Who invented the preload of encrypted data?

[wilka91]

I know who!

Dan Brown, in "Digital Fortress".

It's about a guy who wrote a software and made it public by uploading it onto the internet. But the data was encrypted, and only people who actually paid him, would get the key!

That's what Steam is doing, right? So there must be a way to break this code! The Bergofsky Principle says so!

 

[Quad]

There is, it will just take 100 years to do it...you sould try,

 

[Dark Jedi]

Of course there's a way to break the encryption, if you had unlimited time and an incredibly powerful computer system. The HL2 cache files are encrypted quite well, so hacking it would be next to impossible given the tools available to those who desire to do so.

 

[koopa]

The encrypted data is probably not the weak point. There are more obvious places to attack.

 

[nw909]

Hook me up with one of them NASA computers and some magic CSI software and I could totally do it.

 

[azz0r]

The encrypted data is probably not the weak point. There are more obvious places to attack.

Such as?

 

[nw909]

Such as?

Maybe he means Valve Offices

 

[Quad]

I know who!

Dan Brown, in "Digital Fortress".

It's about a guy who wrote a software and made it public by uploading it onto the internet. But the data was encrypted, and only people who actually paid him, would get the key!

That's what Steam is doing, right? So there must be a way to break this code! The Bergofsky Principle says so!

Are you saying a fictional character invented something?

 

[wilka91]

how about a source key leak? As we all know Valve is pretty good at leaks, so I bet the odds of another leak are very high!

 

[Solver]

Hook me up with one of them NASA computers and some magic CSI software and I could totally do it.

Hardly, for a 128-bit key encryption using a decent algorithm, all the world's comps together won't do you much good. But yes, given an infinitely powerful system...

 

[koopa]

Such as?

The decryption. Forget trying to rip the encrypted data - if Valve have half done their job, that's a waste of time. When Steam updates itself you get a 'Decrypting game files (whatever it is)' message, which suggests the decryption code is already in Steam (ouch). That's the first obvious point of attack - look for the decryption code. You'd want to disassemble that whole area. Of course, if they're smart the preload is missing vital information, and there's a double level of crypto going on. Crypto is damn hard to get right, and one weak link breaks the whole thing. And given how long Steam has taken to get itself sorted out (the early versions were horrible), it doesn't inspire confidence in its strength. BTW, I'm aware that Valve could have made it very tough, but people would probably be surprised just how weak many systems are.

Another way would be to monitor the network data coming into Steam and record it. Try to use that to make a fake Steam authenticator.

I'd probably have a good dig around, but I've ordered HL2 Silver and I wouldn't want to steal it anyway. I'm too old for that stuff now

 

[Lanthanide]

Hook me up with one of them NASA computers and some magic CSI software and I could totally do it.

I love those computers in CSI, how they can do absolutely anything (including things that are VERY computationally complex and expensive to program) and have databases of all the evidence things they could ever need, no matter how unlikely.

 

[wilka91]

Hardly, for a 128-bit key encryption using a decent algorithm, all the world's comps together won't do you much good. But yes, given an infinitely powerful system...

The book says the NSA has a TRANSLTR, a computer powered by 3 million processors or something, and can decrypt any key in a few minutes, be it a 128-bit key, or 10^120 bit key!

 

[koopa]

The book says the NSA has a TRANSLTR, a computer powered by 3 million processors or something, and can decrypt any key in a few minutes, be it a 128-bit key, or 10^120 bit key!

Well hardly anyone really knows what the NSA have, but it's often said that they're believed to be 20 years ahead of the rest of the world. Naturally they aren't going to tell us. Anybody with any family/friends in the NSA who want to sort Steam out for us?

 

[tokin]

I know who!

Dan Brown, in "Digital Fortress".

It's about a guy who wrote a software and made it public by uploading it onto the internet. But the data was encrypted, and only people who actually paid him, would get the key!

That's what Steam is doing, right? So there must be a way to break this code! The Bergofsky Principle says so!

GREAT BOOK!

 

[[Dragoon]]

I was thinking... You know when it says it's decrypting the files? It's usually adding new content to the cache, right? Does it decrypt the whole file? What if you interupted it at just the right moment, before it re-encrypted it?

 

[Ames]

Are you saying people in the NSA are playing HL2 right now???!!?!

 

[Sheps]

Probably easier (and cheaper, in the long run) would be to hurl a brick through Gabe Newell's office window, climb in, and just activate it manually. Then you don't have to worry about decryption keys and such.

*DISCLAIMER: Sheps does not advocate the crime of breaking and entering.

 

[Capello]

or just wait till november 16th, and whats cool, you don't even have to go to the store!

 

[zEphyr]

If you want hl2 so badly, just get a tour of the Valve offices and, when no one is looking, cross out the next day on their calendar and write "November 16."

GOmgsreleasetheheadcrabs!2222

 

[Ownzed]

Just wait for its release in 20 days...

 

[wilka91]

GREAT BOOK!

Is it, really?

I bought it this afternoon and read about a hundred pages ... and I'm not really impressed so far.

 

[lordoftheroot]

it would be funny if winzip could decrypt the HL files

 

[alexkraemer]

dude, you can buy a CRAY supercomputer for a cool 2 million. Just pick one up and let us know if you get it cracked.

 

[RogueShadow]

A quantum computer and some smart code should do the trick.

 

[SupaKoopa]

wait...what if we had like a program testing random keys installed on EVERY half life 2 fans' computer?

and then....if someone managed to unlock it, would valve release it to everyone? (seeing as they're willing to release it on steam when the first box leaves a store shelf)

 

[sgrby877]

http://www.research.vt.edu/resmag/2004resmag/HowX.html

I go to virginia tech, do you think this could probably crack it?

 

[wilka91]

yeah, sure

but I also saw some macs on the pics

I hope PC users get the game first

 

[WaryWolf]

we probably don't have the full game preloaded yet. when we validate, valve'll probably download some vital missing files, without which we couldn't run the game.

 

[Planeforger]

Are you saying a fictional character invented something?

Dan Brown is the author, not the character.
Haven't read Digital Fortress yet, but the DaVinci Code was great.

 

[Chynx]

It should be possible to get the key with softice or other Instant Debuggers - cause for updating the private key is required (or the normal key/password if a symmetric encryption is used).

 

[kaellinn18]

Is it, really?

I bought it this afternoon and read about a hundred pages ... and I'm not really impressed so far.

That book takes a little while to get interesting, but I really enjoyed it. In fact, I would recommend all of Dan Brown's books in the following order (best to worst, though all are great)

1. Angels and Demons
2. The Da Vinci Code
3. Deception Point
4. Digital Fortress

I put DF last because, as you have observed, it takes a while to get into it.

In regards to the parent of this thread, Dan Brown wasn't the first to invent encrypted data. Though the premise of the encryption in his novel is very interesting, it doesn't really have much to do with how the Steam files are encrypted and distributed.

 

[rumblefish]

i think someone got confused somewhere, one person was talking about NASA having 3 million processor computer, then someone else startsed talking about the NSA, who has the big computer, can anyone clarify this for me?

rf

 

[kaellinn18]

i think someone got confused somewhere, one person was talking about NASA having 3 million processor computer, then someone else startsed talking about the NSA, who has the big computer, can anyone clarify this for me?

rf

Depends on what you're referring to. In real life, NASA has recently unveiled the world's faster supercomputer (over 70 teraflops). In Digital Fortress, the NSA has a supercomputer used to break codes (which I'm sure they have in real life as well).

 

[groovy]

Dan Brown isn't a very good writer. I read Da Vinci Code and it had a really really REALLY bad twist at the end, the only good part was the claimed conspiracy in the church, his writing style is pathetic and i could write better than him.

 

[[Dragoon]]

Dan Brown isn't a very good writer. I read Da Vinci Code and it had a really really REALLY bad twist at the end, the only good part was the claimed conspiracy in the church, his writing style is pathetic and i could write better than him.

Then shut the hell up and write a book. Come back in 6 months with a rough draft.

 

[Ghost Freeman]

I love those computers in CSI, how they can do absolutely anything (including things that are VERY computationally complex and expensive to program) and have databases of all the evidence things they could ever need, no matter how unlikely.

Too bad CSI isn't real.