This page contains CD-Game Copy Protectionutilities and tools which you can use to manipulate the games protection and allow for a working backup copy of your game, keeping the original CD safe from damage.
- Sega Cd Copy Protection
- Cd Copy Protection Removal
- Copy Protection Software
- Cd Copy Protection software, free download
The CD-Copy Protection utilities and toolsbelow come with a brief description and what they can do.
CloneCD also works with other formats such as ISO and UDF files and copies CDs/DVDs with the new SafeDisc 3 Copy Protection System. CloneCD allows you to create perfect 1:1 copies of your valuable original compact discs. Should your copy-protected music CD not play in your car audio, the backup created by CloneCD will.
Daemon Tools is a virtual CD/DVD-Romoptical storage media emulator. It is able to emulate nearly all known copyprotections on the market today, allowing you to play your games without the CD/DVDin the drive and allowing your CD's/DVD's to be kept safe from damage.
New to this version:
Bugs fixed:
- Image engine fixes
- B6T images and mini-images mounting fixes
- Languages updates
To get 3rd party add-onsfor Daemon tools which you may need for your computer clickhere.
Previous Versions:
DaemonTools Lite 32 Bit/64 Bit v4.30.0 (4.56MB)
DaemonTools Lite 32 Bit/64 Bit v4.12.3 (3.53MB)
DaemonTools Lite 32 Bit/64 Bit v4.12.2 (3.52MB)
DaemonTools Lite 32 Bit/64 Bit v4.11.2 (3.40MB)
DaemonTools Pro Basic 32 Bit/64 Bit v4.10.0216 (8.49MB)
DaemonTools 32 Bit v4.09 (1.72MB)
DaemonTools 64 Bit v4.09 (1.88MB)
Daemon Tools v4.0.8 (1.44MB)
DaemonTools v4.0.6 (1.45MB)
DaemonTools v4.0.3 (1.37MB)
DaemonTools v4.0 (1.39MB)
DaemonTools v3.47 (492KB)
DaemonTools v3.44 (489KB)
Checkice is a program that checks that the softice drivers are hidden or not. It does this by trying to verify if the softice drivers are in the WINDOWSSYSTEM32DRIVERS directory. Checkice checks the three Softice drivers (SIWVID.SYS, SIWSYM.SYS & NTICE.SYS) and than reports if checkice has found them or not. Many anti-Meltice tricks try to hide these drivers and you can use Checkice to see if the program has hidden them.
- Copy-Discovery 2000 is a CD/DVD copy protection scanner. It will scan discs, files or entire folders in order to detect the copy protection. It uses a plugin dll system to add additional functionality.
- HexaLock CD-RX media are specially made CD-R's that contain a pre-compiled session, which includes security elements that make the discs copy protectable. The program files are linked to these security elements during the recording process, thus creating a copy-protected CD-R.
ProtStop prevents SecuRom 7 or SafeDisc 4.7 from detecting your virtual devices.
SafeDisc 4 Nightmare has the ability to 'hide' your SCSI drives and any emulation software installed e.g. (Alcohol, CloneCD) from the eyes of Safedisc 4. With this program you can play your Safedisc 4 Game while you SCSI and emulation software is hidden from Safedisc 4, then when your finished, you can 'unhide' your SCSI drives and emulation software. Compatible with Daemon Tools.
Previous Versions:
SafeDisc 4 [English] Nightmare v1.3 (208KB)
SafeDisc 4 [English] Nightmare v1.2 (69.7KB)
SafeDisc 4 [English] Nightmare v1.1 (3.58KB)
SafeDisc 4 [English] Nightmare Beta (3.11KB)
Virtual driver hider for Daemon Tools 4.0.6.
This version is tested and works on:
- Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars v1.06
- Test Drive Unlimited v1.66A
- Rainbow Six: Vegas v1.05 (Does not require Y.A.S.U to play)
- Monster Madness v1.01
- Tomb Raider Anniversary (Demo)
- Heroes of Might and Magic V v1.05
- Armed Assault v1.07 (Beta 5154)
- Silent Hunter 4 v1.20
- Rayman Raving Rabbids v1.01
- Dark Messiah of Might and Magic v1.03
- GTR 2 v1.0
- F.E.A.R v1.08 (Retail)
- Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter v1.30
- Prey v1.10
- SpellForce 2 v(unknown)
- FIFA 07 v(unknown)
- Need 4 Speed: Carbon v(unknown)
Previous Versions:
Y.A.S.U. (Yet Another SecuRom Utility) (14.6KB)
SecuRom loader for v7.26, works for the newly released SecuRom version 7.26 on games such as Reservoir Dogs.
As the new SecuROM 7 was Blacklisted, the CureROM curerom.dll) and the Daemon's antisecurom, we needed to modify to unblacklist the files. Avoids the blacklisting of Daemon tools by the new version of SecuROM.
The CloneCD 5 Fan Profiler will select the correct read and write functions when copying a protected game with CloneCD 5 and will allow for a perfect 1:1 backup copy to be copied correctly error free. The current version is up to date with the SafeDisc 4.0 protection system
SecuROM v7 Loader assists in loading a SecuROM v7 protected game.
StarForce protection tools enabling you to create your own No-CD patches for StarForce protected games, note that these tools are for medium to advanced programmers/dissemblers. Included in the pack are tutorials on the protection system.
CureROM hides your SCSI CD-ROM's from being detected by the SecuROM v7 and SafeDisk v4 protections and enabling emulation of such protected games.
Previous Versions:
CureROM [English] v2.0.2 Pro (536KB)
CureROM [English] v2.0.1 Pro (517KB)
CureROM [English] v1.3.1 (515KB)
CureROM [English] v1.3.0b (518KB)
CureROM [English] v1.2.2 (382KB)
CureSecuROM is an application which will remove SecuROM registry entries from you computer. These entries/keys may cause some games to fail to start.
This version of Daemon Tools supports x64 platforms only.
Previous Versions:
Daemon Tools v4.0 x64 (1.65MB)
Avoids blacklisting of burn/emulation software, such as Daemon Tools when running a game image.
SafeDisc 4 Blocker enables you to run a SafeDisc v4 backup image from a virtual drive (Daemon Tools, Alcohol 120% etc.).
SafeDisc 4 Hider is a tool which enables youto emulate SafeDisc v4.60.000 protected games that would otherwise not be ableto be emulated due to SafeDisc v4.60.000, which features a new blacklistingmethod which blacklists Daemon Tools.
New features to this version are:
-Added command line support.
- SafeDisc 4 Hider v1.1 creates a registry backup at the first start which is never touched again (just in case you mess up your registry).
Previous Versions:
SafeDisc4 Hider v1.0 [English] (159KB)
SecuROM 7 Burner Loader allows you to play a SecuROM v7 game from a CD/DVD Burner/Writer drive without the request to put the CD in another drive, which is a common problem with most PC's and SecuROM v7 games, it also allows you to have Daemon Tools v4 installed on your PC.
Anti Blah will allow you to mount a SecuRomv7 mini image with Daemon Tools v3.47 or Alcohol 120%. Works in combination with Maxi Mini Backup Images.
TETRIS is a twin-sectors emulator. Can be used to makefully working backups of some protected games, one notably being Tages.
Previous Versions:
TETRIS(Twins Emulation Tool Released In Summer) (37.6KB)
Allows you to play StarForce protected backup games.
StarF*ck Tools enables you to play aStarForce protected game from a Mini Backup Image. It works by disabling CD/DVDRom drives, without having to unplug IDE cables.
Previous Versions:
StarF*ckTools v0.81 (2.70MB)
Like StarF*ck Tools, StarForce Nightmare tools enables you to disable your CD/DVD Rom drives (which is the basis of the StarForce protection).
Previous Versions:
StarForce Nightmare v1.01 (145KB)
Virtual CD Hide can hide your virtual CD-drivesfrom SecuRom 5.x and 7.x.
Anti-Blaxx allows you to run an anti-emulation protected game without having to uninstall the emulation software, such as CloneCD, Alcohol 120%, Blindwrite and Daemon Tools.
The Anti-Blacklist software hides the installed emulation software, so that the installed emulation software does not have to be uninstalled to run the game.
Sega Cd Copy Protection
Previous Versions:
AntiBlaxx v1.17 [ALL] (446KB)
AntiBlaxx v1.16 [ALL] (263KB)
AntiBlaxx v1.15 [English/German] (492KB)
Cd Copy Protection Removal
Prevents the SecuRom v7 protection fromdetecting any virtual devices such as Daemon Tools or Alcohol 120% whenemulating a game.
Previous Versions:
SR7.Stopv1.0 (64KB)
You can link different Image types directly to Daemon Tools with this Tool - just right-click to the image you want to mount.
BWA Edit allows you to edit .bwaTopology images.
Removes any StarForce drivers thatmay have been installed from a StarForce protected game and remain on your PCafter the game has been uninstalled..
Copy Protection Software
MIR will enable you to make a mini backup image of your original game, and therefore the CD will not be required to run the game and can be kept safe from damage.
Safedisc 2 Cleaner is a greatlittle tool used to unwrap a SafeDisc/SafeCast 2 protected file by permanentlyremoving the protection from the games exe files. This version is able tosupport SafeDisc 2 v2.60.52.
CDMage extracts Iso, Bin, Img, Virtual CD formats and more. Also converts between them.
UnSafedisc 2 is a tool used to unwrap aSafeDisc 2 protected file by permanentlyremoving the protection from the games exe files.
Safedisc 2 Cleaner is a greatlittle tool used to unwrap a SafeDisc/SafeCast 2 protected file by permanentlyremoving the protection from the games exe files.
BetaBlocker is able to remove any'weak' sectors from a SafeDisc v2 protected CloneCD image and thereforebypass the games protection enabling an error free copy. This version ofBetaBlocker is able to defeat the latest SafeDisc v2.51.xx
UnSafedisc is a tool used to unwrap aSafeDisc protected file by permanentlyremoving the protection from the games exe files.Updated version of the previous v1.5, includes the updated SafeDisc protections.
UnSafedisc is a tool used to unwrap aSafeDisc protected file by permanentlyremoving the protection from the games exe files.
CD-Cops Decrypter is atool that removes the CD-Cops protection from most CD-Cops protectedapplications.
BlindWrite Tweaker is autility for Blindwrite which can load profiles as well as save profiles forbetter more accurate backups.
BlindRead is a great software utility whichcomes in handy when you are burning games with protections on them. CDformats which it can burn include: Audio, Playstation, and Sega Saturn. BlindRead can bypass all of the CD-Copy Protections on this web site except forthe more newer Protections such as SafeDisk 2.
PlayBackup enables you to play SafeDisc 2 & SecuRom protected games from a backup CD you created.
Unsecurom will removethe Securom Protection form any Securom Protected game which is very helpful!
Unsecurom is currently onlycompatible with Windows 95/98/ME.
Unsecurom will removethe Securom Protection form any Securom Protected game which is very helpful!
This version of Unsecurom iscompatible with Windows NT XP and 2000.
CD Image Converter willconvert almost any CD image into another format.
Un-CD Check removessome of the CD checks from a lot of the older games before 2001. Won't work withall games but a lot of the popular ones.
This is a list of notable copy protection schemes for CD and DVD.
For other medias, see List of Copy Protection Schemes.
Commercial CD protection schemes[edit]
- CD-Cops
- Requires the user to enter CD-code (or reads embedded CD-code) that describes geometry of CD to correctly locate data on the disc.
- SafeDisc (versions 1-5)
- Adds unique digital signature at the time of manufacturing which is designed to be difficult to copy or transfer so that software is able to detect copied media.
- SafeCast
- The encryption key will expire after pre-determined date so the media can be used only temporarily. Also used to implement trial editions of programs.[1]
- SecuROM
- Limits the number of PCs activated at the same time from the same key.
- StarForce
- Asks for Serial ID at install or startup to verify the license.
- TAGES
- Verifies authentic copy by checking existence of 'twin sectors' which are sectors with same logical address but different data. However, twin sectors may be hard to read in order to copy but are easy to write.
Commercial DVD protection schemes[edit]
- Analog Protection System
- Adds pulses to analog video signals to negatively impact the AGC circuit of a recording device so the images on copied DVDs becomes garbled.
- Sony ARccOS Protection
- Inserting corrupted sectors in areas where normal players will not access but ripping software does to trigger errors during replication.
- Burst Cutting Area
- Writing barcode in circular area near the center of the disc (referred to as burst cutting area) which cannot be written without using special equipment.
- DVD-Cops
- See CD-Cops in previous section.
- DVD region code
- Restricts region where media can be played by matching region number with configuration flag in DVD players.
- LaserLock
- Includes hidden directory on the CD containing corrupted data which will cause errors while being copied.
- ProtectDISC Software
- Adds unique digital signature to the CD or DVD that cannot be transferred from copy to copy. A solution for software and games on CD or DVD provided by Protect Software.
- ProtectDISC Video
- Prevents ripping software to analyze the structure of the DVD. A solution for Video-DVDs provided by Protect Software.
- SafeDisc (version 4)
- See SafeDisc (versions 1-5) in previous section.
- SecuROM
- See previous section.
- TAGES
- See previous section.
Commercial Audio CD/DVD protection schemes[edit]
- Cactus Data Shield
- Works by intentionally violating Red Book CD Digital Audio standards, such as erroneous disc navigation and corrupted data, prevents successful ripping of the data. However, the original disc itself does not play correctly in some CD/DVD players.
- Wavy data track[2]
- Discs' data track is wavy instead of straight, so only discs with the same wavy-shaped data track will be playable.
- Extended Copy Protection (XCP)
- Installs software on the computer after agreement to EULA at the first time the media is inserted, and the software will watch for any ripper software trying to access the CD-drive. This copy protection can be defeated simply by using a computer that is not running Microsoft Windows, not using an account with administrative privileges, or preventing the installer from running, and has long since been discontinued due to a public relations disaster caused by the software behaving identically to a rootkit.
- Key2Audio
- Another deliberate violation of the Red Book standard intended to make the CD play only on CD players and not on computers by applying bogus data track onto the disc during manufacturing, which CD players will ignore as non-audio tracks. The system could be disabled by tracing the outer edge of a CD with a felt-tip marker.[3]
- MediaMax CD3
- Installs software on the computer that tries to play the media so other software cannot read data directly from audio discs in the CD-ROM drive. Silently installing software on a computer created a controversy about modifying a computer's behaviour without a user's consent.
Console CD/DVD protection schemes[edit]
- Dreamcast (GD-ROM)
- Multiple table of contents (TOC) made normal cd player to not read beyond first track. However, one could read GD-ROM on CD reader by swapping the disc after reading fake TOC.
- FADE
- Creates fake scratches on the disk image which copying programs will automatically try to fix. Instead of alerting the user that the copied disc is detected, the program will play the game in a buggy manner.[4]
- PlayStation (CD-ROM)
- The authority pattern pressed on internal circumference of the media, which could not be copied, is used to detect authorized copies. Some titles also uses Libcrypt mechanism to validate the disc by using checksum as magic number to subroutines.
- PlayStation 2 (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM)
- A map file that contains all of the exact positions and file size info of the disc is stored at a position that is beyond the file limit. The game calls this place directly so that burned copy with no data beyond file limit cannot be played.
- PSP (Universal Media Disc)
- Since no blank media or writer exists, the media itself cannot be copied, but one could make ISO image (a file version of the UMD) on a memory card. The unique format also made the media difficult to adapt and expensive.
- Xbox (DVD)
- Two sets of media descriptors are used. Initially, and on typical DVD-ROM drives, only a short partition containing a brief DVD Video can be seen. The lead-out section of the disk stores a second set of media descriptors describing the bounds of the main partition. It also contains a partially-encrypted 'security sector' used for further authentication. The lead-out area is not typically directly accessible with consumer DVD-ROM hardware. Furthermore, the key for the security sector is located in the sector's raw header. This header information, unlike the raw headers of CD-ROM disks, is not accessible by default on nearly all DVD-ROM drives. Additional 'challenges' are implemented in the security sector through a table, with more challenge types added over the lifespan of Xbox and Xbox 360. These include, as an example from their earliest form, checks for unreadable sectors in predetermined ranges.
References[edit]
- ^'Macrovision Unveils SAFECAST Copy Protection Solution; SAFECAST Technology Designed to Secure Pre-Release Software from Unauthorized Copying. - Free Online Library'. www.thefreelibrary.com (Press release). 17 March 1999. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
- ^'Digital compact disc player security system reproducing method and apparatus'.
- ^Koerner, Brendan (3 June 2002). 'Can You Violate Copyright Law With a Magic Marker?'. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^Grayson, Nathan (17 November 2011). 'Interview: Bohemia Interactive's CEO on fighting piracy, creative DRM'. Retrieved 11 February 2013.