Anti-cheat facility for use in a networked game environment

A server device for detecting unauthorized behavior by a user of a client device that is playing a game over a network, comprising:

• a processing unit configured to execute instructions that enable a performance of actions, including:
• providing at least one encrypted instruction included with a module to the client device;
• communicating a challenge to the client device, wherein the challenge enables the client device to access and decrypt the at least one encrypted instruction;
• and
• determining whether the user of the client device is engaged in unauthorized behavior while playing the game based on at least one of a response to the challenge from the client device or an absence of the response from the client device within a time limit, such that the server device determines that the challenge failed if the response to the challenge is incorrect, and such that the server devices determines that the challenge failed, if there is an absence of the response from the client device within the time limit.

A client device for detecting unauthorized behavior by a user of the client device that is playing a game over a network, comprising:

• a processing unit configured to execute instructions that enable a performance of actions, including:
• receiving at least one encrypted instruction included with a module from a server device;
• and
• receiving a challenge from the server device, wherein the challenge enables the client device to access and decrypt the at least one encrypted instruction;
• and
• enabling the server device to determine whether the user of the client device is engaged in unauthorized behavior while playing the game based on at least one of a response to the challenge from the client device or an absence of the response from the client device within a time limit, such that the server device determines that the challenge failed if the response to the challenge is incorrect, and such that the server devices determines that the challenge failed if there is an absence of the response from the client device within the time limit.

A non-signal computer-readable non-volatile storage medium having computer-executable instructions for a server device to detect unauthorized behavior by a client device employed by a participant to play in a game over a network, which when executed by one or more processing units, causes actions, comprising:

• providing a module to the client device that includes at least on encrypted instruction;
• communicating a challenge to the module, wherein the challenge enables the module to access and decrypt at least one encrypted instruction, wherein the at least one decrypted instruction is executed by the client device;
• and
• determining whether the participant is engaged in unauthorized behavior while playing the game based on at least one of a response to the challenge from the client device or an absence of the response from the client device within a time limit, wherein the determination is made by the server device, such that the server device determines that the challenge failed if the response to the challenge is incorrect, and such that the server devices determines that the challenge failed if there is an absence of the response from the client device within the time limit.