Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodhunt
Cyrex partnered with Sharkmob to deliver grey box penetration testing for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt, securing Unreal Engine 4 networking and backend live services to prevent cheating and protect multiplayer integrity.
The Challenge
Preventing Cheating in a UE4 Battle Royale Environment
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is a free-to-play battle royale built on Unreal Engine 4, combining fast-paced combat with class-based abilities set in the World of Darkness universe.
As a competitive online title, the security focus was clear: prevent cheating, protect live services, and validate server-side authority.
Sharkmob required validation across:
- UE4 gameplay networking
- Backend APIs and live services
- In-game transaction flows
- Player progression and class systems
- Multiplayer matchmaking and clan features
In battle royale environments, weaknesses in movement validation, shooting mechanics, or transaction handling can directly impact fairness and player trust. The objective was to proactively identify exploit paths before they could be abused in production.
The Cyrex Solution
Grey Box Penetration Testing Across Gameplay & APIs
Cyrex conducted comprehensive grey box penetration testing, combining architectural insight with real-world attack simulation against both backend and gameplay services.
This approach allowed our engineers to evaluate server-side validation logic while simulating attacker behavior against exposed services.
Gameplay & UE4 Networking Assessment
Our testing included:
- Physics systems (movement, jumping, aiming, shooting, reloading)
- Archetype system (classes and abilities)
- Matchmaking infrastructure
- Clan systems
We evaluated whether gameplay actions were properly validated server-side and resistant to client-side manipulation.
Live Services & Transaction Security
Cyrex also assessed:
- Account registration and authentication workflows
- In-game shop and transaction logic
- Backend API security
The objective was to ensure secure handling of player data, economic interactions, and session management.
Vulnerability Identification & Remediation Support
Through structured testing, Cyrex identified security vulnerabilities and weaker architectural points across both gameplay and service layers.
We provided:
- Prioritized remediation guidance
- Technical documentation of exploit scenarios
- Recommendations for strengthening server-side controls
This enabled Sharkmob to patch vulnerabilities efficiently before wider exposure.
The Outcome
Hardened Multiplayer Integrity & Backend Security
- Identification and remediation of gameplay-related vulnerabilities
- Reinforced server-side validation of movement and combat systems
- Strengthened protection of in-game transactions and account systems
- Increased confidence in multiplayer fairness and data integrity
Client Feedback
Sharkmob
“We worked with Cyrex to secure our game and backend, and they were both very professional and very easy to work with! There was very little preparation needed from our side, and the report they presented was useful, in-depth, and easy to use as a blueprint to guide implementation of security hardening.”
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