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Dark Souls Servers Shut Down After Exploit Allows Attackers To Access Players' PCs

From Software is investigating the exploit that is apparently in the code for Elden Ring, too.

16 Comments

Dark Souls and Elden Ring developer From Software has taken all its online servers for the Dark Souls series on PC offline as it investigates an exploit that can give an attacker to your entire system.

The exploit, which has been around for some time, was initially reported to From Software by one of the few people who is able to execute the exploit, according to VGC. The report was met with no reply, forcing the player to stream the exploit and its dangers to bring attention to the issues.

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Now Playing: Elden Ring Story Trailer Explained

A Dark Souls 3 streamer by the name of The_Grim_Sleeper streamed the exploit and took over his own PC, using a narration app to read out some text to prove how easy it was to control the system remotely. This past Sunday, it seems From Software noticed, with a tweet indicating that all PvP servers for the entirety of the Dark Souls series would be taken offline on PC as it investigates.

The exploit is quite severe, but it seems that the small community that knows how to exploit it hasn't chosen to do anything dangerous with it, and initially chose to report it for fixing. It's especially important that it's getting fixed now too, given that the exploit was found in some datamined code for Elden Ring, which is set to launch next month.

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BrunoCPL

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Players taking the INVASION concept too far, lol.

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illegal_peanut

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Me: "And, that's why I usually play souls games in online mode."

David Attenborough as the Narrator: "In reality; Illegalpeanut is a very poor, and impoverished unauthorized protein snack. He hasn't been able to get his income over the poverty line, in his whole life. The last time he had Microsoft's Xbox Live or Sony's PSN. Was back in 2019, which was a year before the worldwide pandemic."

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sladakrobot

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If there is again a forced pvp mode in Elden Ring like in Dark Souls, its 100% a no buy for me.

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deactivated-64a3ced8b46b8

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@sladakrobot: There's no forced PvP in Dark Souls. If you stay hollow, (or play offline), you can't be invaded. 😺

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@sladakrobot: What forced PVP mode?

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sladakrobot

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@Barighm: you didnt found invading forced?

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@sladakrobot: No, because I play in Offline Mode when I don't feel like being invaded.

You seem to be operating under some misconceptions about how Dark Souls works.

First, you don't need to be Human to level up. The only time you need to be human is for PVP, summoning, buffing bonfires, and a few other minor actions and quests that you don't need to do.

Second, activating Offline Mode from the main menu when you start the game doesn't disconnect you. You're still connected to the internet. It merely hides you from Souls' servers. You don't get to see player messages and bloodstains, but you can be human and summon NPCs and chat with people as much as you want without worrying about being invaded.

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BeefoTheBold

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Edited By BeefoTheBold

@sladakrobot:

You don't have to open yourself up to invasions.

Either playing the game in offline mode or staying hollow/undead prevents invasion. Invasions are a lot of fun for some people (me included) because they add an element of surprise and force on the fly adjustments/improvisation, but it is in no way mandatory or forced on someone who does not want it.

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BrunoCPL

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@BeefoTheBold: It's been some years that I don't touch a souls game, but correct me if I'm wrong please: isn't Dark Souls 2 or 3 that players could, somehow, invade your world even if you were hollow/undead? I don't know but I feel like one of these games had this feature...

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@brunocpl: Yes, but only in DS2 under certain conditions (like the PVP zones), and it still doesn't matter if you play in Offline Mode. I recently played through all of DS2 and never got invaded. Also, keep in mind NPC invasions can happen regardless.

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sladakrobot

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@BeefoTheBold:
I am everyday in a party chat with others so going offline is not an option.

Playing hollow is also not an option coz in order to progress(investing in attributes etc),you need to go back to a human form and you are open for invading again.

I must jump of a bridge,get killed by an enemy or by a player in order to continue the game at my pace?

This is not fun at all for me and is forced to me.

Why not give us the option to turn it off?

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@sladakrobot: 3 ways to stay out of PVP:

-Stay hollow.

-Later Souls games offer an item that allows you to banish the invader, or you can group with a covenant that helps you out when you get invaded.

-And here is your option to turn it off: play in Offline Mode. Not disconnect from the internet. Just appear offline to invaders.

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sladakrobot

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@Barighm: thx. My experience with Dark Souls comes from DS 1+2 so i have missed to know how things work in DS3.

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@sladakrobot: The option to play in Offline mode should be right there in the title menu.

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BeefoTheBold

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Edited By BeefoTheBold

@sladakrobot:

You have options to turn it off. You choose not to take advantage of them. Nobody is forcing you to be in a chat with others while you play for example.

There's also this.

https://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Black+Separation+Crystal

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