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Pirates Crack Microsoft’s UWP Protection, Five Layers of DRM Defeated


steven36

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Video games pirates have reason to celebrate today after scene cracking group CODEX defeated Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform system on Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection. While the game it was protecting isn't exactly a fan favorite, it was reportedly protected by five layers of DRM within the UWP package, including the Denuvo-like Arxan anti-tamper technology.

 

As the image on the right shows, Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform (UWP) is a system that enables software developers to create applications that can run across many devices.

“The Universal Windows Platform (UWP) is the app platform for Windows 10. You can develop apps for UWP with just one API set, one app package, and one store to reach all Windows 10 devices – PC, tablet, phone, Xbox, HoloLens, Surface Hub and more,” Microsoft explains.

While the benefits of such a system are immediately apparent, critics say that UWP gives Microsoft an awful lot of control, not least since UWP software must be distributed via the Windows Store with Microsoft taking a cut.

 

Or that was the plan, at least.

 

Last evening it became clear that the UWP system, previously believed to be uncrackable, had fallen to pirates. After being released on October 31, 2017, the somewhat underwhelming Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection became the first victim at the hands of popular scene group, CODEX.

 

 

“This is the first scene release of a UWP (Universal Windows Platform) game. Therefore we would like to point out that it will of course only work on Windows 10. This particular game requires Windows 10 version 1607 or newer,” the group said in its release notes.

 

https://s7d6.turboimg.net/sp/765f73fdb34bd77bad9f065c39f5c22d/zoo-codex-e1518685904377.png

 

 

CODEX says it’s important that the game isn’t allowed to communicate with the Internet so the group advises users to block the game’s executable in their firewall.

While that’s not a particularly unusual instruction, CODEX did reveal that various layers of protection had to be bypassed to make the game work. They’re listed by the group as MSStore, UWP, EAppX, XBLive, and Arxan, the latter being an anti-tamper system.

 

Arxan features

“It’s the equivalent of Denuvo (without the DRM License part),” cracker Voksi previously explained. “It’s still bloats the executable with useless virtual machines that only slow down your game.”

 

Arxan’s marketing comes off as extremely confident but may need amending in light of yesterday’s developments.

“Arxan uses code protection against reverse-engineering, key and data protection to secure servers and fortification of game logic to stop the bad guys from tampering. Sorry hackers, game over,” the company’s

marketing reads.

 

What is unclear at this stage is whether Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection represents a typical UWP release or if some particular flaw allowed CODEX to take it apart. The possibility of additional releases is certainly a tantalizing one for pirates but how long they will have to wait is unknown.

 

Whatever the outcome, Arxan calling “game over” is perhaps a little premature under the circumstances but in this continuing arms race, they probably have another version of their anti-tamper tech up their sleeves…..

 

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Pirates Crack Microsoft’s UWP Protection, Five Layers of DRM Defeated

 

Microsoft has been trying to unify its platforms for a good while now, and while some of the initiatives in place have not gone well, such as making Windows Phone and Windows for the desktop as entwined as possible, the idea of Windows 10‘s Play Anywhere system is a good one.

The theory is that gamers can buy one $60 title and have it work across any Universal Windows Platform device, such as a PC or an Xbox One.

 

UWP-Windows-10.jpg

 

However, while this sounds wonderful in principle, there is bad news for Microsoft in that hackers appear to have been able to breach the DRM protections Microsoft put in place to protect UWP apps and games.

 

TorrentFreak is reporting that a hacking group going by the name of CODEX has been able to breach five layers of DRM protection that are found in the Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection, which was, until now, believed to be uncrackable. Those five layers are MSStore, UWP, EAppX, XBLive, and Arxan, with that last one being an anti-tamper system in and of itself.

In release notes for the cracked game, the hackers note that this is the first release of a UWP title, making this a day that Microsoft no doubt hoped would never arrive.

This is the first scene release of a UWP (Universal Windows Platform) game. Therefore we would like to point out that it will of course only work on Windows 10. This particular game requires Windows 10 version 1607 or newer.

At this point, the question has to be whether this exploit is specific to Zoo Tycoon or whether it will work on all other games that are available via the Windows Store. If that is the case, then we can expect a raft of new releases to become available via the usual pirate sources. The ball is now firmly in Microsoft’s court.

 

zoo-codex-e1518685904377.png

 

Redmondpie.com

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7 minutes ago, Adn.naw said:

Reefa will take care of that

 

Topics merged. :P

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After reading Protection: i laughed my ass off because it was quite ridiculous. I hope this is only the beginning for bunch of other UWP exclusives to come but that doesn't change the fact these will remain W10 only. VM doesn't sound that appealing.

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