Free Copy of the Sims 2 Contains SecuROM

dotarray (1747900) writes By now, everybody should know that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Let's apply that to EA, shall we? The publisher is giving away copies of The Sims 2: Ultimate Collection, for free... and not mentioning that it includes the controversial SecuROM anti-piracy software. Nobody likes SecuROM.

Comments

SecuROM racket

[smittyoneeach]

SecuROM racket
Despite how you stack it
Like a beard on a girl
They just want to hack it
Burma Shave

Does anyone have a link

[Anarchduke]

to a pirated version of this free software? I only ask becuase the pirated version wont have securom and will work better.

Anybody know?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Given that this is EA we are talking about, I can definitely believe that they'd somehow manage to be paranoid about 'piracy' of a game they are giving away. However, since it's also an older game(pre "Origin" store/client/pox-on-humanity and originally distributed largely on retail disks) and being given away it would be unsurprising if as little effort as possible was put into modifications for the new distribution.

Does anybody know how deeply baked-in SecuROM has to be? Would the developer/publisher have a 'clean' version that is then put through some sort of SecuROM conversion step, or would you have to go further back, and deeper, into the development process to cleanly rip it out?

I'm baffled at why including it would be worth much (especially if the license agreement involves any sort of volume-based payment, which would likely wipe out any minor benefits in audience tracking); but if it is sufficiently difficult to rip out then it would be understandable why EA wouldn't bother doing so(aside from just being evil).

Re:Anybody know?

[RogueyWon]

So... genuine question...

What does SecuROM actually do to your system and what are the implications?

The wikipedia article, beyond a floating comment that SecuROM isn't uninstalled when the game is uninstalled, is basically silent on this. In fact, let's break it down into a series of further questions?

- Does SecuROM cause security vulnerabilities on PCs on which it is installed?

- Does SecuROM prevent applications - other than pirated copies of the game it is supposed to "protect" - from functioning on PCs on which it is installed?

- Does SecuROM create any kind of "always on" background process that consumes resources and potentially reduces performance on PCs on which it is installed?

If the answer to any of the above is "yes" then obviously there is a fairly major problem here. If the answer to all of the above is "no", then I'm not quite sure what people are getting upset about given that we are talking about a free game (SecuROM being bundled with paid-for games is another issue entirely).

And to emphasise, I genuinely don't know the answers to the above and can't work them out from the links in TFA.

Re:Anybody know?

[bickerdyke]

- Does SecuROM cause security vulnerabilities on PCs on which it is installed?

Adding a method to hide processes running on your system may be considered a security vulnerability. Such systems are usually used only by malware and legitimate software should NOT use any technology to counter the work of anti-virus software. Either your antivirus is weakend (which should be considered a security vulnerability) or "real" malware might also hide under the "invisibility cloak" set up by SecuROM to hide itself.

SecuROm may not be a security threat in itself, but it uses typical malware patterns and generally weakens your system security.

- Does SecuROM prevent applications - other than pirated copies of the game it is supposed to "protect" - from functioning on PCs on which it is installed?

OK, I'm recounting a user report on forum from years ago from the back of my memory here, so take this paragraph with a grain of salt: (may have been a similar copy protection system, if not exactly SecuROM)

I remember a user reporting a broken DVD writer. He bought a new one and replaced the "malfunctioning" drive only to find out that the new drive was also "broken". Turned out it was a DRM system that blocked the DVD writer and that user threw away a perfectly functioning DVD writer. Actual monetary damage here.

- Does SecuROM create any kind of "always on" background process that consumes resources and potentially reduces performance on PCs on which it is installed?

If it is not uninstalled with the software, it permanently eats up ressources that can't be reclaimed by the legitimate owner by uninstalling, as it is hiding itself from the computers software/process management system. (see "rootKit" in #1) As it is hidden, there is no indication that any problem showing up years after the deinstallation of a computer game (#2) might still be connected to a residual software component (read: garbage) from a casual game from a few years ago.

If the answer to any of the above is "yes" then obviously there is a fairly major problem here. If the answer to all of the above is "no", then I'm not quite sure what people are getting upset about given that we are talking about a free game (SecuROM being bundled with paid-for games is another issue entirely).

No. ESPESCIALLY for free games. Why add copy protection to free stuff anyway? It's free to begin with! No one needs or wants to "pirate" it. Unless of course you need a "pirated" copy of the game to keep the negative SecuROM effects from your system.

Re:Anybody know?

[Anonymous Coward]

Firsthand experience here: I ended up with SecuROM I think from one of the Prince of Persia games, and from that point forward no DVD drive would work with that computer until I nuked the HD flat and completely reinstalled windows. I didn't throw my DVD drive away, but I probably did spend 20 ro 30 hours trying to diagnose it and reinstalling windows.

Re:Anybody know?

[LoRdTAW]

I remember when Crysis came out it was secured with SuckROM. The idea was you inserted the DVD and SuckROM would verify the DVD was in the drive and the game would start, most of the time.

During the process of running crysis.exe securom would start and your mouse cursor would have this colorful CD icon attached to it. If securom failed to work properly (crash) which was every 1 in 3 or 4 times, the mouse cursor would stay a disco ball looking CD and your CD/DVD drive was rendered inoperable. A reboot was the only solution to solving it.

After a week of that I downloaded a cracked exe for a game I legally bought with my hard earned cash. And you wonder why the consumer hates DRM. That is part of the reason intrusive, rootkit like DRM needs to die in a fire.

Who cares?

[ildon]

It's free. If you don't like SecuROM, don't install the game. If someone hates SecuROM so much, they probably hate Origin even more, so this seems kind of moot.

Re:Who cares?

[Sycraft-fu]

No kidding. And sims 2 has ALWAYS had SecuROM in it. They just didn't feel like taking the time to patch it out. While I'm a firm believer that DRM is a waste of time and money on the game company's part, there's no massive conspiracy here. They used SecuROM when they released Sims 2 (it was released in 2004, they used SecuROM a lot with games then) and they haven't bothered to redo it because, well, it is old and they just don't wanna spend the time.

Fair enough, particularly for free.

Plus the nerd rage over it is really overblown. Turns out when there's a problem with something, sometimes companies listen and fix things. So last SecuROM game I played was Battlefield Bad Company 2. It was not problematic at all in my experience. You had to activate it one time online and it then ran without checks or ever going online again. You got a certain number of activations, 5 or 10 I think, but not only could you deactivate it, with a tool or automatically during uninstall, but they would replenish automatically over time. So unless you were doing a ton of reinstalls and not deactivating it was really unlikely you'd have an issue.

Silly to include DRM in my opinion, particularly for a game mostly played online, but not at all onerous on the user.

People seriously need to chill about this shit. Support DRM free games when there's a version available (GOG is a good site, please not Steam is not DRM free, Steamworks is DRM) but don't rage and whine if there's DRM and the DRM isn't a problem. Yes it is silly and a waste of money, but don't act like it is some massive issue if it is not.

If a game has some "always on" DRM bullshit that shuts it off if the connection goes down? Ya that's a reason to get mad and not buy it. If it has a DRM that wants to activate once and then fucks off? Oh get over it, you probably have to get online ones to patch the thing anyhow. Just jump through the hoop and go on about your business.

Re:Who cares?

[GuB-42]

It's free. If you don't like SecuROM, don't install the game.

It would be a valid argument if there were a clear mention of SecuROM before you install the game.

Re:Who cares?

[KingOfBLASH]

YES!

There is no right to a game designed the way you would want to design it. Your right is to vote with your wallets. If the second companies instituted DRM everyone stopped buying their products, then companies would not see DRM as a valid business model.

Re:Could be worse

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

This EA: you only get StarForce if you pre-order at select retail partners or buy the launch-day DLC...

Re:Could be worse

[JosKarith]

"Here's a free ice lolly. What's that, you found that I froze a turd inside it? Well you got it for free so you have no right to complain..."
Nice logic, man.

Re:Just enjoy the game

[mwvdlee]

Other websites: Celebrating the surrepitous distribution of DRM malware.

Slashdot: Angry DRM malware rant.

Re: Anti-piracy

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't need a boat analogy. I need a car analogy.

Re: Anti-piracy

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't need a boat analogy. I need a car analogy.

Yeah, but you wouldn't download a car analogy, would you?

Re:Could be worse

[kyldere]

You forgot to mention that the guy handing out the ice lollies has been convicted several times in the past for putting turds in them...

Re:Could be worse

[TheP4st]

you got it for free if you had the promo code so can't really bitch about the DRM in it.

If I have not been (clearly) informed of it's presence and implications by the publisher I certainly can and so should any person that consider themselves the owner of their machine when it is DRM that is known to:
- Generate false positives on authentic discs.
- Create files and reg keys that you cannot access/remove as admin.
- Snoop on your software usage 24/7.
- Conflict with debugging software and in some instances even require debuggers to be un-installed in order for you to play the game.
- Remain installed after you have un-installed the game.

Re:I know it's cliche but...

[gstoddart]

No, this is EA, assume malice, because EA are assholes who don't give a rats ass about their customers or what they do to them.

Re:Could be worse

[gmack]

Lets see how this compares to Canada's new anti spam law since EA has offices in Vancouver and Montreal.

you got it for free if you had the promo code so can't really bitch about the DRM in it.

If I have not been (clearly) informed of it's presence and implications by the publisher

10.(3) A person who seeks express consent for the doing of any act described in section 8 must, when requesting consent, also, in addition to setting out any other prescribed information, clearly and simply describe, in general terms, the function and purpose of the computer program that is to be installed if the consent is given.

I certainly can and so should any person that consider themselves the owner of their machine when it is DRM that is known to:

- Generate false positives on authentic discs.

- Create files and reg keys that you cannot access/remove as admin.

- Snoop on your software usage 24/7.

- Conflict with debugging software and in some instances even require debuggers to be un-installed in order for you to play the game.

(5) A function referred to in subsection (4) is any of the following functions that the person who seeks express consent knows and intends will cause the computer system to operate in a manner that is contrary to the reasonable expectations of the owner or an authorized user of the computer system:

(a) collecting personal information stored on the computer system;

(b) interfering with the owner’s or an authorized user’s control of the computer system;

(c) changing or interfering with settings, preferences or commands already installed or stored on the computer system without the knowledge of the owner or an authorized user of the computer system;

(d) changing or interfering with data that is stored on the computer system in a manner that obstructs, interrupts or interferes with lawful access to or use of that data by the owner or an authorized user of the computer system;

- Remain installed after you have un-installed the game.

11 (5) A person who has the express consent of an owner or authorized user to do any act described in section 8 must

(a) for a period of one year after any computer program that performs one or more of the functions described in subsection 10(5) but not referred to in subsection 10(6) is installed under the consent, ensure that the person who gave their consent is provided with an electronic address to which they may, if they believe that the function, purpose or impact of the computer program installed under the consent was not accurately described when consent was requested, send a request to remove or disable that computer program; and

(b) if the consent was based on an inaccurate description of the material elements of the function or functions described in subsection 10(5), on receipt within that one-year period of a request to remove or disable that computer program, without cost to the person who gave consent, assist that person in removing or disabling the computer program as soon as feasible.

20 (4) The maximum penalty for a violation is $1,000,000 in the case of an individual, and $10,000,000 in the case of any other person.

Any Canadians affected by this feel like filing a complaint?