OWASP GameSec Framework | OWASP Foundation (original) (raw)

Games today are massive ecosystems - combining players, servers, social interactions, virtual economies, and even sports-level competition. The Game Security Framework (GSF) is the de facto guide to understanding how attackers exploit these systems and how developers can fight back. Packed with threat models, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies, the GFS equips you to root out vulnerabilities and keep games fun, secure, and most of all - fair.

Road Map

Phase 1: Incubator Stage ( 0-12 months )__ __ __ ____ Goal: Establish foundation, complete drafts, and build community engagement/partners

1-3 Months: Project Launch

• Finalize scope and mission
• Identify/recruit contributors
• Draft structure for deliverables: Game Security Playbook (Core), Threat Models (Basic), Game Security Checklist

4-8 Months: Research & Draft Development

• Game Defense Playbook Draft (Core); secure game development, cheat prevention, etc.
• Threat Models Draft (Basic); focused on multiplayer exploits, client integrity, and server vulnerabilities
• Game Security Checklist Draft; foundations of secure development and deployment practices
• Cheat & Exploit Taxonomy (Initial List); examples of common cheats and vulnerabilities
• Create 1-3 case studies

9-12 Months: Initial Deliverable Release

• Finalize drafts for presentation
• Gather feedback from gaming and security professionals
• Incorporate feedback into drafts to refine/revise

Phase 2: Lab Stage ( 13-24 months )__ __ __ ____ Goal: Refine, expand, and provide tools

13-15 Months: Expanding Deliverables

• Game Security Playbook v1; add in-depth sections on topics such as in-game economies, Esports integrity, and telemetry-based detections
• Threat Models v1; include comprehensive models for servers, virtual markets, competitive scenes, etc
• Game Security Checklist v1; polished checklist for developers and security teams
• Cheat & Exploit Taxonomy v1; categorized and expanded
• Publish 4-6 total Case Studies with real-world examples of gaming security incidents and mitigation strategies
• Request feedback from game professionals and establish usefulness
• Organize community engagement
• Develop and release: scripts, testing tools for servers/APIs, sample configurations for servers
• Publish tools with documentation for adoption

22-24 Months: Initial Finalization of Deliverables

• Finalize all Phase 2 deliverables (v1)
• Develop a plan for future updates and expansions

Phase 3: Push for Flagship ( 24+ months )

Goal: Establish value of framework

Year 3: Expansion

• Annual documentation updates; Game Security Playbook, Threat Models, and Game Security Checklist (v2+)
• Advanced Case Studies; AI, fraud, etc.
• Advanced Open Source Tooling; ML concepts, telemetry data analysis, server hardening configs, etc.

Year 4: Gaming Security Trends Report

• Publish an annual report on the following: emerging threats, lessons learned, adoption metrics for framework

Essential Conditions

• Active involvement from security professionals, game professionals, and contributors across communities (including OWASP) will be essential for gathering feedback, validating tools developed, and refining deliverables.
• Commitment from the Project Leader (myself) and the core team that will be established to maintain momentum and ensure completion of milestones.
• A focus on emerging threats and real-world use cases to ensure the Framework is useful to the industry.

Project Assumptions

• The gaming industry will continue to face unique security challenges, resulting in a high demand for guidance and tooling to address vulnerabilities, cheats, etc.
• OWASP will continue to provide infrastructure for the project, branding, and outreach.
• Contributors will assist the project leadership in researching, producing/collecting feedback, and any development.
• The gaming industry will see the framework’s value and adopt/foster its deliverables.