bioshock installs rootkit omfg

[Wiglaf]

http://www.gamingbob.com/2007/08/23/bioshock-installs-rootkit-including-demo/

What 2K has failed to address is the the SecuROM service installed on your computer when installing BioShock, which is also included in the demo.

Microsoft offers a utility called RootkitRevealer located: here. The program will scan your system for rootkits. Once you scan your system, the program will reveal the SecuROM service with this message:

…\Software\SecuROM\!CAUTION! NEVER DELETE OR CHANGE ANY KEY*

This is due to the * character at the end, causing the “Key Name Contains Embedded Nuls” message. Unfortunately, you may have to follow this lengthly procedure posted by a 2K forum member to remove the service installed by SecuROM (Thanks Wingsong):

pretty gay

[Nostromo]

Not true

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070826-clearing-the-air-bioshock-does-not-contain-a-rootkit.html

[Solver]

Originally posted by Nostromo
Not true

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...a-rootkit.html

That article is either BS or squabbling over petty definitions. If you define rootkit as being malicious, SecuROM isn't it, as it doesn't do anything malicious. However, it does employ rootkit techniques, mainly installing itself in such a way that users can not remove it even if they know how to edit the Registry.

It has no malicious payload apparently, but it does conceal itself and it does make itself unremovable. That is something people should have a problem with.

[Quillan]

I have a fundamental problem with all copy protection. I understand the need for it, but all it seems to do is inconvenience the legitimate purchasers of the software. The hard core pirates defeat it in days at most. The unfortunate problem is that anything produced by technology can be defeated by technology, and the only person truly suffering is the one who pays money for the software in the first place.

[Adagio]

Yeah, not much point in having copy protection really. All games I buy I have already downloaded. There's really not anything that makes me want to use the bought copy of a game. Using a downloaded copy of the game there's no need to have the disc in the drive (I really HATE that), there's no risk that the copy protection will cause trouble (like trashing the disc or complains about the disc not being original) and you don't have to wait weeks for it to arrive to the local stores, you get the game on release date
Positive sides of using the bought disc to play the game? Can't say I've found any. Sure, for those who doesn't know that much about computers, risks getting a virus

[MosesPresley]

Originally posted by Quillan
the only person truly suffering is the one who pays money for the software in the first place.

Like me. Securom and other protections like it are ruining many of my games that I have paid for. I've uninstalled most of them and I have majorly cut back on purchasing new games.

[Solver]

It's all grey territory. Copy protection does help against piracy some, but the benefits are usually minimal. The annoying part is that pirated games usually end up being a better product than the original. You get all the same minus the need to have your disk in the drive and such.

These days, it seems, people buy games not because of copy protection, but in spite of copy protection.

[Kinjiru]

In this particular case you can buy the game from Steam. No messy SecuRom to deal with. Of course, you have the overhead of Steam itself, but I would much rather deal with Valve than with Sony.

[Solver]

In fact, it's been said that SecuROM comes even with the Steam version.

[FrostyBoy]

It doesn't seem right that I can install software that I -unknowingly - can't later uninstall.

[DrSpike]

Good job I'm playing the Xbox version.

[FrostyBoy]

Yeah. You see what's happening? They're purposely driving us to use consoles coz they don't want us playing games on PC's coz it gives us too much power.

Thanks DrSpike! Power to The Man! right..?

[El_Cid]

Yep. thats the same conclusion I've arrived at. Force gamers onto console. It sucks and is one reason why I no longer buy many mainstream games(currently two per year and falling).

Luckily I have a vast back catalog of games to keep me happy(most of which I've not completed), and then you have those handy sites that can't be named for all those older classic 'real' games. And the odd decent indie effort that sticks to the old rules of 'be good to your customer'.

AAA/mainstream games and more importantly the companies behind them are killing gaming - they just don't know it yet, or figure the end user will always be too dumb to notice. They've lost my money anyway.

*sigh* and now i have to scratch bioshock of my list

[Standup]

A shame as I was looking forward to playing it.

Apart from installing unknown software on my machine the idea of relying on a remote server to be allowed to run it is equally worrying. Having just rebuilt my PC and reinstalled some old games there's a significant number with non-existent websites, update locations or even publishers.

Almost but not quite enough to make me buy an X-box.

[Kuciwalker]

Wow you people are silly.