Time to kick-off our “Independence for Everyone” month-long weekends to celebrate the 4th of July! We begin with a x4 XP Weekend to celebrate Canada Day! On July 1, 1867, the Canada province, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were joined via the Constitution Act into one country. Happy birthday, Canada!
EVENT BEGINS: Friday, June 28, 04:20 PT | 06:20 CT | 07:20 ET
EVENT ENDS: Wednesday, July 3, 04:20 PT | 06:20 CT | 07:20 ET
XP for the first win each dayIt’s a matter of days that British high-tier light tanks will crash into World of Tanks, with stealth and surprise being their element.
As you know, all high-tier light tanks are born scouts. But the role can be played differently. As for the British, they do it by leveraging their small dimensions, a good view range and outstanding guns. So, the very combination gives you a clear clue how to use these vehicles to the best result: nothing is better than to recon the enemy’s position while firing them from the least expected places.
Let’s take a closer look at the newcomers! Continue reading “World of Tanks Supertest – High tier British Light tanks”
World of Tanks is manually reviewing mods (modifications) they add to their Mod Hub. Before downloading they warn you about not taking any responsibility, but the Mod Hub itself – including the review process – creates the impression that their mods are safe.
Please note that Wargaming does not bear any responsibility regarding the use of modifications.
Mod developers are complaining that the review process is slow and because of that many mods are not up-to-date. This would not be a problem if there was not a design flaw in the mod interface. In the current architecture, just like in all the past versions, mods need to be placed in a directory that contains the version number of the current game release. This means that after every update (this does not apply to micropatches) all mods become nonfunctional, they must be updated, and uploaded to the Mod Hub for a new review.
Why mods pose a huge security risk?
Mods themselves consist of Python program code, images, and flashes. Python code is human readable and even Python Byte Code can be easily decompiled back to the source code. This makes checking mods easier and should provide tools for Wargaming Mod Hub reviewers to verify that there is no malicious code included in the Mod Hub. Unfortunately this works only in theory. Many mod makers appear to be obfuscating their Python Byte Code using PjOrion. The program breaks the byte code so that it cannot be decompiled and checked. This means that Wargaming Mod Hub have actually no real means to check the mods and make sure they are not malicious. There are several tools available for deobfuscating, for example Bytecode simplifier, but they do not work with the Byte Code that is embedded in the currently available mods.
I could, for example, write a mod that appears to be legitimate and useful, but hide into the mod malicious code that activates later so that Mod Hub reviewers will not see it at the time of the review. Or, I could trigger the malware of the mod remotely after the mod has been included in the Mod Hub because there are no restrictions (and cannot be) for what mods can do. Firewalls do not help because the game must have an internet and browser access in order to work, and mods are running with the same permissions. Antiviruses cannot deobfuscate code either to detect malware. Such malware could contain anything: a keylogger to steal passwords, encrypting user’s files for demanding ransom, installing a backdoor, etc.
How to fix this mess?
Wargaming should demand that the Byte Code in mods must not be obfuscated. This way malicious mod makers could be detected and rooted out. To fix the issue with updates, the mod architecture should be revamped. Mods should not be in a version specific directory and there should be a way to enable or disable them in case of problems. There could also be a warning telling that you have not updated your mods since the last game update, and an option to disable mods if the user is uncertain.
I quit using mods a few years ago thanks to the issue with updates. As long as mods are unsafe, I am going to trust only those mods that are not obfuscated or which I have created by myself.
This one should release on July 6th. All about British tanks.
Content of the package should be as follows:
.
Style came with the new micropatch, only for tier 6 American T78 Tank Destroyer. Price is 2000 gold. As far as we know, the tank isn’t released yet.
The Bretagne Panther is now available in World of Tanks. This originally German tank was captured by the French and used in battle late in the war. With its rich background, this vehicle is a must-have for history connoisseurs and medium tank fans alike.
Continue reading “World of Tanks EU – Bretagne Panther now available”
Commanders!
If you can’t make it to Bovington this year, don’t worry: Tankfest is coming straight to you thanks to our specials and our streams! From Friday 28 to Sunday 30 June included, our official channels and those of our contributors will cover the event and deliver entire hours of epic tank gameplay. Here, take a look at our streaming plan below! It includes streams in English, Polish and German. Continue reading “World of Tanks – Follow Tankfest Streams to Grab Some Goodies”
Commanders!
There’s no summer vacation for the Top of the Tree. In July, our monthly special will be back with a focus on the WZ-111 Model 5A and its line of heavy tanks. If you never really heard about this great Tier X, note that it balances the Ying and the Yang pretty well, meaning that its strengths are not overdeveloped, but its weaknesses are not disastrous either.
Trained by the best masters of the celestial empire, the WZ-111 Model 5A moves really fast, but never traded its armour for this impressive mobility. Its turret is especially thick, and its sides allow it to practice the ancestral art of side-scraping. And of course, like most of the Chinese vehicles, this heavy packs quite a punch.
In short, if you’re into aggressive and reliable heavy tanks, made to fight on the frontline, the WZ-111 Model 5A is for you. Tamed it from 1 July at 07:00 CEST to 1 August at 07:00 CEST (UTC+2). Continue reading “WoT EU – Top of the Tree: Get to the WZ-111 Model 5A”
WOT2019TANKFEST
Activate it here: https://eu.wargaming.net/shop/redeem/
Gives Excelsior (tier V UK Heavy Premium), 1 week of premium and crew skin
