stays, if reply then server has limits on bans per (week, month, year) and reason. If client is over the limit for the server then out he goes.

If we gave it a try it may become hard to cheat after a while. Just look at punkbuster, yeah its not the best system in the world but it does hurt the punks when they get master banned for legit cheating and a new copy of thier game is $40 US, just think if they had to get all new hardware and reinstall windows just because they got banned from too many TS servers, not just one but a whole lot of 'em.

[Pilot_51]

Suggestion 2: Every server admin (maybe the ban only becomes global when issued from multiple server-admins etc.) - will work some of the time, but can be abused (just setup enough servers and ban somebody "for fun" on all of them -> global ban -> can't use ts anymore), so that's no good idea.It wouldn't be so easy to abuse it that way if it's required that the IP joins the server before it can be added to the global ban list.

2> GUID's would be great if you had multiple GUIDs. For instance, have 3 IDs calculated from cpu, mac, windows serial (the one found in my computer prop). If two change, instant ban global, if windows serial changes, instant global ban (should never change). Having multple redundant GUIDs would help keep the less savvy kids from unbanning themselves.I don't like that idea given the fact that people upgrade their systems. Upgrade your OS and get an instant global ban? No thank you. I recently upgraded half my system (motherboard, CPU, RAM, video card, etc.) and went from an old 10/100 ethernet card to dual gigabit onboard ethernet, that means both my CPU and my MAC changed, and on top of that I reinstalled XP from a different disk (it's a legal copy from MSDN if you were wondering) because my old one was giving read errors. The worry should be external of the clients hardware, such as IP and login and whatnot. If you intend that the GUID's be matched with IP, I see problems with networks with multiple TS users, since the global ban server would notice all 3 factors on the same IP changing a lot. I have 4 TS users in my network, 3 of which are very active in servers other than what's on the network, I wouldn't want any of them globally banned if they didn't do anything wrong.
Maybe I didn't understand exactly what you were getting at, but I hope you get my point.

[HotRod-Lincoln]

Pilot, Your totaly right, that method of GUID calc isnt the best way, just an idea to build on. There will never be a way to stop a punk from being a punk, but there are ways to slow them down and prevent them from annoying others, I just havent found the best way yet. Also a master ban system would be totaly voluntary with server side options to prevent false bans.