FiveM servers are constant targets for cheaters and exploiters. Without proper security, players can spawn money, weapons, vehicles, and ruin the experience for everyone.
Common Exploits
Event Exploitation
The most common attack. Players trigger server events directly from the client console:
-- Attacker in F8 console:
TriggerServerEvent("esx:giveMoney", 999999)
If the server event doesn't validate the source, money appears from nowhere.
Injection
Modified client files that:
- Enable god mode
- Give infinite ammo
- Allow teleportation
- Spawn objects and vehicles
- See through walls (ESP)
Lua Executor
Third-party tools that inject and execute custom Lua code on the client. This allows:
- Triggering any client event
- Modifying local game state
- Reading memory values
Server-Side Protection
Event Validation
Every server event must validate its source:
-- BAD: No validation
RegisterServerEvent('myshop:buyItem')
AddEventHandler('myshop:buyItem', function(item, amount)
local xPlayer = ESX.GetPlayerFromId(source)
xPlayer.addInventoryItem(item, amount)
end)
-- GOOD: Full validation
RegisterServerEvent('myshop:buyItem')
AddEventHandler('myshop:buyItem', function(item, amount)
local xPlayer = ESX.GetPlayerFromId(source)
if not xPlayer then return end
-- Validate item exists
if not IsValidItem(item) then return end
-- Validate amount is reasonable
if type(amount) ~= "number" or amount < 1 or amount > 100 then return end
-- Validate player has money
local price = GetItemPrice(item) * amount
if xPlayer.getMoney() < price then return end
-- Execute transaction
xPlayer.removeMoney(price)
xPlayer.addInventoryItem(item, amount)
end)
Rate Limiting
Prevent event spam:
local eventCooldowns = {}
function RateLimit(source, eventName, cooldownMs)
local key = source .. ":" .. eventName
local now = GetGameTimer()
if eventCooldowns[key] and now - eventCooldowns[key] < cooldownMs then
return false
end
eventCooldowns[key] = now
return true
end
RegisterServerEvent('myshop:buyItem')
AddEventHandler('myshop:buyItem', function(item, amount)
if not RateLimit(source, 'myshop:buyItem', 1000) then return end
-- ... rest of handler
end)
Server-Side Authority
Never trust the client for important data:
-- BAD: Client tells server their position
RegisterServerEvent('police:arrest')
AddEventHandler('police:arrest', function(targetId, myPosition)
-- Don't trust myPosition!
end)
-- GOOD: Server checks position
RegisterServerEvent('police:arrest')
AddEventHandler('police:arrest', function(targetId)
local sourcePed = GetPlayerPed(source)
local targetPed = GetPlayerPed(targetId)
local dist = #(GetEntityCoords(sourcePed) - GetEntityCoords(targetPed))
if dist > 3.0 then return end -- Too far to arrest
-- Process arrest
end)
Anti-Cheat Resources
Popular Options
- Screen detection plugins that detect known cheat menus
- Behavioral analysis: detect impossible movement patterns
- Resource integrity checks: verify client-side files haven't been modified
Configuration Tips
- Start strict, loosen if false positives occur
- Log detections before auto-banning (tune accuracy first)
- Ban by license + hardware ID + IP (cheaters return with new accounts)
- Review ban logs daily for false positives
Hosting Security
Infrastructure-level security on Space-Node:
- DDoS protection prevents service disruption attacks
- Secure FTP/SFTP for file management (never plain FTP)
- Regular server OS updates
- Network isolation between customer servers
Security Checklist
- [ ] All server events validate source player
- [ ] Input validation on all event parameters
- [ ] Rate limiting on sensitive events
- [ ] Server-side authority for money, items, and vehicles
- [ ] Anti-cheat resource installed and configured
- [ ] Ban list regularly maintained
- [ ] Resource files not publicly accessible via HTTP
- [ ] Logging enabled for administrative actions
