METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THWARTING TRAFFIC ANALYSIS IN ONLINE GAMES

• US 20100197405A1
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moon, Daekyeong, Moscibroda, Thomas, Douceur, John R., Lorch, Jacob R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data

Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for routing data in a network-based computer game via proxy computers. The method and system includes a set of techniques that utilizes the proxy computers to thwart traffic analysis in high-speed games while continuing to satisfy the games'"'"' latency requirements. The method and apparatus facilitates thwarting multiple classes of traffic analysis, including inspection of unencrypted header fields, observation of packet size, correlation of packet timing, and collusion among players. A matchmaking system for matching players in a network-based computer game in a manner that resists traffic analysis is also provided.

Claims

1. A computing device for facilitating a networked multi-player game comprising:

a processor, the processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for the multi-player game; and

a communication component coupled to the processor, the communication component configured to communicate with a decentralized system for providing a latency-sensitive communication between the computing device and at least one other game machine, said decentralized system comprising a plurality of proxies, wherein a network packet communicated between the computing device and the at least one other game machine is relayed by at least one proxy so as to impede traffic analysis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein one of the plurality of proxies is a receiver proxy that is bound to the server, such that a packet is sent from a client to the receiver proxy and then relayed by the receiver proxy to the server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein the plurality of the proxies comprise a receiver proxy set that is bound to the server, such that a packet is sent from a client to all proxies in the receiver proxy set and then relayed by one of the proxies in the receiver proxy set to the server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein at least one of the plurality of proxies is a sender proxy that is bound to a client, and wherein the plurality of the proxies comprise a receiver proxy set that is bound to the server, such that a packet is sent from the bound client to the sender proxy and then relayed by the sender proxy to a proxy in the receiver proxy set and then relayed by the proxy in the receiver proxy set to the server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein one of the plurality of proxies is a sender proxy that is bound to the server, such that a packet is sent from the server to the sender proxy and then relayed by the sender proxy to a client.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein a subset of the plurality of proxies comprise a sender proxy set that is bound to the server, such that a packet is sent from the server to all proxies in the sender proxy set and then relayed by one of the proxies in the sender proxy set to a client.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a client/server game comprising a server and a plurality of clients, and wherein a subset of the plurality of proxies are receiver proxies that are each bound to a client for a particular frame, and wherein the bindings between each of the receiver proxies and the clients are rotated on each frame, such that a packet is sent from the server to a receiver proxy and then relayed by the receiver proxy to a client.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a peer-to-peer game comprising a plurality of peers, and wherein a first subset of the plurality of proxies are sender proxies that are each bound to a set of first peers, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of proxies are receiver proxies that are each bound to a set of second peers, such that a packet is sent from a first peer to a sender proxy and then relayed by the sender proxy to a receiver proxy and then relayed by the receiver proxy to a second peer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a peer-to-peer game comprising a plurality of peers, and wherein a first subset of the plurality of proxies are sender proxies that are each bound to a set of first peers, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of proxies comprise a receiver proxy set that is shared among the plurality of peers, such that a packet is sent from a first peer to a sender proxy and then relayed by the sender proxy to a proxy in the receiver proxy set and then relayed by the proxy in the receiver proxy set to a second peer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a peer-to-peer game comprising a plurality of peers, and wherein a subset of the plurality of proxies are receiver proxies that are each bound to a set of peers for a particular frame, wherein the bindings between the receiver proxies and the peers are rotated on each frame, such that a packet is sent from a first peer to a receiver proxy and then relayed by the receiver proxy to a second peer, the second peer included in the set of peers.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a peer-to-peer game comprising a plurality of peers, and wherein multiple subsets of the plurality of proxies comprise receiver proxy sets that are each bound to a peer for a particular frame, wherein the bindings between the receiver proxy sets and the bound peers are rotated on each frame, such that a packet is sent from a first peer to all proxies in a receiver proxy set and then relayed by one of the proxies in said receiver proxy set to a second peer, the second peer being a bound peer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the network packet includes a size, and wherein the packet is transformed into a plurality of packets, each of which has a size equal to the size of another network packet.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a set of network packets are transmitted in an order that is not consistent throughout the game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the set of network packets are queued before being transmitted.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one proxy is a game machine that does not participate in the game for which it is relaying the network packet.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of proxies are implemented on a single game machine.

17. A method for forming new networked multi-player games, comprising the steps of:

selecting a host for each game;

selecting a plurality of proxies for each game, the plurality of proxies having a corresponding latency to the host for each game, each of the corresponding latencies conforming to a latency tolerance for each corresponding game; and

selecting a game for each of a plurality of guests such that a latency between a guest and the plurality of proxies conforms to the latency tolerance for each corresponding game.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting a plurality of proxies step further comprises the steps of:

selecting a plurality of proxy candidates;

determining a latency between each proxy candidate and the host for each game; and

selecting at least one proxy candidate, each of the plurality of proxy candidates having a candidate latency, the at least one proxy candidate selected as a function of its corresponding candidate latency.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting a game for each of the plurality of guests further comprises the steps of:

for each game, determining a latency between a guest and each of the plurality of proxies for said game,

for each game, calculating a latency between said guest and said game as a maximum latency between said guest and each of the proxies for said game, and

selecting a game as a function of the latency between said guest and said game.

20. A method for routing data in a network-based computer game comprising:

assigning a proxy to a player computer, the proxy being at least one of a single proxy computer and a set of proxy computers, wherein the proxy is a network node that routes gaming data between the player computer and at least one other player computer;

receiving the gaming data at the proxy from a source such that the gaming data is embedded within an encrypted set of data packets; and

transmitting the gaming data from the proxy to a destination, either directly or via another proxy, so as to conform with a latency tolerance of the computer game.