Impact of fixed-rate fingerprinting defense on cloud gaming experience

Abstract: Cloud gaming has emerged as a popular solution to meet the increasing hardware de-mands of modern video games, allowing players with dated or non-sufficient hardwareto access high-quality gaming experiences. However, the growing reliance on cloud ser-vices has led to heightened concerns regarding user privacy and the risk of fingerprintingattacks. In this paper, we investigate the effects of varying send rates on cloud gamingQoS and QoE metrics when applying a fixed-rate fingerprinting defense, BuFLO. Findingsshow that lower send rates impact both client-side and host-side applied defense differ-ently. Based on the results, specific send rates are suggested for maintaining a stable cloudgaming experience. The research offers insights into the trade-offs between security andperformance in cloud gaming and provides recommendations for mitigating fingerprintingattacks. Future work may investigate alternative defenses, device types, and connectionmethods.