3 pending lawsuits (they take forever to resolve) and many review backlashes, we’re still trying to fight for the removal of SecuROM for Spore and the future Spore games.  One man – Alex Halderman has the brains to take this to the next level – asking the federal government permission so he and fellow researchers can study the question to see if the antipiracy software built into Spore and other video games makes computers more vulnerable to hackers.

If the Copyright Office grants these requests, Halderman plans to study the antipiracy software on Spore, a best-selling video game in which players control the evolution of a species. When installed on a computer, Spore installs a digital rights management program called SecuROM, which was developed by Sony. Some video game users have claimed that SecuROM disables critical security measures such as firewalls and antivirus software, opening their PCs to viruses, spyware, and other malware.

Three class-action suits have been filed on behalf of those who say they’ve been negatively affected by SecuROM in the video games Mass Effect, Spore, and Spore Creature Creator. Sony maintains that the program is safe, but Halderman worries that it has not been rigorously studied.’

Source:  Insciences