World of Warcraft hackers using Sony BMG rootkit

mzkhadir

Diamond Member
Mar 6, 2003
9,509
1
76
World of Warcraft hackers using Sony BMG rootkit
Published: 2005-11-03

Want to cheat in your online game and not get caught? Just buy a Sony BMG copy protected CD.

World of Warcraft hackers have confirmed that the hiding capabilities of Sony BMG's content protection software can make tools made for cheating in the online world impossible to detect. The software--deemed a "rootkit" by many security experts--is shipped with tens of thousands of the record company's music titles.

Blizzard Entertainment, the maker of World of Warcraft, has created a controversial program that detects cheaters by scanning the processes that are running at the time the game is played. Called the Warden, the anti-cheating program cannot detect any files that are hidden with Sony BMG's content protection, which only requires that the hacker add the prefix "$sys$" to file names.

Despite making a patch available on Wednesday to consumers to amend its copy protection software's behavior, Sony BMG and First 4 Internet, the maker of the content protection technology, have both disputed claims that their system could harm the security of a Windows system. Yet, other software makers that rely on the integrity of the operating system are finding that hidden code makes security impossible.

http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/34
 

Cheezeit

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
3,298
0
76
that sucks. but the hackers suck more, ruining games just so they can be better at them?
 

Maleficus

Diamond Member
May 2, 2001
7,682
0
0
There is no skill involved in the game, hacking would just save someone time of doing a 40 man raid 2498293582952 times to get his 'phat loot'
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
This sets a precidence. What if malware authors start naming their software that way?
 

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,644
10
81
Originally posted by: Zap
This sets a precidence. What if malware authors start naming their software that way?

What do you mean, "what if"? They *have* been doing this for a while now.
 

KLin

Lifer
Feb 29, 2000
30,213
561
126
Originally posted by: Phoenix86
Originally posted by: Zap
This sets a precidence. What if malware authors start naming their software that way?

What do you mean, "what if"? They *have* been doing this for a while now.

Talk about a backfiring plan for copy protection software :laugh:
 

thelanx

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2000
3,299
0
0
Seems like this isn't limited just to WOW. Awesome, another security risk introduced.
 

MaxDepth

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2001
8,757
43
91
Originally posted by: neutralizer
Originally posted by: illusion88
EQ2 >> WoW

EVE >> *

I dunno. Going out with freinds, drinking a beer, some cutie smiles at you and invites you home > EVE, EQ2, WoW or any other damn program
 

uhohs

Diamond Member
Oct 29, 2005
7,660
44
91
i want my epic gear without wasting hundreds upon hundreds of hours doing stupid raids. lol. :(
 

CKent

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
9,020
0
0
Originally posted by: illusion88
EQ2 >> WoW

toilet scrapings > both, but WoW at least gets the nod because the company behind it isn't scum (Sony = Everquest 1 & 2, Star Wars: Galaxies and Planetside, for those unaware)

And yet I'm playing WoW... I'm so weakwilled and ashamed :(