AMCO
I'm Sorry Dave
- Intent: What does Chaos desperately need more of? DRM, that's right.
- Image Source: santima suksawat via Vecteezy.com
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: DRM | Ironmaze Threat-Prevention Suite
- Manufacturer: The Globex Corporation
- Affiliation: The Globex Corporation
- Market Status: Open-Market
- Model: GPO-11 "Gildenwall" DRM System
- Colloquially known as "Greedshield DRM".
- Modularity: Limited; may be updated/tinkered with.
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Ones and Zeros.
- Gildenwall DRMs, better known as Greedshields, function by generating a unique code for each requested transaction; each such code is composed of a fairly short stream of digits that identifies the product/quantity desired and a much longer "handshake code". Once received by Globex servers, an automated system will attempt to pair it with a recent transaction to Globex or one of its banking partners. If successful, the servers will generate a unique response based on the "handshake code", at which point the Greedshield will unlock the process.
- Globex's servers are secured using bio-hexacryption; slicers usually find more success tampering with the DRM itself.
- Often paired with Ironmaze countermeasures for more advanced software like General Manufacturing Constructs.
- Other companies may freely use Greedshields for similar purposes in exchange for 1% of every fee paid.
- Individual negotiation may yield even better results; the IGBC pays only 0.1%. Allegedly.
- Stream of Credits: The Greedshield is designed to lock down software, most frequently Globex schematics, unless a fee is paid in full, either for the software as a whole or as a "per-action-interaction" (e.g., paying for each drone one manufacturers).
- Slicers Begone: The Greedshield is designed to delete the software it protects in response to tampering.
- Transactional Anonymity: Greedshields cannot confirm the identity of the user, only that the fee is paid, making enforcement of blacklists and the like difficult bordering on impossible unless paired with other, more granular countermeasures. Unprofitable countermeasures.
- Perfectly Sliceable: Greedshields are fairly difficult to crack, but potential sanctions (and reasonable fees) is more of a deterrent.
- Always Online: Greedshields require a HoloNet connection to confirm payments; to go without one must pre-pay them.
A necessary component of Globex's extremely liberal franchising policy, the Gildenwall DRM System - almost always referred to as Greedwall by all but the most stubbornly unamusing of corporate stooges - is designed primarily to restrict access to the advanced schematics required to manufacture everything from starships to military equipment, usually in exchange for a surprisingly reasonable fee.
After all, as stated by Dex Ereni, Globex's Director of Public Relations: "Cheaper is better, in these matters; a billion droplets still makes a river, after all. Makes us look reasonable, keeps the customers happy, deprives slicers of incentives and the moral high ground. Win, win... win."
The software can be used on video games, holobooks, and other consumer products, though Globex itself usually leaves these DRM-free. In stark contrast to this, anyone who dares to crack the DRM on, say, Ashwing Drones is likely to find themselves in court (or facing gung-ho mercenaries).
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