Software and CD Software and CD Protection V2Protection V2

New, Better, Cracked in nearly the same way as New, Better, Cracked in nearly the same way as beforebefore

By: Chris LongBy: Chris Long

This presentation is This presentation is to be used for to be used for

educational use educational use only!only!

Why?Why?

To prevent copying of copyrighted To prevent copying of copyrighted software software

To ensure integrity of the To ensure integrity of the copyrighted softwarecopyrighted software

Money!Money! These are businesses and These are businesses and they exist on account of money.they exist on account of money.

3 General Schemes3 General Schemes

Encryption – talked about in Encryption – talked about in previous lecturesprevious lectures

Dongles – separate hardware needed Dongles – separate hardware needed to be plugged in to allow the to be plugged in to allow the software to worksoftware to work

CD/diskette protection – tries to CD/diskette protection – tries to prevent the copying of the files prevent the copying of the files needed for the use of the programneeded for the use of the program

DonglesDongles

The GoodThe Good – One of the best ways of – One of the best ways of protecting software. Very hard to protecting software. Very hard to crack it needs time and expensive crack it needs time and expensive equipmentequipment

The BadThe Bad – Expensive to – Expensive to manufacture ,about $20 for manufacture ,about $20 for replacement a dongle, can interfere replacement a dongle, can interfere with the parallel or serial port there with the parallel or serial port there attached toattached to

DonglesDongles

Two variants Two variants Envelope – Tries to create a defensive Envelope – Tries to create a defensive

shell by means of not decrypting the shell by means of not decrypting the exe unless the dongle is present and exe unless the dongle is present and working properlyworking properly

Function – The dongle is used as a Function – The dongle is used as a needed function in the programneeded function in the program

CD ProtectionCD Protection

The Good – Cheep they add little if any The Good – Cheep they add little if any extra manufacturing costs, they extra manufacturing costs, they discourage the “average user” from discourage the “average user” from copying CDscopying CDs

The Bad – can cause some CD readers to The Bad – can cause some CD readers to fail or significantly slow down, many can fail or significantly slow down, many can be gotten around using a good CD-R/W be gotten around using a good CD-R/W drive, the ways around the commercial drive, the ways around the commercial CD protection are easly findable on the CD protection are easly findable on the internet internet

Other “CD Protections”Other “CD Protections” CD Checking – the program accesses the CD Checking – the program accesses the

CD for data or just to see if it is there CD for data or just to see if it is there and if it is not stops normal executionand if it is not stops normal execution

Dummy Files – files that in the file table Dummy Files – files that in the file table point to the data of various other files to point to the data of various other files to make it look like the CD is holding more make it look like the CD is holding more than it actually isthan it actually is

Illegal table of contents – TOC that does Illegal table of contents – TOC that does not strictly comply with ISO standers, not strictly comply with ISO standers, usually two data tracksusually two data tracks

More other “CD More other “CD Protections”Protections”

Oversize – CDs that are over 660 Mb Oversize – CDs that are over 660 Mb in size can not be copied onto 74 min in size can not be copied onto 74 min CDs with most CD-R/W (not used CDs with most CD-R/W (not used since the introduction of 80 min since the introduction of 80 min CDs)CDs)

Physical Errors – the CD is Physical Errors – the CD is physically damaged usually can not physically damaged usually can not copy, if you still can it copy takes copy, if you still can it copy takes about 1 to 8 hoursabout 1 to 8 hours

Examples of Commercial CExamples of Commercial CD Protections D Protections Alcatraz Alcatraz CD-Cops CD-Cops CD-Protect CD-Protect CopyLok CopyLok CrypKey CrypKey DBB DBB DiscGuard DiscGuard FADE FADE LaserLock LaserLock LockBlocks LockBlocks Phenoprotect Phenoprotect

ProtectCD ProtectCD Ring PROTECH Ring PROTECH Roxxe Roxxe SafeDisc SafeDisc SafeDisc v2 SafeDisc v2 SafeCast SafeCast SecuROM SecuROM SoftLock SoftLock Star Force Star Force TAGES TAGES The Copy-Protected The Copy-Protected

CD CD The BongleThe Bongle

Alcatraz Alcatraz

Who? - Who? - KDGKDG What? – data structure of software What? – data structure of software

altered during glass mastering altered during glass mastering process and a envelope around the process and a envelope around the exeexe

Workaround – no known use as of Workaround – no known use as of yetyet

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?

CD-Cops CD-Cops

Who? - Who? - Link Data Security and Link Data Security and Spinner SoftwareSpinner Software

What? -a envelope around the exe What? -a envelope around the exe using the angle between the first and using the angle between the first and last logical block and a “fingerprint” last logical block and a “fingerprint” keykey

Workaround – downloadable program Workaround – downloadable program to crack is availableto crack is available

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 3Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 3

CD-Protect CD-Protect

Who? - Who? - Software & Protection Software & Protection Beisheim e.K.Beisheim e.K.

What? – uses direct hardware coding What? – uses direct hardware coding that windows reports as unreadable that windows reports as unreadable sectorssectors

Workaround – no known use as of Workaround – no known use as of yetyet

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?

CopyLok CopyLok

Who? - Who? - Pan Technology LimitedPan Technology Limited and and Toolex International N.V.Toolex International N.V.

What? – use of a exe wrapper and a What? – use of a exe wrapper and a watermark that can not be copied watermark that can not be copied without special hardwarewithout special hardware

Workaround – downloadable Workaround – downloadable program that unwraps the exeprogram that unwraps the exe

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2

CrypKey CrypKey

Who? - Who? - CrypKeyCrypKey What? – uses sophisticated algorithm What? – uses sophisticated algorithm

to detect if this program can run on to detect if this program can run on this specific machine that must be this specific machine that must be authorized by the software maker authorized by the software maker

Workaround – Workaround – none as of yet!none as of yet! Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1

DBB DBB

Who? - Who? - EffnetEffnet What? - secretWhat? - secret Workaround – none as of yetWorkaround – none as of yet Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?

DiscGuard DiscGuard

Who? - Who? - TTR Technologies Inc.TTR Technologies Inc. What? – encrypted exe with a What? – encrypted exe with a

embedded (inscribed onto the CD) embedded (inscribed onto the CD) key in the CDkey in the CD

Workaround – no general patch but Workaround – no general patch but program specific ones are availableprogram specific ones are available

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2

FADE FADE

Who? - Who? - CodemastersCodemasters What? – degrade game after time What? – degrade game after time

and illegal copy is detectedand illegal copy is detected Workaround – individual game Workaround – individual game

crackscracks Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – ?2?Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – ?2?

LaserLock LaserLock

Who? - Who? - MLS LaserLock InternationalMLS LaserLock International What? – laser marking on the CD What? – laser marking on the CD

surface surface Workaround – can copy with CD-Reader Workaround – can copy with CD-Reader

that supports RAW and BlindRead or that supports RAW and BlindRead or DDumpDDump

a downloadable patcha downloadable patch

hex editor to copy the files with errorshex editor to copy the files with errors Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 5Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 5

LockBlocks LockBlocks

Who? - Who? - Dinamic MultimediaDinamic Multimedia What? – readers lock up when trying What? – readers lock up when trying

to read two specific ringsto read two specific rings Workaround - specific patches Workaround - specific patches

neededneeded Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 2

Phenoprotect Phenoprotect

Who? - Who? - CodecultCodecult What? – bad data in the CD is What? – bad data in the CD is

checked if it is there during checked if it is there during installationinstallation

Workaround – unknown as of yetWorkaround – unknown as of yet Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 3(many Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 3(many

owners of the original disks report owners of the original disks report problems)problems)

ProtectCD ProtectCD

Who? - Who? - VOBVOB What? – envelope?What? – envelope? Workaround – CD reader with RAW Workaround – CD reader with RAW

and a writer with sub-channel and a writer with sub-channel writing and the program CloneCD or writing and the program CloneCD or BlindReadBlindRead

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 4Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 4

Ring PROTECH Ring PROTECH

Who? - Who? - ED-CONTRTIVEED-CONTRTIVE What? – ring on the CD that can not What? – ring on the CD that can not

be copiedbe copied Workaround – Workaround – none as of yet!none as of yet! Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1

Roxxe Roxxe

Who? - Who? - Electronic Publishing Electronic Publishing Association LLCAssociation LLC

What? – imbedded key and set of What? – imbedded key and set of protection schemes protection schemes

Workaround – Workaround – none as of yet!none as of yet! Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 1

SafeDisc SafeDisc

Who? - Who? - Macrovision CorporationMacrovision Corporation What? – digital signature and a What? – digital signature and a

wrapperwrapper Workaround – 1to1 copy with a Workaround – 1to1 copy with a

reader with RAW, 1to1 copy with a reader with RAW, 1to1 copy with a patch, download a unwrapperpatch, download a unwrapper

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 5(and Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 5(and this is very popular to use?)this is very popular to use?)

SafeDisc v2 SafeDisc v2

Who? - Who? - Macrovision CorporationMacrovision Corporation What? – see What? – see SafeDiscSafeDisc but a little better but a little better Workaround - 1to1 copy with a reader Workaround - 1to1 copy with a reader

with RAW and sub-channel support, with RAW and sub-channel support, 1to1 copy then unprotect with DAEMON 1to1 copy then unprotect with DAEMON Tools , download a unwrapperTools , download a unwrapper

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 4(this is on Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 4(this is on nearly every game after 1/1/2001!)nearly every game after 1/1/2001!)

SafeCast SafeCast

Who? - Who? - Ç-Dilla and Macrovision Ç-Dilla and Macrovision CorporationCorporation

What? – encrypt the gold CD and What? – encrypt the gold CD and make the customers get the key make the customers get the key from the companyfrom the company

Workaround – none as of yet (no real Workaround – none as of yet (no real need) need)

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 4Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 4

SecuROM SecuROM

Who? - Who? - SonySony What? – electronic fingerprint on the What? – electronic fingerprint on the

glass masterglass master Workaround –copy with CloneCD and Workaround –copy with CloneCD and

a reader that supports RAW and sub-a reader that supports RAW and sub-channel data, various patches channel data, various patches dependent on the version of dependent on the version of SecuROMSecuROM

Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 3Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - 3

SoftLock SoftLock

Who? - Who? - AsselAssel What? – encrypted with a unique What? – encrypted with a unique

serial marking on the CD during serial marking on the CD during mastering and a special arrangement mastering and a special arrangement of files in TOCof files in TOC

Workaround – no known use as of yetWorkaround – no known use as of yet Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?(sounds Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) - ?(sounds

good)good)

Star Force Star Force

Who? - Who? - Protection Technology Co.Protection Technology Co. What? – key and CD-R detectionWhat? – key and CD-R detection Workaround – none as of nowWorkaround – none as of now Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 2(not Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 2(not

enough games use this to give it a enough games use this to give it a one yet)one yet)

TAGES TAGES

Who? - Who? - Thomson & MPOThomson & MPO What? – encryption of the exeWhat? – encryption of the exe Workaround – replacing exe with a Workaround – replacing exe with a

fixed exefixed exe Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 3(only Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 3(only

one known game uses this)one known game uses this)

The Copy-Protected CDThe Copy-Protected CD

Who? - Who? - Hide & Seek TechnologiesHide & Seek Technologies What? – stops copying on a CDR What? – stops copying on a CDR

recorderrecorder Workaround – none as of yetWorkaround – none as of yet Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 2(not Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 2(not

much info)much info)

The BongleThe Bongle

Who? - Who? - Hide & Seek TechnologiesHide & Seek Technologies What? – a CD like object that can not What? – a CD like object that can not

be recorded that is used like a be recorded that is used like a DongleDongle

Workaround – none as of yetWorkaround – none as of yet Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 1(I like Rating (1(Best)-5(Worst)) – 1(I like

this idea)this idea)

BibliographyBibliography

CD Media World CD Media World http://www.cdmediaworld.com/http://www.cdmediaworld.com/

Digital Intellect Digital Intellect http://www.intellect.vsu.ru/index_e.hhttp://www.intellect.vsu.ru/index_e.htmtm