What happens if source code is leaked?

[Buricovsky]

Hello, i heard that CD project has been hacked and hackers want to leak some source codes of their games. I don't understand this. Can someone explain it to me? And what happens if i own the game from CD project?

[Brian9824]

Nothing that effects anyone who owns the game really. It opens the game up to a bigger risk of hacks, cheats, and exploits and that's about it.

It's more proprietary data others could use to make their own games, or pirate it.

Just think of it as a the recipe for coke being leaked. It's not going to effect anyone who has bought coke but others could use it to make their own

[cinedine]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Nothing that effects anyone who owns the game really. It opens the game up to a bigger risk of hacks, cheats, and exploits and that's about it.

Including any exploits in the networking that can be used as an attack vector ...

[nullable]

Look at Open Source projects, that code is all public. It's not the end of the world. People with private/proprietary code have made the effort to keep it non-public. They may have various interests of desires to do so.

Not wanting something to be public doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be private otherwise there's major damages. And each incident can fall anywhere on the spectrum of, "we just don't wanna have it public", to, "It's a major risk to customers."

[Buricovsky]

thank you, for responds

[AustrAlien2010]

It must be some fake news story, to draw your attention, in which they succeeded once more, because if you install a game you already have the source code. It's just not free. They just have copyright on it. So you can't do anything with it. At least not legally.

How can a game be leaked, if thousands of people already have it installed? It already leaked everywhere. Obviously this may not be discussed any further. It's not like they written an uncrackable code.

[Washell]

On the positive side for us gamers: better and more extensive mods.

[nullable]

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:

It must be some fake news story, to draw your attention, in which they succeeded, because if you install a game you already have the source code. It's just not free.

You have the compiled code. Generally not the source code.

[AustrAlien2010]

Well, then you decompile it, and then you have it.

It's clearly just another way to spread brand-awareness. An obvious advertisement, aimed at Buricovsky and friends, who do not understand it anyway, so they will buy the game. (if they haven't already)

All those "gaming" news things? They are ALL advertisements. Meant to make you buy it.

[Buricovsky]

Thanks one more for all responds, I am more calm.

[nullable]

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:

Well, then you decompile it, and then you have it.

Which doesn't always work as magically or human readable as you imagine.

After all if it were so trivial releasing source code for games, like id has done many times, wouldn't mean anything.

[Brian9824]

Yeah its hard to say exactly what damage CDPR will face, as we don't know what version of the code it is, if its complete, etc. As I previously said it opens them up to risks of exploits, cheats, etc.

I know they have plans for MP functionality down the road, so any MP code they have in it atm, probably won't be a big deal as its going to go thru a lot of changes, but something they will need to watch out for assuming they have any at all in the version that was gotten.

[AustrAlien2010]

Obviously nothing will happen to you. Those articles get written by a bunch of spooks, who meant to scare you.

[Buricovsky]

thanks

[cinedine]

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:

Well, then you decompile it, and then you have it.

(a) have you ever looked at decompiled application code?!
(b) you still don't have it. You have a code that can generate the same machine instructions paired with a best guess at how to usually get there.

[AustrAlien2010]

We write them in decompiled form, so obviously we look at them.

The OP does not have to be worried. It doesn't make much sense to be worried about this. It's no problem for you.