Starforce again

Sean Cousins wrote:
> http://forums.ubi.com/groupee/forums...2871061083/p/5
>
> posted by I3thHouR
>
> Let me start by saying I am a developer and a Webmaster of a number of
> major Game related sites.
>
> I have 25 years experience in the Business thus I make very sure that
> I have fully researched what I comment about. My credentials precede
> me, I do not agree with or endorse software piracy. However to play my
> existing Starforce games I have had to crack them.
>
> Issues concerning Starforce.
>
> 1. They are based in Moscow so exempt from a number of the laws that
> we in the West rely upon. The 3rd Party Companies that use their copy
> protection are not exempt.
>
> 2. In Windows XP Starforce gives Ring 0 (super user level access) to
> Ring 3 (Standard users). In normal English this basically means that
> any third party application such as Trojans or Viri are given the
> ability to have full access the both software and hardware.
>
> 3. As many of you will be aware XP does have DMA/IDE issue that’s
> dates back to its creation. In which if packets are lost during the
> reading or writing of a disk. XP interprets this as an error and steps
> the IDE speed down. Eventually it will revert to 16bit compatibility
> mode rendering a CD/DVD writer virtually unusable. In some
> circumstances certain drives cannot cope with this mode and it results
> in physical hardware failure (Most commonly in multiformat CD/DVD
> writer drives). A sure sign of this step down occurring is that the
> burn speeds will get slower and slower (no matter what speed you
> select to burn at). Starforce on a regular basis triggers this silent
> step down. Until it reaches the latter stages most peeps do not even
> realise it is happening.
>
> Excluding the Hardware failure, the normal way to cure this is to
> uninstall all the CD/DVD drivers and the Primary/Secondary IDE
> controllers. (Then reboot). If you did not know about Starforce, you
> can now be faced with another problem. Normally windows searches and
> reinstalls the drivers. However with Starforce present this can cause
> the system to either fail to find the hardware or fail to find the
> drivers. Creating the illusion that the hardware has failed.
>
> This gets even worse if you have SCSI hardware/virtual drives. SCSI
> virtual printer driver (basically any SCSI hardware/Virtual drivers
> present) As these may have to be removed before the other hardware
> becomes visible.
>
> 4. Because Starforce are aware of these issues (Including the Trojan
> Gateway) this is exempt from the EULA and could be deemed as "Gaining
> access with malicious intent". Not only would starforce be liable, but
> also the 3rd party company that endorsed/used that application.
>
> Ubisoft really need to do themselves a favour and dump Starforce. They
> have earned their quotas on the existing titles. So there is no reason
> not to make full bypasses available in a legit format.
>
> An example of my system using Starforce from a Ubisoft Game. My Athlon
> 64Bit 3200+ Clawhammer started running like its components where stuck
> on treacle, My Burn proof DVD writers created more coasters than they
> use at a state banquet and overall it was about as stable as a one
> legged man in a hurricane.
>
> It's not my intention to put the industry out of business (They are
> achieving that under their own steam), however using so called copy
> protection that is nothing more than a glorified Trojan Gateway is not
> the way to stay in business.
>
> Trojan Gateway:
> I do not make such a comment lightly and I have proof of this
> occurring and of exploits already using it. I have openly challenged
> Starforce to prove otherwise and their response was not to comment or
> to refer to the EULA (As if the EULA exempted them from installing
> malicious software). Although to be fair technically Starforce is not
> malicious, it just leaves the door wide open for software that is.
>
> In my professional capacity I am aware that a number of corporations
> that had been previously flexible about staff playing games during
> normal breaks. Now ban the usage of any 3rd party Games in the work
> place (Because of the Starforce security issues). Also a number of us
> who review games are now refusing to touch any games protected by
> Starforce as we are not prepared to compromise our system stability
> and security anymore.
>
> So basically if us reviewers will not handle them and the customers
> are now boycotting them. How exactly do Ubisoft intend to continue to
> sell games?
>
>
dumb people who have no clue will buy them. There are a lot of people
who have absolutly no idea about this. They then send thier "broken"
computer out for repairs. Some guy makes a buck, and they are happy.
It's called economics( or something like that)...lol..j/k btw

Mike
mls67