SecuROM

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SecuROM is a CD/DVD copy protection product, most often used for computer games running under Microsoft Windows, developed by Sony DADC. SecuROM aims to resist home media duplication devices, professional duplicators, and attempts at reverse engineering the game. The use of SecuROM has generated controversy due to the fact that it is not uninstalled upon removal of the game. In 2008, consumers filed a class-action lawsuit against Electronic Arts for its use of SecuROM in the video game Spore.[1]

Contents

[edit] Software

SecuROM 7.x was the first version to come with SecuROM Removal Tool, which claims to help users remove it after the software with which it was installed has been removed.[2], although it has been known to leave SecuROM files behind.[3]

[edit] Known problems

Under Windows Vista, SecuROM will prevent the game from running if Explicit Congestion Notification is enabled in Vista's networking configuration.[4]

Disk Drive emulator and some debugging software will also cause the launch of the game to fail and a security module error to be generated.[5] In fact a reboot of the entire system was required if Process Explorer prior to version 11 was used before an attempt to run the protected software. That problem was caused by a driver that was kept in memory after Process Explorer was closed.[6]

[edit] Controversies

[edit] BioShock

Consumers have accused BioShock of installing a rootkit. An official announcement was made denying the use of any type of rootkit.[7][8]

The game required consumers to activate the game online and originally set a maximum of two activations before they would have to call to get more activations. This was raised to five activations because an incorrect phone number had been printed on the manual and call centers were only in the United States. Users also found that the game had to be activated for each user on the same machine.[9][10]

In 2008, 2K Games removed the activation limit, although users are still required to activate it online.[11]

[edit] Mass Effect

In May 2008 EA announced that Mass Effect for the PC would be using SecuROM 7.x requiring a reactivation of the software every 10 days.[12] Due to complaints, EA removed the 10-day activation while keeping SecuROM tied to the installation. SecuROM's product activation facility was still used to impose a limit of three times that a customer is allowed to activate the copy of Mass Effect they purchased. The game becomes unplayable "as is" after the activations are used up, until EA's customer support is contacted to reset the activation limit, or until activation is bypassed using one of a number of available tools. Unlike BioShock, uninstalling the game does not refund a previously used activation.[13]

[edit] Spore

On September 7, 2008 EA released Spore, which uses SecuROM. Despite EA's efforts, Spore has seen relatively substantial rates of illegal piracy among peer-to-peer groups, and with a reported 1.7 million downloads over BitTorrent networks, it was the most-pirated game of 2008.[14][15] EA requires the player to authenticate the game online upon installation.[16] This system was announced after the originally planned system met some opposition from the public, as it would have required authentication every ten days.[17] The product key of an individual copy of the game would only be authenticated on up to three computers.[18] In response to customer complaints, this limit was raised to five computers.[19]

As a result of its inclusion with Spore, a class-action lawsuit was filed by Maryland resident Melissa Thomas within U.S. District Court against Electronic Arts.[20][21] The lawsuit has been followed up by several others.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pigna, Kris (24 September 2008). "EA Hit with Class Action Lawsuit over Spore DRM". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170131. Retrieved on 9 January 2009. 
  2. ^ SecuROM™ Removal Tool Information from the SecuROM website
  3. ^ SecuROM removal tutorial.
  4. ^ "Casual Friday: Why Spore Won't Work". PC World. 2008-09-12. http://www.pcworld.com/article/150965/casual_friday_why_spore_wont_work.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-16. 
  5. ^ "SecuROM troubleshooting website". SecuROM. http://www.securom.com/support_enduser.asp?t=2&ts1=4. Retrieved on 2009-01-12. 
  6. ^ "Process Explorer Blacklisted". Sysinternals. 2007-03-17. http://forum.sysinternals.com/printer_friendly_posts.asp?TID=10337. Retrieved on 2009-01-12. 
  7. ^ "The Cult of Rapture FAQ". 2k Games. 2007-08-23. http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/pc_faq.html. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 
  8. ^ Fisher, Ken (2007-08-26). "Clearing the air: Bioshock does not contain a rootkit". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070826-clearing-the-air-bioshock-does-not-contain-a-rootkit.html. Retrieved on 2007-08-26. 
  9. ^ ""2K: Tell your brother to buy his own Bioshock, you didn't buy it for the whole family"". maxconsole.net. 2007-09-04. http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=20470. Retrieved on 2007-11-12. 
  10. ^ "One copy of BioShock per family (member)?". Neoseeker. 2007-09-05. http://www.neoseeker.com/news/story/7091/. Retrieved on 2007-11-12. 
  11. ^ Linde, Aaron (2008-06-19). "2K Games Lifts BioShock PC Install Limit, DRM". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53236. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  12. ^ "Mass Effect, Spore To Use Recurring Validation". http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/83689-Mass-Effect-Spore-To-Use-Recurring-Validation. Retrieved on June 3 2008. 
  13. ^ "Electronic Arts Responds to Copy Protection Outcry, Removes 10-day SecuROM Check for the Troops". http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=52618. Retrieved on June 3 2008. 
  14. ^ Schonfeld, Erick (2008-09-14). "Spore And The Great DRM Backlash". TechCrunch (washingtonpost.com). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/14/AR2008091400885.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-16. 
  15. ^ http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-games-of-2008-081204/
  16. ^ "Copyright row dogs Spore release". BBC News. 2008-09-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7604405.stm. Retrieved on 2008-09-17. 
  17. ^ "Spore, Mass Effect PC to Require Online Validation Every Ten Days to Function". Shacknews. 2008-05-06. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52547. Retrieved on 2008-09-17. 
  18. ^ "Ars puts Spore DRM to the test—with a surprising result". Ars Technica. 2008-09-16. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080916-ars-puts-spore-drm-to-the-testwith-a-surprising-result.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-17. 
  19. ^ "EA retools 'Spore' DRM activation features". CNET. 2008-09-19. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10046565-52.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-20. 
  20. ^ EA Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Spore DRM gamepolitics.com
  21. ^ PDF copy of the court file against EA's use of SecuROM DRM in the game Spore.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SecuROM"
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