Potential Security Oversight in Dave & Buster’s “Find the Flag” Reno Promotion: Can the Game Be Manipulated?

Recently, I came across a concerning issue related to the current “Find the Flag” contest at Dave & Buster’s in Reno, which may have allowed participants to gain an unfair advantage.

Overview of the Promotion:
Participants engage in a fun, city-wide scavenger hunt, locating digital clues to uncover hidden flags. The official event page is accessible here: Find the Flag Reno.

The Discovered Vulnerability:
While exploring the site, a fellow user and I noticed that clues are served via URLs with predictable, date-based naming conventions. Furthermore, the clues are stored on publicly accessible servers without additional security measures. This setup means:

• Opening browser developer tools on the clue page allows inspection of images and scripts.
• By changing the date component in the URL (for example, updating clue-2025-07-16.jpg to clue-2025-07-17.jpg), it’s possible to access future clues.
• This technique enables someone with basic technical knowledge to preview upcoming hints, effectively gaining an unfair early advantage.

Implications:
In practice, this flaw explains why some participants found multiple flags within minutes of their release—far faster than someone using legitimate, deductive methods. I personally managed to locate a flag through sincere effort, which took more time and thought.

Responsibility and Next Steps:
I’ve already reported this vulnerability directly to Dave & Buster’s Guest Relations team, providing detailed explanations and screenshots to illustrate the issue. I am choosing to refrain from publicly naming anyone or alleging misconduct, instead giving the company an opportunity to address and remediate the problem.

Closing Thoughts:
This situation underscores the importance of robust security practices when hosting online promotional events. Simple oversights, such as publicly accessible files with predictable URLs, can undermine fair play and spoil participants’ experiences. I hope Dave & Buster’s takes swift action to strengthen their protections and ensure a level playing field for all participants.

Note: I am not a web developer—just a concerned participant observing potential flaws in the system.