As far as previous 'cracks' of Ubisoft's new DRM system are concerned:
Both of Skidr0w's releases show us they haven't had a look (probably
even didn't find) the actual protection code and everything hints on em
using parts of publicly collected 'challenge/response' pairs. Luckily
Assassin's Creed II is probably the only target ever where this approach
of 'emulating' the server by a static lookup will yield any measurable
success (due to a basic design flaw in an otherwise pretty neat
idea of software protection). In fact, we considered this approach as
generally too unreliable and 'unworthy' of a scene crack, so we didn't
care about doing it. Instead we opted for going for the arguably
most challenging implementation of Ubisoft's new DRM first
(emulating actual server-side game code). So here it is: The first
Ubisoft DRM crack!
@RELOADED:
Congrats on your recent advances in automating your Solidshield VM cracks.
We actually respect that. However, we wonder why you didn't go all the way
and recompiled the fixed decompiler output to optimized native x86 code as
we did as early as with Perry Rhodan (followed by Anno 1404).
Although we think there's not much merit to discussing technical details in
.nfos (mostly because it's impossible for anyone lacking the skills and
sources to fact-check these statements) we feel the need to preempt all
that made-up "they-ripped-it-from-some-unprotected-tuvaluan-multi12-binary"
bullshit that's sure to follow:
We invite anyone who is able to and interested enough in this to check the
history of scene-released Solidshield VM cracks taking into account things
like availability of possible alternate sources for the protected code
fragments at the time of release, similarity to compiled code (i.e. 'copy &
paste cracks' from differently protected or unprotected binaries), the
rebuilt code's resemblence of the original VM instructions regarding
sequence of mnemonics etc.pp. We're pretty confident (read '100% certain')
you'll come to the conclusion that we were first with respect to rebuilding
actual Solidshield VM code.
Nvm, 'mild respect'!
P.S.
Finally, there's a chance of the good ol' times coming back (when
protections had to be dealt with on a per title basis by skilled
individuals) and an opportunity of telling the sharpies from the fakers
again. Thanks Ubi! (Yup, we're actually serious about this
)
Razor 1911 Greetings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To our demo division heroes: Your cracktro rocks (we expected no less
)!
