company : SONY

protection : securom

solution : generic securom cracks will do the job. (look at the bottom of the page)

games protected with this protection : SECUROM R1 : Forsaken, Incoming, Hexplore & Frankreich 98 , SECUROM R2 :Decent FreeSpace, Heart of Darkness, Max II, Panzer Commander & Team Apache, SECUROM R3 : FIFA 99, F.A. Premier League F.M. 99, Moto Racer 2, Populous 3, WarGasm & War of the Worlds, SECUROM R4 : SimCity 3000, Alpha Centauri....

protection info : SecuROM is a patented CD-ROM copy protection technologythat dentifies a 'genuine' CD-ROM by a special authentication mechanism. During Sony DADC's mastering process an electronic fingerprint is applied onto the glass master which assigns a unique number to each CD-ROM title.

company : C-dilla

protection : safedisc (c-dilla)

                    SafeDisc (Macrovison)

solution : generic patch will do the job (look at the bottom of the page))

protected : Blood 2, Carmageddon 2, Dark Vengeance,European Air War, Klingon Honor Guard, Lego Creator, Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, Railroad tycoon II, Speedbusters, West Front, Worms 2: Armageddon

protection info : The SafeDisc technology is a software-based solution that does not require any changes to standard PC or CD-ROM hardware. It is comprised of both an authenticating digital signature embedded on the disc, as well as a multi-layered  encrypted wrapper that secures the CD-ROM content. The digital signature, which cannot be copied by CD recorders or mastering equipment, is embedded by the laser beam recorder at the time the CD-ROM master is made at the mastering/replication facility.

company info : Macrovison has announced that Ubi Soft Entertainment, a publisher and international distributor of interactive entertainment products, has signed an agreement to use Macrovision's SafeDisc PC CD-ROM copy protection  technology on all of its titles through 1999. "Many software publishers are spending enormous amounts of energy combining high technology with great game play but are neglecting to protect their finished product from the growing software piracy epidemic," said Yves Guillemot, president of Ubi Soft Entertainment. "We felt it was critical to use Macrovision's SafeDisc copy protection to ensure protection for our consumers and to maintain  our reputation."  In its first 60 days of production, SafeDisc was applied to over one million discs and licensed at 17 mastering and replication facilities worldwide. SafeDisc was used on a combined 32 Sku's by publishers that include GT Interactive, Interplay, Microprose, Red Storm Entertainment, Take 2 Interactive Software. The SafeDisc technology is a software-based solution that does not require any changes to standard PC or CD-ROM hardware. It is comprised of both an authenticating digital signature embedded on the disc, as well as a multi-layered  encrypted wrapper that secures the CD-ROM content. The digital signature, which cannot be copied by CD recorders or mastering equipment, is embedded by the laser beam recorder at the time the CD-ROM master is made at the mastering/replication facility. When a user inserts an original disc in a CD-ROM drive, the authentication  software reads the digital signature, allowing the program to be decrypted and run  normally. If an unauthorized copy is loaded, the uthentication software will no longer be able to find the digital signature, and the copy will not run. An important feature of SafeDisc is the multi-level anti-hacking technology that helps prevent the compromise of its security features. The anti-hacking technology is designed to not  only deter consumer copying, but to also thwart experienced hackers and commercial pirates. UbiSoft Copy Protection:Montreal based UbiSoft Entertainment will start using Macrovision's SafeDisc copy  protection technology on all their upcoming CD-ROM titles. The SafeDisc technology encrypts the CD with a digital signature which can't be picked up by CD recorders and a multilayered wrapper that secures the CD-ROM content. SafeDisc is currently being utilized by TalonSoft, GT Interactive, Interplay, Microprose, Red Storm and Take Two Interactive.

Company: MLS LaserLock International

Protection: LaserLock

How to Detect: A hidden directory called LASERLOK should exist on the original CD. This directory contains files with unreadable errors.

Backup Solution: There is no Generic Patch yet. Seperate patches are needed to be able to get around this protection. BlindRead can also be very handy copying this protection. Try using the Ignore Read Error setting in Nero,CDRWIN, CD Wizard or DiskJuggler. In some cases it is better to use the CD-Writer as Source CD-Reader as it is usually better able to read unreadable sectors.

Protected: Asghard, Fallout 2,Metro Police, Shogo,SpecOps...

Protection Info : Laserlock uses a combination of encryption software and unique laser marking on the CD surface made during the special LaserLock mastering procedure, in order to make copying practically impossible. Every CD-ROM application has a unique locking parameter that provides a complete protection against illegal re-mastering and reproduction. LaserLock offers excellent protection for every application as each application package is characterized by a unique encryption parameter that is specified during LaserLocking procedure.The LaserLock protection can be recognized by a (hidden) directory called LASERLOCK which is in the root of the CD.

Company: Link Data Security, Spinner Software

Protection: CD-Cops , CD-Cops NET

Backup Solution:There is no Generic Patch available yet. Seperate patches are needed to be able to get around this protection.Checkout fravia's pages of reverse engineering to get some insight how this protection works and how to (partly) bypasse it.

Protection Info: CD-Cops is a envelope protection which is added to the CD's main executable. Minute differences are measured to establish the CD-ROM's fingerprint and to ensure that copies are not accepted. This fingerprint is usually expressed as an 8-digit code or key number.The CD-Cops software which recognizes and either accepts or rejects the CD is protected by Link's Code Security, a system which has been in use since 1984 and  is known throughout the world as being virtually unbreakable. Link's Code Security Is a legend in the Middle East where piracy is a serious problem.

More info : PPeter - The Hungarian Guru of CD's: The CD-Cops protection system is not using electronic "fingerprint" code. The check routine only verifies the physical angle between the first and last accessable logical block on the CD. This verification is very good to identify the an original disc.The 8-digit code holds the angle information and the check routine compares this with the CD. CD-Cops is a very good protection system, because the software developers don't need special mastering machine, they only have to add their verifying code to the main application. The angle between the first and last logical block is different for every disc written by CD-R writer, due to the Laser Calibration Area, different CD-Rtypes, etc.

McLallo: Commercial ready-made copy protections are always interesting. Here is another one, used to protect CD-Roms. It's a nice one, timers making sure the program will crash if something takes more time than it should (as if someone would put a breakpoint somewhere and fool around), a couple of checksums to make sure no one's been hanging anything in the code, and - of course - some self-modifying  code decrypting itself just when it needs to be used. It even claims to be able to separate perfect CD copies from the original CD!

Company: Ç-Dilla / Macrovision

 Protection: SafeCast

 How to Detect: Unknown yet.

Backup Solution: Unknown yet.

Protection Info :  Macrovision Corporation introduced its SAFECAST™ technology at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, CA, March 17-19. SAFECAST is designed to  help developers and publishers protect their pre-release software from unauthorized copying. An advantage of the SAFECAST technology is that a software-based encryption toolkit is made available to the publisher in order to allow complete control of the encryption process. SAFECAST does not require professional mastering and replication and can be burned directly on gold discs. Once a publisher encrypts the gold disc they can distribute it directly to end users who are then required to contact the publisher directly or via a web site to obtain access keys to play the program. The access keys eliminate hardware dongles or other security mechanisms which often interfere with playing a particular pre-release program.

Company : VOB

Protection : ProtectCD

Backup Solution : This protection has not yet been encountered.

Protection Info : With VOB ProtectCD you can easily create your own copy-protected CDs.ProtectCD works together with the CD-WIZARD (Gold and Pro) and creates pre-masters. CDs created from this masters can't be copied with common  CD-Recorders and CD-Rs. The second part of ProtectCD is the complete integration in your programs or InstallShield Scripts.

 Company: TTR Technologies Inc.

 Protection: DiscGuard

 Backup Solution: There is no Generic Patch yet. Seperate patches are needed to be able to get around this protection.

 Protected: Collin McRae Rally

Protection Info: DISCGUARD is an anti-piracy system that effects two basic changes to the software package:The main executable files on a DiscGuard-protected CD-ROM are encrypted. A special digital signature is inscribed onto a pressed CD-ROM, and mapped  into a software decryption key. The digital signature is not reproducible by either counterfeiting (re-mastering) or disc burning. When an authentic disc is used, the signature is present, decryption occurs and the application runs. The user is not even aware that the product is protected. When a  copy is used, the signature is not present, no decryption occurs and the application does not run. Instead, a message, a limited demo, a link to an e-commerce web site or a presentation is launched. This transforms every illegal copy into a  marketing tool and revenue generator. It can be used vitual for any kind of media:  CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-ROM & DVD-R

Aditional Info : DiscGuard™ is an anti-piracy technology for optical media that works by putting a "signature" onto a glass master during mastering, using a specially enhanced  mastering machine, or onto a CD-R via DG-Author™, a forthcoming product (Q3 '99) consisting of a specially enhanced CD-R recorder with proprietary software. Addressing both problems of illicit mass-reproduction of software or other electronic content (counterfeiting) and copying by a casual user using the low-cost CD recorders available on the market today (disc burning), the Company's  innovative solution for CD replication protection is integrated into the laser optics system of CD mastering machines. This technology enables the detection of unauthorized reproduction of the CD itself, without reference or change to the data contained on it. The unique DiscGuard™ signature is not reproducible by pressed disc  counterfeiting nor by CD-R burning. Thus, a pirate who attempts to replicate a DiscGuard™ disc will be able to only copy its content but not the embedded  signature. When the DiscGuard™ verification software detects that the application is being  run from a unauthorized copy CD, a demo version of the application or other alternate program can be run at the software developer's choice.

Company :  Hide & Seek Technologies

 Protection: The Copy-Protected CD The Bongle

 Backup Solution : There is no Generic Patch yet. Seperate patches are needed to be able to get around this protection.

Protection info : The Copy-Protected CD(tm) is based on HST's core technology, which enables the ass-production of ordinary CD-ROM discs that cannot be duplicated  successfully on a CDR recorder. The Copy-Protected CD(tm) is the ideal  medium for distribution of consumer software, as it prevents users from making unauthorized copies on CDR recorders.This capability eliminates one of the Most common methods of piracy.

Bongle Protection info : (tm) takes security to the Networked environment. The Bongle(tm) isa "dongle" on a CD-ROM. Dongles are devices, usually a small box that contains a  chip which stores a unique serial number, which must be physically attached to the  computer, usually through a serial or parallel port. The good thing about dongles is that they are hard to beat. Average users have no way around them, and even sophisticated computer users must have access to expensive and complicated data analysis equipment to crack the dongle's code. On the down side, dongles are expensive to manufacture, and users frequently complain of complications with the use of their serial or parallel ports when dongles are attached. The dongle is a good idea that is trapped behind a hardware problem. The Bongle(tm) can provide all the security of a dongle, without the cost or inconvenience. Based on a copy-protected CD-ROM that can be mass-produced for pennies, the Bongle(tm) must be placed in a CD-ROM drive when the protected  software is launched on a computer or workstation. Ideal for networked environments with shared software, the Bongle(tm) can identify authorized users, regardless of which workstation they use. Bongles are inexpensive because they're mass produced, and Bongles are secure,because they can't be duplicated on a CDR recorder. The Bongle(tm) works because of modifications made during the CD mastering process. The result is a disc which the application software can identify as being unique. Software on The Bongle(tm) disc cannot be successfully copied onto  recordable CDR discs.