I get an entirely different md5sum, 51e41f48f7aceef99c3ed57f0e072e2c for TSRW.exe, meaning your version is newer and has been altered, probably to better hide the evidence now that they know they have been caught. They are probably using a new trick that fools your particular scanner.

I'm not exactly sure what you want. You want me to provide a demonstration of steganographically concealed transmissions in innocuous data? Just look at the Splotch Creatures. They are PNG files. Totally harmless PNG files. If you examined them, you would find harmless PNGyness. But they contain DATA in them and can be used to reconstruct a Splotch critter. Admittedly, this is a completely benign implementation done for reasons unrelated to nefariousness, and the fact that it is not nefarious is why we know of it, as the game never really attempts to conceal this fact from us. TSR, however, is known to be a nefarious operator: They have acquired and then misused or released to third parties personal information from users in the past. It is reasonable to say that they do so regularly and there is absolutely no physical reason why they would have stopped, and therefore, there is every reason to believe the practice continues. In fact, on PMBD, Johan himself came over to gloat about how undetectable his new system was, because he just couldn't resist the temptation to brag and gloat smugly.

Jfade is clearly not familiar with the many techniques which exist for sending messages without including the content of the message in the actual message, however. That is the obvious approach that would be used in such a scenario, which is why it escapes packetsniffing. Everyone knows that everyone and their dog has access to a packetsniffer, and if you want to hide a message in a transmission, you cannot obviously place the message in the transmission, and even encrypting the message so it looks like gibberish is suspicious: You have to hide the message in the metadata of the transmission. A pattern of seemingly innocent requests, a specific timing of requests, or even the fact that the request was made at ALL can all constitute a message hidden from plain sight. You can clearly see that this is happening, because the message is not apparently inside the actual transmission. The fact that it has been hidden in such a manner proves its malicious intent.

We bring you the shocking news of the latest TSR atrocity: SPYWARE AND VIRII!
<snipped pic>
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so have at it.

I'm incredibly amused by it. And now that Nightmare/SBlade has nothing to take back to the BBS and be their hero for, he's crawled back into his corner.

If TS3 really does include SecuROM (I have the EA downloader version), it is a really benign version compared to the crap that comes with Spore.

It doesn't even mind me having Process Explorer running, which real versions of SecuROM (the ones that use a Ring0 driver) refuse to work with.

A question; Why are you so obsessed with the SucUrom issue now? That show is not playing currently on the "Horror". You have been told by the best that the disc version of Sims 3 contains an inept version of the so called DRM. Did you have so much fun at the last SucUrom Fight that you want to start another one?

It is time to move onto other issues contained in this not ready for "Prime Time" game.

Or, more likely, it's the stripped detritus of something no longer in service that was left behind. There's tons of rubbish like this in the game.

Yes, but how does stating the obvious change anything?

SecuROM is evil malware. Period.

"The industry"? Care to expand?

Ubisoft dropped DRM for the last PoP which did not sell well, and apparently faced harsh criticism from the industry 'tards over this. Their future games will be infested again.

Err...exactly what are you trying to prove by looking at "thesims2.exe" when trying to point fingers at "The Sims 3". I'm not sure I follow tihs line of reasoning.

NOT an excuse, especially for the walloftext. You are on notice, too, choobooby, for suggesting that there is some kind of free pass for crackberriers. Besides, even if the phone explains the capitalization, it doesn't excuse the apostrophe abuse. Spelling and grammar count, people. Don't make me eat your heads.

Again, what proofs do you have that this is an early beta/alpha version? You're spreading that both here and at the BBS, under your SBlade handle. You wouldn't be spewing rumors, now would you?

I think it's obvious that Nightmare is a moron, as Nightmoron apparently thinks that SecuROM is a "he".  Nightmoron also believes that software can have cronies.  Quoting the proof, in case it's deleted: