51
votes
Denuvo DRM has been cirmumvented using hypervisor based bypass
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- Title
- Denuvo has been broken, company promises countermeasures against new DRM bypasses - zero-day game releases become norm as security concerns mount over hypervisor-based bypass
- Published
- Apr 2 2026
Oh we're getting into some serious voodoo now
I am actually not sure whether this is better suited to ~tech or ~games. It is a blend of the two so It is not straightforward. I chose ~tech due to the method of bypass and its implications but if people feel it would be better in ~games then I have no objections.
This actually pretty well illustrates several points about hw ownership, effective sw ownership, DRM measures and mainly AAA game markets.
Works best in ~tech, this is encryption security hardware/software related, not specific to any game.
How do you go deeper than the kernel?
The hypervisor bypass method seems to be a ring -1 based exploit. The Windows kernel itself is a higher level, ring 0. There's already some security components that utilize ring -2, and Intel Management Engine at ring -3. I'm not security focused enough to offer any insight into how these things work, or how they might use them for copy protection.
I suppose this is a promise that, unlike when cheats goes into/under the kernel and anticheats has to become kernel mode, Denovo will not become kernel mode anti tamper.
Does this have anything to do with recent crack for DOOM: the dark ages? I heard from a friend that the fitgirl repack just works. As far as I knew that game still has Denuvo.
Fitgirl doesn't crack, just repacks. The crack was by voice38, which is what Fitgirl's repack is based off of.
I know. Thats why I said repack, but I wasn't about to go trying to figure out who cracked it on work wifi.
I don't know the specific reason for Doom Dark Ages. Most Denuvo protections are time limited anyway. Because it's so expensive to keep licensed you often see games drop Denuvo protection a couple of weeks after launch. They figure sales are highest in the first week, so let's protect that the most.
But at this point this hypervisor workaround means almost all Denuvo games have been circumvented, and as far as I can tell the only games still on the list aren't all that interesting anyway.
Fitgirl specifically left a message last week that only about 60 games were left, so they're saying they're actively working on it.
Circumvented ≠ Cracked
Hypervisor isn't a crack.
Good correction, thanks. Call it flippancy from my end more than anything, but for the sake of accuracy I'll give it the ol' edit.
Doom's Denuvo was cracked, yes. I couldn't tell you if this is related though.
Doom dark ages was 'properly' cracked, not HV bypassed like what's described in this article. No need to drop the security protections for it.
Well since this was moved here I'll add my thoughts I didn't feel were good fit under tech.
I only care because the manner this was bypassed in is interesting and it may cause lesser use of restrictive DRM. Probably not though.
As far as I'm concerned Denuvo using games, or third party account required games or other restrictive DRM scheme using games might as well not exists on PC. Steam is about as much as I'll tolerate nowadays. Paying for a product and then being subjected to massive restrictions on its use alongside data collection doesn't particularly appeal to me and games are not essential services where I absolutely need them, nevermind there being a large indie scene.
There are a few games I would have really like to play or replay that I won't get to because of this and that's sad but fine.
I’m avoiding any game with Denuvo like the plague.
The only DRM(That I’m aware of and get listed, at least.) I’m willing to make a pass for is Enigma but only because Capcom makes some games I really like.
Though Megaman Star Force just being released, I’d be one of the people who would buy it on the first week if they didn’t have Denuvo in it.