Title: Potential Security Flaw in Dave & Buster’s “Find the Flag” Reno Promotion

Recently, I came across a concerning issue related to the ongoing “Find the Flag” event at Dave & Buster’s in Reno. This promotional activity, designed to engage participants in solving clues to find hidden flags, might be vulnerable to elementary exploitation methods, potentially compromising the game’s fairness.

For context, the promotion’s clues are accessible via specific URLs that follow a predictable, date-based pattern. Additionally, the clue files seem to be publicly hosted without any server-side restrictions, making them susceptible to simple browser inspection techniques. By utilizing basic developer tools, a user could:

• Access the official clue webpage.
• Inspect the page’s source code or images.
• Modify the URL parameters to reveal future clues (e.g., changing clue-2025-07-16.jpg to clue-2025-07-17.jpg).
• Instantly view upcoming hints ahead of their intended release.

This method allows quick and effortless acquisition of future clues, which explains how some users managed to locate multiple flags within minutes of their release. Conversely, original and genuine efforts to solve the clues took significant deduction and time.

I have proactively reported this vulnerability to Dave & Buster’s Guest Relations, providing detailed screenshots and technical insights. I am choosing to withhold specific names or accusations at this stage, aiming to give the company a chance to investigate and address the issue responsibly.

While I’m not a web development expert, I believe transparency regarding potential security oversights is essential for maintaining fair gameplay. It’s worth considering whether this vulnerability was a mere oversight or if other factors, such as insider help, might have played a role.

If you’ve participated in this event or have insights into similar incidents, sharing your experiences could help improve the overall fairness and security of promotional activities like this.