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Move CopyKiller comments to DRML #285

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Feb 28, 2024
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Move CopyKiller comments to DRML #285

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31 changes: 4 additions & 27 deletions BinaryObjectScanner/Protection/CopyKiller.cs
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namespace BinaryObjectScanner.Protection
{
/// <summary>
/// CopyKiller was a program made by Webstylerzone that allowed you to copyprotect your own discs.
/// It appears to have used 3 different main forms of copy protection:
///
/// First, its core copy protection is applied by adding a folder from the program's installation directory to the disc as you burn it.
/// The files in this folder appear to only be text files identifying the software used, and seemingly random file contents.
/// How this protects the disc is currently not confirmed, and the data itself isn't corrupted or copied incorrectly on purpose.
/// A personal guess is that it intended to use the same effect as SafeDisc's "weak sectors" to rely on the drive writing the disc incorrectly and making an "uncopyable" disc.
/// This is backed up by an official description of how CopyKillers works, saying how it "uses a firmware error to make the cd copy protected." (https://web.archive.org/web/20061109151642/http://www.webtoolmaster.com/copykiller.htm)
///
/// Second, an optional autorun feature can be used by adding the appropriate contents of the "Autorun" folder from the program's installation directory to the disc as you burn it.
/// This relies on Window running the autorun automatically, causing a window to warning to popup that tells the user that this is a pirated copy, with seemingly nothing else happening.
/// I believe that it simply checks for the presence of the other protection files due to the complete lack of any ability to customize the DRM.
///
/// Last, there is a locked option to learn how to use it to protect audio CDs, but unfortunately this is only available with a registered version.
/// This means that the mechanics of how this was done are currently unknown, but may have simply been to write the same folder's data in, whether as raw audio data or a separate data track.
///
/// At some point at least as early as 2006 (https://web.archive.org/web/20061109151642/http://www.webtoolmaster.com/copykiller.htm), WTM (WebToolMaster) and Webstylerzone had some sort of partnership.
/// For example, WTM began hosting a link to CopyKiller beginning in 2006, and Webstylerzoning advertising WTM's products (https://web.archive.org/web/20070811202419/http://www.webstylerzone.com/en/download_brenner_copykiller_safedisc_safediscscanner_whatspeed_copyprotection_copy_protection_protect_cd_cds_audiocd_datacd_against_copying.htm).
/// As of October of 2011, WTM announced that CopyKiller was officially no longer being developed (https://web.archive.org/web/20111014233821/http://webtoolmaster.com/copykiller.htm).
///
/// CopyKiller website: https://web.archive.org/web/20030312200712/http://www.webstylerzone.com/CopyKiller/index.htm
/// Version 3.62 Installer: https://web.archive.org/web/20031130192048/http://www.webstylerzone.com/Downloads/Brennertools/CopyKiller-Setup.exe
/// Version 3.64 Installer: https://web.archive.org/web/20060524220845/http://download.webstylerzone.com:80/exe/CopyKiller-Setup.exe
/// Version 3.99 Installer: https://web.archive.org/web/20060524220845/http://download.webstylerzone.com:80/exe/CopyKiller-Setup.exe
/// Version 3.99a Installer: https://web.archive.org/web/20070721070138/http://www.webstylerzone.com/Downloads/exe/CopyKiller-Setup.exe
/// Version 3.99a Portable: https://web.archive.org/web/20070721070214/http://www.webstylerzone.com/Downloads/zip/CopyKiller.zip
///
/// CopyKiller was a program made by WebStylerZone that allowed users to copy-protect their burned discs.
/// It worked by having users copy files with byte patterns that would create weak sectors to their discs to burn, and relied on drives with buggy firmwares to create bad burns of the discs.
/// This would result in discs having intentional bad sectors, making them harder to copy. There was also an optional autorun available that would check for the original CopyKiller files on the disc.
/// <see href="https://github.com/TheRogueArchivist/DRML/blob/main/entries/CopyKiller/CopyKiller.md"/>
/// TODO: Add support for the developer's EXE obfuscator, "EXEShield Deluxe". Most, if not all, EXEShield protected files are currently detected as "EXE Stealth" by BOS.
/// Samples include CopyKiller (Versions 3.64 & 3.99a) and SafeDiscScanner (Version 0.16) (https://archive.org/details/safediscscanner-0.16-webstylerzone-from-unofficial-source).
/// </summary>
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