| Alcatraz marks a significant departure from many of the copy protection systems that are currently available on the market: Alcatraz is a flexible product. Alcatraz cannot be hacked into using standard software. Copy protection know-how rests with kdg; in this way, the manufacturer is directly responsible for all related support, implementation and customisation issues.
Alcatraz is based on a "watermark" system: i.e. the data structure of the relevant software is modified during the glass mastering process. Consequently, the commercially available CD that has been authorised as a legal replication cannot be copied, or only with great difficulty.
This means that Alcatraz is a cross between SecuROM, which is also based on a watermarking system and SafeDisc, which also uses the executable wrapping system.
One funny thing which is mentioned is the Level 3b Protection, the executable wrapper, is that they claim that the result of an "illegal" start attempt will range from a simple warning message through to a system crash and even right down to re-formatting of the disc drive!
For sure that they will never add this last "feature" as this will result in a nice lawsuit whenever it is introduced in the US!!! As it seems the re-formatting of the disc drive statement has been removed from their site... |
