CD Protection in Windows with VB6

Being able to protect a CD is one topic my zeal has brought up recently. I've been thinking how possible this could be and have come up with the following theoritical algorithm.

There should be an Autorun embedded in the CD that will be monitoring the Windows message signalling a process of copying a file from the particular CD. The program should be able to intercept this and analyse it to determine whether the message is from a program in the CD or User-oriented. If the first is the case, it should allow access for this might be due to some kind of installation but if the later is the case, it should stop the process and maybe display a warning message.

Now, I know it might be possible with Win32API but I don't know the functions. Pleaaaaaaase help me pals for I know you can do more than this.

Thanks :)
okeosisi (Proudly Nigerian)

First- Auto run is an option which can be turned off & on...
This would only stop the most un-knowledgeable end-users…

As for the API commands, you could easily look these up (if they exist) either using your “API Text Viewer” which comes standard with most versions of Visual Studio / Basic.

You could possibly us resources like www.planetsourcecode.com for ideas, sources, tutorials, etc…

Not sure exactly how you are going to intercept API calls from the kernel? But good luck!

Quite right tampabay420, "This would only stop the most un-knowledgeable end-users…".

I think the Autorun state manipulation is done in the Windows registry, right? What if the program is able to also check the Autorun state,k turn it on if off and reset the state on termination (ie when the CD is about being ejected).

tampabay420, ;) ..., I think there is a potential fraud, what if the CD is in the drive before booting the system? This will probably render the Autorun program inactive, right?

How possible is it to make this program in such a way that a hidden copy will be made in the system as a small TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) app.

Thanks
okeosisi (Proudly Nigerian)

Hey – those are some great idea(s). although I’m not sure if VB is exactly what you want to do it with? Maybe assembler , or another low-level programming language would better suite your needs. All of this, just to protect the data stored on a CD? You might want to take another approach? Why not encrypt the data on the CD and required a special (yours) application to view/un-arhive/copy/etc this protected data? That might be a bit easier to do… Considering that it wouldn’t be too hard to overcome the security measures you speak of?

What kind of data is on the CD?
How is this data to be used?
Is it free / or are you trying to make a profit?

Anyway- keep us updated, I’m sure someone can help you :D

Actually tampabay420, you've been always right and thanks for your dear concern. I've checked out the site you recommended and it's cool.

Your encryption suggestion is cool too but the file types will be Windows-specific (html, txt, etc). In terms of profit, though I'm extremely generous, but tampabay are you sort'a trying to say it's bearabe for an average student to spend in producing CDs all to give it out? ;)...

Thanks
okeosisi (Proudly Nigerian)

I have never been a big fan of reinventing the wheel. :cool: This page may help

http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware...tections.shtml

bballad please don't blame me for my ignorance. Personally I know things has already been done in this aspect (by intuition) but such forums as this is where I learn and you've just directed me to a site I never knew before just like tampabay420, that's the trend ;).

bballad if you've read my first post you will understand that this is more like zeal-driven and not a mere objective, I mean I wish I can implement it in VB using Win32API.

The site you suggested more like advertised a product, right? They did'nt exhaustively expain the algorithm or am I wrong?

Thanks
okeosisi (Proudly Nigerian)

You are correct that the link is more alongl the lines of existing products. as for doing this in VB well I was hopeing if you saw the way it was done that would point you in the right direction. What you are sugesting would be trivialy easy to defeat, you would need someone who kept auto play on, and youwould need somesort of file on the system with a flag that let your program know if it had been installed yet or not(otherwise it wouldn't allow the install to happen). From there you would have to watch all file IO when the CD was in the drive (greatly slowing down and pissing off whoever had the CD in their system) and make sure files from the CD where not being copied.

Your method would notdefeat any one not running auto play (includeing anyone with a difrent OS or anyone with a solid state cd burner)

IMHO a better way would to write files to the cd that where miss reported (a very popular method).

As for sites that may help try
http://www.vb-bookmark.com/
www.ddj.com

again, okeosisi , i'd try going with the encryption idea.
It would be extremely simple to include a powerful cipher into your install program...
lets, for a sec, go with this idea...

1st- Use a encryption/archive type cipher in your install app.
2nd- consider diff ways to verify product keys (if you don't plan on having a lot, you might just want to manually generate a few keys) verify the product key during the installation of your program..
3rd-once, they have entered in a correct product key, then, and only then, should you un-archive/decrypt your valuable payload...

This approach might possibly be the safest/more secure way of distibuting your data?

Hello,

Sorry guys. I know It's been quite a time now, but please forgive me. My personal system is not connected to the internet so I do use cyber-cafes and for now I won't be able make for some time for my school just resumed and my money is crying.

Thanks^infinity for your support. I've seen the latest posts from you both but for now I don't have time to go through them but from their looks, they are more like it; I mean technical.

Thanks again ;), the part will only be for some time, I hope that when I return that you guys would have filled this thread with result of your individual researches.

Thanks
okeosisi (Proudly Nigerian)