#142350 - sonny_jim - Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:18 pm
| In this post, Mrshlee wrote: |
| Whos in the mood to debate the ethics of spyware in homebrew :) |
How about a trojan application that checks for known commercial rom headers and wipes the card if any are found?
:-)
#142367 - tepples - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:01 pm
| sonny_jim wrote: |
| How about a trojan application that checks for known commercial rom headers and wipes the card if any are found? |
And have your reputation tarnished like DarkFader's was when he released the r0mloader and taihen trojans. If you want to be a vigilante, you can get in less trouble if you just delete the roms from the card.
And depending on how you define "header", the header might not be enough because both a DS Download Play demo (probably fair use) and the corresponding full version rom (probably infringing) might have some of the same identifiers. Besides, how would you pack the entire set of 1482 scene releases into a file small enough to evade detection, and how would you recognize the various headers that flash card patching programs prepend?
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#142374 - keldon - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:10 pm
That wouldn't be good; I'm considering putting all the games I buy onto a single flash cart instead of carrying a bag full of cartridges. That would be a big inconvenience.
Although I doubt I'd go through Advance Wars DS again, but it's the thought that counts.
#142378 - Lazy1 - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:21 pm
I'm willing to bet that there are more than a few people who legitimately backed up their carts just so they wouldn't need to take all of them everywhere.
It's much easier to play many games rather than finding the box and switching out carts. ( I would assume )
#142379 - sonny_jim - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:27 pm
Blimey, it was only a joke.
/me looks for the [only joking] tag
EDIT: As for listing 1482 roms, just have a small checksum for each?
Last edited by sonny_jim on Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
#142380 - Lazy1 - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:32 pm
oops.
Didn't noticed the smilies and jumped on the serious bandwagon.
Sorry.
#142382 - sonny_jim - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:37 pm
@tepples: Why did you move this into it's own thread?
EDIT: Ah, because it was off topic, sorry.
#142383 - tepples - Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:56 pm
| sonny_jim wrote: |
Blimey, it was only a joke.
/me looks for the [only joking] tag |
I'm joking too, in the sense of "playing along". I find designing a scanner for non-genuine DS software to be an interesting intellectual exercise.
| Quote: |
| EDIT: As for listing 1482 roms, just have a small checksum for each? |
Because we'd need to store a separate SHA-1 for each rom times each version of the patching software. Especially SLOT-2 cards use patchers that run on PCs instead of patchers that run directly on the DS when you start a "clean dump".
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#142391 - keldon - Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:05 pm
Well you can save the effort and just have the boot loader ask them, "Is this a commercial rom"? Problem solved! No clever algorithm needed ^_^
#142479 - Lynx - Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:02 pm
Well, if it's a WiFi enabled homebrew, you could store that all on a server.. and maybe they wouldn't realize it's slow because it's downloading all the info it needs ;)
_________________
NDS Homebrew Roms & Reviews
#142500 - sonny_jim - Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:38 pm
True, you could just checksum everything on the card then send the checksums off to a server for verification. Although this leaves the door wide open for DoS attacks.
EDIT: Actually, maybe not. You could make a algorithm that generates a passkey based on the MAC of the DS?
#142504 - Mighty Max - Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:25 pm
I think you'll have the best chances with searching for parts of the file are not going to be changed. Checking the signature/checksum of the whole binary indeed has no use in this case.
Just like scanning for virii, the Boyer-Moore-Horspool should be a good approach to fast find these significant parts in the binaries
_________________
GBAMP Multiboot
#142543 - chishm - Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:55 am
Hash the ARM7 binary. There are only a few different ARM7 binaries used in commercial games. You'll still have problems with the SLOT-2 M3 and SuperCard, as they encrypt the ROM after patching.
I don't think that this is a good idea, though, as there are legitimate reasons to have a ROM image of a commercial game on your flash card.
_________________
http://chishm.drunkencoders.com
http://dldi.drunkencoders.com
#142555 - keldon - Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:22 am
Actually on my suggestion, I'm really considering it but is there anything to worry about. I mean is anything 'stupid' likely to happen with saves ... half of my wants to justify getting a 2GB card. Part of it was to create a music app with 2GB of samples ^_^ Oh wait ... that whole thing with the file system ... yes, the file system, then they can add the wave files without needing to patch them to the nds file!!! ndlt, or something, yes, yes ...
Ahh, Lucozade has caffeine as a hidden ingredient, that explains it :S
#142565 - tepples - Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:42 pm
| keldon wrote: |
| Actually on my suggestion, I'm really considering it but is there anything to worry about. I mean is anything 'stupid' likely to happen with saves ... half of my wants to justify getting a 2GB card. |
It's cheaper than a dedicated music player.
| Quote: |
| Oh wait ... that whole thing with the file system ... yes, the file system, then they can add the wave files without needing to patch them to the nds file!!! ndlt, or something, yes, yes ... |
This wouldn't be a problem if the rumored argv[0] feature in the next devkitARM would come out.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#142571 - sonny_jim - Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:48 pm
| chishm wrote: |
I don't think that this is a good idea, though, as there are legitimate reasons to have a ROM image of a commercial game on your flash card. |
I'm not interested in a rom deleter but I'd like to be able to identify DS homebrew using file (http://hpux.connect.org.uk/hppd/hpux/Editors/file-4.21/readme.html).
EDIT: Maybe a topic change to "Identifying various DS homebrew"?
#142575 - keldon - Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:18 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| keldon wrote: | | Actually on my suggestion, I'm really considering it but is there anything to worry about. I mean is anything 'stupid' likely to happen with saves ... half of my wants to justify getting a 2GB card. |
It's cheaper than a dedicated music player.
| Quote: | | Oh wait ... that whole thing with the file system ... yes, the file system, then they can add the wave files without needing to patch them to the nds file!!! ndlt, or something, yes, yes ... |
This wouldn't be a problem if the rumored argv[0] feature in the next devkitARM would come out. |
True, and I can also watch episodes of HEROES on the way to work, which lasts about the same times as a single episode. As for dldi, it is enough for what I was looking for, it just needs to be patched for the particular cart and then it is ready to read whatever wave files/sound banks are supplied.
#142585 - Lynx - Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:32 pm
| chishm wrote: |
I don't think that this is a good idea, though, as there are legitimate reasons to have a ROM image of a commercial game on your flash card. |
I don't think anybody really intends to do it, more of just a conversation on how it could be done. With all the warezers in homebrew clothing, it would be homebrew suicide to do such a thing.
_________________
NDS Homebrew Roms & Reviews
#142610 - tepples - Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:59 pm
| Lynx wrote: |
| With all the warezers in homebrew clothing |
Are users of the Doom and Descent source ports included? What about ScummVM users, or SNEmulDS users?
| Lynx wrote: |
| it would be homebrew suicide to do such a thing. |
I can think of one reason why one would want to commit homebrew seppuku. For example, someone might get hired and have to sign a non-compete agreement that forbids the person from further homebrew development. Lashing out against pirates would help one go out with a bang.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#142625 - Lynx - Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:26 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| Lynx wrote: | | With all the warezers in homebrew clothing |
Are users of the Doom and Descent source ports included? What about ScummVM users, or SNEmulDS users? |
Wouldn't illegal downloaded files of any platform be included as warezing?
_________________
NDS Homebrew Roms & Reviews
#142680 - zzo38computer - Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:20 pm
I don't think the program should check for any specific files on the card other than ones needed for the program to run, and do not modify those files.
_________________
Important: Please send messages about FWNITRO to the public forum, not privately to me.
#142685 - tepples - Thu Oct 11, 2007 8:44 pm
| Lynx wrote: |
| Wouldn't illegal downloaded files of any platform be included as warezing? |
As I understand it, it's not warez if it's not illegal. But this forum bans discussion of activities that are not clear infringements, namely acts of copying or adapting certain game media that might fall under the copyright exemption of 17 USC 117 and foreign counterparts. As a moderator, I want to understand what the administrators want done with topics about SNEmulDS and the like.
| zzo38computer wrote: |
| I don't think the program should check for any specific files on the card other than ones needed for the program to run, and do not modify those files. |
I'll read the DSOrganize change logs and get back to you on that. ;-)
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#142689 - Lynx - Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:51 pm
| Quote: |
| As I understand it, it's not warez if it's not illegal. |
I think most people would agree with that statement. But the rules of this board indicate warez and 'related'.. They must put the stuff you are talking about under the 'related' section.
_________________
NDS Homebrew Roms & Reviews
#142731 - MrD - Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:24 pm
| Quote: |
| It's cheaper than a dedicated music player. |
What is?
_________________
Not active on this forum. For Lemmings DS help see its website.
#142737 - Lynx - Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:51 pm
Uh oh.. I was woundering how long it would take someone to pick up on that. I bought my MP3 player for $20.
_________________
NDS Homebrew Roms & Reviews
#142799 - zzo38computer - Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:15 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| zzo38computer wrote: | | I don't think the program should check for any specific files on the card other than ones needed for the program to run, and do not modify those files. |
I'll read the DSOrganize change logs and get back to you on that. ;-) |
Well, DSOrganize is meant for reading/writing text files and stuff so it is different but what I mean is not including trojan software and stuff like that. But if you have a software that is meant for deleting illegal files (instead of another function), then you can do it, but otherwise you shouldn't touch things that aren't part of the program. (Anyways, I don't have any commercial NDS/GBA files on the CF card, other than some official demos.)
_________________
Important: Please send messages about FWNITRO to the public forum, not privately to me.
#143908 - HyperHacker - Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:49 am
I imagine if your app deleted peoples' backups, all that would happen is some very annoyed users would re-dump their cards, stop using your apps, and post some nasty comments on your blog. :-p
Also, plan to scan for pirated MP3s while you're at it? JPEGs of kiddie pr0n or scans of copyrighted materials? Hacking tools? Etc. ;-)
(Although writing an app that can accurately detect whether a given image is pornographic or not could be quite interesting, especially if it could accurately determine the ages of the people in it...)
_________________
I'm a PSP hacker now, but I still <3 DS.
#143910 - keldon - Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:23 am
| HyperHacker wrote: |
| (Although writing an app that can accurately detect whether a given image is pornographic or not could be quite interesting, especially if it could accurately determine the ages of the people in it...) |
Just think about that for a minute, I don't think that such a 'tool' is a very good idea.
#143911 - chishm - Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:22 am
| keldon wrote: |
| HyperHacker wrote: | | (Although writing an app that can accurately detect whether a given image is pornographic or not could be quite interesting, especially if it could accurately determine the ages of the people in it...) |
Just think about that for a minute, I don't think that such a 'tool' is a very good idea. |
But think of the possibilities:
- Accurate cataloguing of your entire porn collection based on the contents of each image/video and not just the file name and path.
- Determining the actual age of people, not just what they tell you
- Finding people in crowds that you may want to talk to, because naked people are always interesting
- Filtering web sites. I don't mean a child-safe filter, but one that only lets through porn. You could double your efficiency!
Seriously though, accurately determining the contents of images is a hard AI problem, so if you can solve it for this then you are well on your way to earning the big $$$.
_________________
http://chishm.drunkencoders.com
http://dldi.drunkencoders.com
#143921 - keldon - Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:29 pm
lol. That's exactly what I was afraid of ^_^
Although I suspect that the answer to all these difficult AI problems is going to be terribly easy [for some reason].
#144017 - HyperHacker - Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:59 am
Even if it's not a good idea, I bet it'd be fun. :-p
_________________
I'm a PSP hacker now, but I still <3 DS.