Atari’s Asteroids game was exposed as a fake “on-chain” experience. Stackr Labs reveals how the game’s leaderboard was manipulated without actual gameplay, highlighting the importance of true on-chain verification in blockchain gaming.
Stackr Labs CEO Kautuk Kundan has exposed a significant security vulnerability in Atari’s recently launched “on-chain” Asteroids game, built on Coinbase’s Base network. Kundan claimed that the game, despite its claim of being a ‘blockchain game,’ is not built on-chain. He and his team manipulated the game’s leaderboard without playing by sending API calls to a Web2 server, proving that the game is not truly on-chain as advertised.
“The game is not actually on-chain. When the user starts the game nothing happens on-chain, at the end of the game when you get a score, you state that score and you put in an API call,” Kundan noted.
We hacked @base and @atari’s arcade and sabotaged the leaderboard without playing a single game –
— Kautuk ⟠ (@Kautukkundan) August 5, 2024
And this is why people have trust issues with crypto apps 🤷🏻♂️
“On-chain” is becoming a throwaway term for a majority of consumer tech. As a community, we should be doing better than… pic.twitter.com/nAiMPi7cSs
Kundan also claimed that other actors may not have been as noble and could have easily manipulated their scores to rank higher on the list.
The hack highlights the importance of verifiable on-chain operations for blockchain-based games and applications. Kundan’s Proof of Gameplay system aims to address this issue by ensuring all game actions are recorded and verifiable on the blockchain.
It is worth noting that on July 25 Atari partnered with Coinbase layer-2 Ethereum network Base to launch the Asteroids game, offering players the chance to play the retro arcade game and win prizes, including a $1,000 gift card.
While the hack was not malicious, it acts as a wake-up call for the industry. It emphasizes the need for developers to prioritize transparency and security when building blockchain-based products. As the blockchain gaming space continues to grow, ensuring true on-chain interactions will be crucial for building trust and credibility.
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