V2 game data files use SHA-256 hash verification on load to detect tampered
assets before they can affect boot, streaming, simulation, cosmetics, economy,
or online play. The integrity plan covers shipped .pak archives, IoStore
containers, cooked asset registry files, shader code libraries, localization
bundles, and dedicated-server cooked data.
Verification Contract#
V2/ue/Build/DRM/v2-game-data-integrity.json defines every protected data
surface and writes release evidence under the DRM archive. Each surface requires
a signed manifest, per-chunk hashes, startup baseline verification, and
streaming chunk verification. The runtime contract is hash verification on load:
the client or server verifies the data surface before trusting a loaded asset or
streamed chunk.
Required surfaces:
- Pak archives
- IoStore containers
- Cooked asset registry
- Shader code libraries
- Localization bundles
- Server cooked data
Mismatch Response#
Missing files, unexpected files, hash mismatches, signed manifest failures, and chunk hash failures all detect tampered assets. A mismatch enters safe-boot repair behavior without crashing, disables online play and ranked access, and blocks progression grants until a verified repair or reinstall restores the signed data set.
The plan depends on the offline license cache contract so offline grace mode cannot bypass corrupted game data checks.
CI Gates#
V2/ue/Tools/plan-v2-game-data-integrity.py emits the deterministic game data
integrity plan. V2/ue/Tools/check-v2-game-data-integrity.py validates the
manifest, planner output, offline license cache dependency, BuildGraph package
surfaces, Horde wiring, CI workflow wiring, and this runbook.
Required release gates:
drm-game-data-integrity-plan-generateddrm-game-data-integrity-surface-coveragedrm-game-data-integrity-on-load-hash-verificationdrm-game-data-integrity-tamper-detectiondrm-game-data-integrity-safe-mismatch-response
The on-load gate requires SHA-256 verification for every protected data surface, and the safe-mismatch gate requires non-crashing repair behavior for every surface.