New entry: SmartE

Entries/SmartE/SmartE.md

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+# Entry Information:
+
+## DRML Entry Name:
+
+**SmartE**
+
+***
+
+## Authors/Contributors:
+
+* Morlit55 - Entry author
+
+***
+
+## Table of Contents:
+
+* [Entry Information](#entry-information) ([Alt.](#Entry%20Information))
+	* [DRML Entry Name](#drml-entry-name) ([Alt.](#DRML%20Entry%20Name))
+	* [Authors/Contributors](#authorscontributors)
+	* [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents) ([Alt.](#Table%20of%20Contents))
+	* [Categories](#categories)
+* [DRM Information](#drm-information) ([Alt.](#DRM%20Information))
+	* [Names](#names)
+	* [Developers](#developers)
+	* [Protection Features](#protection-features) ([Alt.](#Protection%20Features))
+	* [Overall Description](#overall-description) ([Alt.](#Overall%20Description))
+	* [Timeline](#timeline)
+	* [Versions & Differences](#versions--differences) ([Alt.](#Versions%20&%20Differences))
+		* [Tested](#tested)
+		* [Untested](#untested)
+	* [Samples](#samples)
+		* [Confirmed](#confirmed)
+		* [Unconfirmed](#unconfirmed)
+	* [Supported Platforms](#supported-platforms) ([Alt.](#Supported%20Platforms))
+	* [Software Known to Detect](#software-known-to-detect) ([Alt.](#Software%20Known%20to%20Detect))
+	* [Preservation Instructions](#preservation-instructions) ([Alt.](#Preservation%20Instructions))
+	* [Compatibility](#Compatibility)
+	* [Associated File Attributes](#associated-file-attributes) ([Alt.](#Associated%20File%20Attributes))
+	* [Known Manufacturing Information](#known-manufacturing-information) ([Alt.](#Known%20Manufacturing%20Information))
+		* [Known Manufacturing Plants](#known-manufacturing-plants) ([Alt.](#Known%20Manufacturing%20Plants))
+		* [Known Ringcode Information](#known-ringcode-information) ([Alt.](#Known%20Ringcode%20Information))
+			* [Mastering Code](#mastering-code)  ([Alt.](#Mastering%20Code))
+			* [Mastering SID Code](#mastering-sid-code)  ([Alt.](#Mastering%20SID%20Code))
+			* [Toolstamp or Mastering Code](#toolstamp-or-mastering-code)  ([Alt.](#Toolstamp%20or%20Mastering%20Code))
+			* [Mould SID Code](#mould-sid-code)  ([Alt.](#Mould%20SID%20Code))
+    	* [Companies Known to Use](#companies-known-to-use) ([Alt.](#Companies%20Known%20to%20Use))
+* [Reference Material](#reference-material) ([Alt.](#Reference%20Material))
+	* [Media](#media)
+	* [Additional Resources](#additional-resources) ([Alt.](#Additional%20Resources))
+	* [Footnotes](#footnotes)
+
+*** 
+
+## Categories: 
+
+* Optical Copy Protection
+
+***
+
+## Protection Features:
+
+* Bad Sectors[^Glossaries]
+* Disc Check[^Glossaries]
+* File Encryption[^Glossaries]
+* Dummy Files[^Glossaries]
+
+[^Glossaries]: See the "glossaries" section on the main page for an explanation of these terms.
+
+***
+
+# DRM Information:
+
+## Names: 
+
+* SmartE[^CDMediaWorld_SmartE]
+* SmarteSECURE[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]
+* SmarteCD[^SmartE_rundown]
+* SmarteMANAGER[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]
+* SmarteKEY[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]
+* SmartePAY[^SmartE_rundown]
+* SmarteMEDIA[^SmartE_rundown]
+* SmarteMASTER[^SmartE_rundown]
+* SmarteLOCK[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]
+
+[^SmartE_rundown]: [Rundown of SmartE products on their 2003 website](http://web.archive.org/web/20030803205638/http://www.smartesolutions.com/solution_detail.tmpl?SKU=310389103530767)
+
+[^CDMediaWorld_SmartE]: [CD Media World entry on SmartE](https://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/cd_protections_smartecd.shtml)
+
+***
+
+## Developers:
+
+* Smarte Solutions (Juni 2002 - August 2004)[^SmarteCD_Original_Announcement][^SmartE_website1][^SmartE_website2]
+* Vincera, Inc (August 2004 - August 2005)[^Smarte_buys_Vincera][^Vincera_website]
+
+[^SmarteCD_Original_Announcement]: [First known Announcement of SmartE.](https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-copy-protection-plan-lets-you-burn/)
+
+***
+
+## Overall Description:
+
+"SmartE" is the common name for a copy protection suite consisting of 8[^SmartE_rundown] (later 4)[^SmartE_rundown2] different components developed by the Texas based company Smarte Solutions[^SmartE_website1][^SmartE_website2] (later calling themselves Vincera, Inc).[^Vincera_website] Out of these 8, the one this article will mostly focus on is called SmarteSECURE, a bad-sector based optical media protection scheme that became famous for being featured in several games published by Microsoft Game Studios between 2003 and 2008[^SmartE_Microsoft_Partnership]. SmarteSECURE itself was also protected by the either the Crunch packer, licensed from BitArts Labs or possibly SmartE's own SmarteLOCK.[^Crunch_and_SmarteLOCK][^Crunch_Lock].
+
+[^SmartE_website1]: [Smarte Solutions 2003 website](https://web.archive.org/web/20030810232853/http://www.smartesolutions.com/index.tmpl)
+
+[^SmartE_website2]: [Smarte Solutions 2004 website](https://web.archive.org/web/20040816054959/http://www.smartesolutions.com/index.shtml)
+
+[^Vincera_website]: [Vincera, Inc old website](https://web.archive.org/web/20050204013452/http://vincera.com/company.htm)
+
+[^SmartE_Microsoft_Partnership]: [Announcement of SmartE Sollutions and Microsoft's Partnership.](https://www.cdrinfo.com/d7/content/smarte-solutions-protect-microsoft-software)
+
+[^Crunch_and_SmarteLOCK]: [vbforums post with the original Crunch_and_SmarteLOCK Announcement](https://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?244375-what-happned-to-bit-arts-fusion)
+
+[^SmartE_rundown2]: [Rundown of SmartE products on their 2004 website](https://web.archive.org/web/20040816054541/http://www.smartesolutions.com/products/index.shtml)
+
+[^Crunch_Lock]: Crunch is detectable through a BITARTS string present in both the SmartE stub and all known Microsoft game executables. As of time of writing there is no way to differentiate Crunch from SmarteLOCK though and it's possibly that Microsoft switched at some point.
+
+***
+
+## Timeline: 
+
+#### 2000s
+* 2002-06-27: SmarteCD is announced by Smarte Solutions[^SmarteCD_Original_Announcement]
+* 2002-08-27: Smarte Solutions announces their partnership with BitArts Labs. Licensing their Fusion and Crunch packer technologies.[^Crunch_and_SmarteLOCK]
+* 2003-03: SmarteLOCK is announced. Incorporating the technology of Fusion and Crunch though its unknown if it was also part of the later Microsoft deal.[^Crunch_and_SmarteLOCK]
+* 2003-09-30: Smarte Solutions announces their partnership with Microsoft Game Studios[^SmartE_Microsoft_Partnership]. Licensing both SmarteSECURE and SmarteMASTER.
+* 2003-11-11: First known game using SmartE is released. Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna from Gas Powered Game.[^DS:LOA_PCGW]
+* 2003-12: SmarteCD, SmartePAY, SmarteKEY and SmarteMEDIA stops being listed on SmartE's website and are possibly discontinued.[^Rundown_December] SmarteKEY would reappear during 2004 though and SmarteMASTER would disappear in turn.[^SmartE_rundown2]  
+* 2004-09-20: Smarte Solutions merges with the also Texas based Vincera Software and takes their name. Becoming Vincera, Inc.[^Smarte_buys_Vincera] Stops listing the SmartE  protection suite as a product they are offering.[^Vincera_website] 
+* 2007-10-23: Last known game using SmartE is released. Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties by Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games.[^AOE3_PCGW]
+
+[^DS:LOA_PCGW]: [Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna PCGW entry](https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Dungeon_Siege:_Legends_of_Aranna)
+
+[^AOE3_PCGW]: [Age of Empires III PCGW entry](https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Dungeon_Siege_II)
+
+[^Smarte_buys_Vincera]: [Smarte Solutions buys Vincera Software](https://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/vincera-software-acquired-by-smarte-solutions-nid-25513-cid-2.html)
+
+[^Rundown_December]: [Rundown of SmartE products on their 2003 website during december](https://web.archive.org/web/20031204064044/http://www.smartesolutions.com/solutions.tmpl)
+
+***
+
+## Versions & Differences: 
+
+#### Tested:
+
+* SmarteSECURE 3.0.0.0[^Smartsecure1][^Smartsecure2][^Smartesecure3][^Smartesecure_version][^SmartE_rundown2][^SmartE_rundown]
+
+Only known version of SmarteSECURE used by all known Microsoft Game Studios releases. 10 erroneous sectors is inserted into disc through SmarteMaster in a way so they overlap a file called "0002.tmp", making it unreadable under normal circumstances. Upon launch an executable will be extracted from the game’s main executable (both protected by either Crunch or possible SmarteLOCK) known as the "SmartE Protection Stub" which will attempt to read the portion of 0002.tmp that doesn't overlap any errors. And if successful the game will launch.
+
+[^Smartsecure1]: [SmarteSECURE Data sheet 1](https://web.archive.org/web/20030520104434/http://www.smartesolutions.com/p/smarteSECURE.pdf)
+
+[^Smartsecure2]: [SmarteSECURE Data sheet 2](https://web.archive.org/web/20041215234741/http://www.smartesolutions.com/docs/smartesecure_dec03.pdf)
+
+[^Smartesecure3]: [SmarteSECURE rundown](https://web.archive.org/web/20030803205235/http://www.smartesolutions.com/solution_detail.tmpl?SKU=310389110330838)
+
+[^Smartesecure_version]: Version taken from the Protection stub.
+
+* SmarteMASTER[^SmarteMaster]
+
+A program used to create Smarte Master Discs. Licensed to Microsoft alongside SmarteSECURE and presumably all games using SmartE was made using it.[^SmarteMASTER_Beta] 
+
+[^SmarteMaster]: [SmarteMaster Data sheet](https://web.archive.org/web/20041216005007/http://www.smartesolutions.com/docs/smartemaster_dec03.pdf)
+
+[^SmarteMASTER_Beta]: [Determined using a Beta version of Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania seemingly leaked during production with references to SmarteMASTER in its code.](https://archive.org/details/zoo_tycoon_2_protos)
+
+
+#### Untested:
+
+* SmarteCD[^SmartE_rundown]:
+The oldest part of the suite. Believed to be inserting a trigger into a game's code that would eventually stop you from playing if it detected an illegal copy. No examples have been found and discontinued in late 2003. Possibly integrated into SmarteSECURE.
+* SmarteMANAGER[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]:
+A Licensing management solution. No examples have been found so far.
+* SmarteKEY[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]:
+Online activation manager. No examples have been found so far.
+* SmartePAY[^SmartE_rundown]:
+Secure e-payment solution. Discontinued in late 2003
+* SmarteMEDIA[^SmartE_rundown]:
+Protection for recordable CD media. Discontinued in late 2003 and possibly integrated into SmarteSECURE.
+* SmarteLOCK[^SmartE_rundown][^SmartE_rundown2]:
+A packer incorporating technology from Fusion and Crunch from BitArts Labs. Might have been used in the Microsoft published games but this is uncomfirmed.[^Crunch_Lock] 
+
+***
+
+## Samples:
+
+#### Confirmed:
+
+* Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna[^16541]
+> Note: Expansion/Remake only. Original Dungeon Siege uses SafeDisc Lite.[^71235]
+* Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots[^66094]
+	* Rise of Nations: Gold Edition[^80633]
+> Note: CD-ROM and "Gold" version only. Original Rise of Nations uses SafeDisc 2[^66185]
+* Dungeon Siege II[^28748]
+> Note: Base game only. The expansion ("Broken World") uses  SecuROM 7.[^28752]
+
+[^16541]: [Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/16541/)
+[^71235]: [Dungeon Siege](http://redump.org/disc/71235/)
+[^66094]: [Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots](http://redump.org/disc/66094/)
+[^80633]: [Rise of Nations: Gold Edition (Disc1)](http://redump.org/disc/80633/)
+[^66185]: [Rise of Nations](http://redump.org/disc/66185/)
+[^28748]: [Dungeon Siege II (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/80633/)
+[^28752]: [Dungeon Siege II: Broken World](http://redump.org/disc/28752/)
+
+
+#### Unconfirmed: 
+
+* Fable: The Lost Chapters[^38957]
+* Age of Empires III[^106483]
+	* Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs[^64923]
+	* Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties[^117732]
+> Note: CD-ROM versions only.[^77519] Disabled in patch 1.14/1.06/1.03 of the base game and expansions.[^AOE3_PCGW]
+* Zoo Tycoon 2[^43148]
+	* Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure[^49083]
+	* Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species[^40817]
+  	* Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals[^29993]
+	* Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania[^29992]
+	* Zoo Tycoon 2: Zookeeper Collection[^29989]
+> Note: SmartE is mainly found in the Expansions. Some versions of the base game uses SafeDisc 4.[^106146] As do all versions of "Ultimate Collection"[^58573]
+
+[^38957]: [Fable: The Lost Chapters (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/38957/)
+[^106483]: [Age of Empires III (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/106483/)
+[^64923]: [Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs](http://redump.org/disc/64923/)
+[^117732]: [Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties](http://redump.org/disc/117732/)
+[^77519]: [Age of Empires III: Complete Collection](http://redump.org/disc/77519/)
+[^AOE3_PCGW]: [Age of Empires III PCGW entry](https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Age_of_Empires_III)
+[^43148]: [Zoo Tycoon 2](http://redump.org/disc/43148/)
+[^49083]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure](http://redump.org/disc/49083/)
+[^40817]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species](http://redump.org/disc/40817/)
+[^29993]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals](http://redump.org/disc/29993/)
+[^29992]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania](http://redump.org/disc/29992/)
+[^29989]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: Zookeeper Collection (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/29989/)
+[^106146]: [Zoo Tycoon 2 Safedisc example](http://redump.org/disc/106146/)
+[^58573]: [Zoo Tycoon 2: Ultimate Collection (Disc 1)](http://redump.org/disc/58573/)
+
+***
+
+## Supported Platforms:
+
+* Microsoft Windows CD-ROM.[^Smartsecure2]
+
+***
+
+## Software Known to Detect:
+
+* ProtectionID[^PID]
+* BinaryObjectScanner[^BOS_List]
+* A-Ray Scanner[^A-Ray_List]
+* Yara rules[^Yara_List] (Through Detect It Easy)[^DIE]
+
+Note the exception of BinaryObjectScanner none of these are 100% reliable and might actually be detecting the Crunch packer. A SmarteSECURE game can otherwise be identified by the presence of 0002.tmp and the SmartE Protection Stub.
+
+[^BOS_List]: [Binary object scanner github page](https://github.com/SabreTools/BinaryObjectScanner)
+[^A-Ray_List]: [Protections detected by A-Ray](https://gbatemp.net/download/a-ray-scanner.37818/)
+[^DIE]: [Github page for Detect It Easy. Program includes a profile for YARA](https://github.com/horsicq/Detect-It-Easy)
+[^Yara_List]: [Code for packers detected by Yara Rules. Including SmartE](https://github.com/Yara-Rules/rules/blob/master/packers/packer.yar)
+[^PID]: [Old PiD website link listing PC protections](https://web.archive.org/web/20090830061942/http://pid.gamecopyworld.com/)
+
+***
+
+## Preservation Instructions:
+
+The bad sectors will cause errors during dumping and might trip up some unprepared drives. Same technology used to dump SafeDisc games work on SmartE though.[^SmartEDumping]
+
+[^SmartEDumping]: [Redump guide to dumping SmartE and SafeDisc games](http://wiki.redump.org/index.php?title=IBM_PC:_SafeDisc_/_SmartE_protection)
+
+***
+
+## Compatibility:
+
+Some more overzelous Anti-Virus programs might take issues with the Protection Stub. But beyond general incompability all SmartE games should work on modern Windows.[^Testing]
+
+[^Testing]: Determined through testing on native Windows 11. 
+
+*** 
+
+## Associated File Attributes:
+
+### File Names
+
+#### "0002.tmp":
+
+Dummy file which the bad sectors partly overlap. Without it's presence a smartE protected game won't pass a disc check.
+
+#### "ins*.tmp"
+
+The SmartE Protection Stub that performs the Disc Check. It takes on several different names but always start with "ins" and is folowed by between 1-4 random letters/numbers.  
+
+***
+
+## Known Manufacturing Information:
+
+### Known Manufacturing Plants:
+
+* SmartE doesn't seem to be restricted to any manufacturing plants and examples can be found from all over the world.
+
+### Known Ringcode Information:
+
+* N/A
+
+#### Mastering Code:
+
+* N/A
+
+#### Mastering SID Code:
+
+* N/A
+
+#### Toolstamp or Mastering Code:
+
+* N/A
+
+#### Mould SID Code:
+
+* N/A
+
+***
+
+## Companies Known to Use:
+
+* Microsoft Game Studios
+The only publisher known today for making use of SmartE in their games. Specifically between 2003 and 2008.
+
+***
+
+# Reference Material:
+
+## Media: 
+
+***
+
+## Additional Resources:
+
+***
+
+### Footnotes: