Game Crackers

[Paddi01]

Hello,

I would like to know who are the groups behind Codex, cpy, reloaded etc.. and how do they manage to crack all these AAA games?

Because i wonder how hard it really is and what tools you need for it.  Just asking out of curiosity.

thanks for replies.

[Tsuki]

they have people with a very particular set of skills.

 

EDIT: since apparently mods temporarily blessed this thread

 

Keep in mind my information is not super up to date

 

 groups such as 3DM, ACTiVATED/CODEX, SKIDROW, and Pirates with Attitude(no longer exists however they are my favorite for..reasons...) and many others specialize in reverse engineering DRM.

 

Often times its a matter of 4 steps:

1.) install legit version of the game

2.) run the game allowing it to decrypt itself into memory

3.) use a debugger (often created the team of crackers) to save the now unencrypted code from memory into a file

4.) compile into a new executable.

Not everything will fall under those steps however, (like FADE and DENUVO)

 

repackers(such as FitGirl, KaosKrew and RG Mechanics) however, often use FreeArc for compression, and Inno Setup for an installer.

they remove non-essential content from the game, like soundtracks and sometimes cinematics to make the game smaller and easier to download.

[desertcomputer]

From my knowledge they just re-code the game verification to either work in ofline mode or bypass the verification(DRM). Most games is uses the same DRM lock/verification, so cracking on DRM protection will allow them to implement similar code to other games. This is why some games get cracked on first day of release while other may take longer due to newer or different DRM protection which they haven't faced. 

[Light-Yagami]

What they do is completely bypass the DRM protection. They usually do that by making their own installers for games. (Not that I would know, I've never pirated anything) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

With AC Origins for example, they're not able to crack it at all because the game runs A DRM software on top of existing DRM all the time, and is thus eliminating the possibility of cracking it. Or should I say, you could, but there would be a second "firewall". I bought the game (not that I've been waiting for a month to see if they manage to crack it. I never pirate anything) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

If you want some specifics, send a private message my way. I might have some more information I could share, if you're interested. From curiosity standpoint, of course. 

[Paddi01]

thanks for answers,

Sorry I´m new here and didn´t know it was not allowed to ask these kind of questions.  S:

[Mira Yurizaki]

Game cracks work on one of the following methods:

• Modifying the executable to bypass the DRM check (or making it so it always passes)
  • This doesn't work if the executable is tamper resistant unless you can find all the anti-tampering mechanisms
• Finding a way around the DRM system by fooling it
  • This is how Denuvo is being cracked "easily". They're not really defeating the mechanism itself, they're finding a way to fool it

There's no really special tool other than perhaps a hex editor, a debugger of sorts, and something to poke around in RAM. Cracking isn't something a script kiddie can do.