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Ripdev launches anti-piracy service for iPhone developers

by Christina Warren Feb 11th 2009 at 7:00PM

Last week, the iPhone cracking app-cracking tool, Crackulous, was released, igniting discussions amongst developers and users over App Store security, piracy and how to combat these threats within the confines of Apple's walled-garden. Because of the iPhone SDK, and Apple's Terms of Service for letting apps into the App Store, individual developers are severely limited in what they can actually do, code-wise, to address the issue.

This doesn't mean developers are completely helpless; indeed, as the comments pointed out, there is stuff that can be done to thwart IPA cracking and even the use of Crackulous itself. But what if you are just struggling to find time to code your current iPhone projects and don't have the time or necessary skill-level to address iPhone piracy?

Enter Ripdev's new Kali Anti-Piracy service. I talked to Slava from Ripdev last week, and they really seem to be onto something. Essentially, Ripdev has figured out how to put an extra wrapper around iPhone apps, which not only prevents the app from launching or functioning properly if it has been cracked, but also prevents the current cracking tools from working on the app at all. Even better, this process only uses documented and allowed calls, making it SDK compliant. Oh -- and if the app is legitimately purchased, it can run on a jailbroken iPhone without a problem.
Slava showed me some screenshots of users in the cracking forums, complaining bitterly about the inability to crack Ripdev apps using the current tools.

Kali Anti-Piracy subscribers will have access to a developer login and an SDK. You submit your app to Ripdev's encryption server, which processes the app and spits back the protected file back to you, ready for submission to the App Store.

Kali Anti-Piracy is a service, and is available for a quarterly fee (which represents a percentage of the 70% cut developers get from the App Store, variable by units sold that quarter) and an initial set-up fee. For apps that are priced under $9.99, the set-up fee is $100. The set-up fee for apps over $9.99 is $300. You can get full pricing details here (PDF).

While I can imagine that some iPhone developers won't be interested in a service that has an upfront cost and a quarterly fee, the service will certainly be of value to lots and lots of developers.

To be clear: no solution, Kali Anti-Piracy or otherwise will ever completely combat piracy. What this does do is make the barrier to entry that much higher. Ripdev is also committed to keeping atop "the underground" as they put it, and will continue to beef up and augment their technique as necessary.

Kali Anti-Piracy is accepting sign-ups now.



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Last week, the iPhone cracking app-cracking tool, Crackulous, was released, igniting discussions amongst developers and users over App...
 

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Matt2k

Sorry if I was not very clear, I don't like DRM anything, but the Apps in the App store are not a problem for me, the DRM allows me to use my Apps on my phone and iPod without a problem and most Apps are under $10, once again not a problem, but this product could cause Apps prices to go up,

" percentage of the 70% cut developers get "

" For apps that are priced under $9.99, the set-up fee is $100."

leading to more people pirating Apps, and my fear is that this could force apple to create more restrictive DRM that locks an App to one device, just like windows is locked to one computer, or some other crazy DRM that won't work and just cause problems for people who pay for their Apps.

February 13 2009 at 1:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
s73v3r

So when this gets cracked, do I get my money back?

February 12 2009 at 1:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt2k

The first time I ever have a problem with a App, due to DRM, is the last time I ever buy an App for my iPhone, Right now I either get the CD, or Buy my music from Amazon because I didn't want to deal with the DRM problems my friends and family have experienced with it in the past,

PS I Know that most of the iTunes music is now DRM free but now all my music is in MP3 At 256, and I don't want to re compress all my music, re rip my music CD's or mix my Library MP3 and MP4, sorry apple.

February 12 2009 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Matt2k's comment
SynoDev

You do know that has nothing to do with this whatsoever, right?

February 12 2009 at 12:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tim

I actually think it's good if DRM improves on the iPhone, as if cracking becomes too prevalent, Apple will start to fight the Jailbreak techniques more aggressively, which could seriously cripple things, especially if they start taking advantage of the "kill switch."

February 12 2009 at 10:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mentok

Oh, c'mon, this is _RipDev_, the same idiots that bought Installer.app -- and ruined it -- from jailbreak devs who went to work for Apple who -- c'mon, went on to develop the AppStore.

I don't expect ANY innovation, nor would I trust any "developer" that is a buggy, second string, have to buy to have "developer".

The first thing any jailbreaker with clue does is REMOVE Installer.app and just use Cydia and the AppStore.

Developers already KNOW to stay away from RipDev; the question is why is TUAW giving free PR to one of the worst. iPhone. "Devs" evar.

February 12 2009 at 9:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mentok's comment
jonathan

i highly agree. i have never had any software from ripdev run well on my phone, and everytime i JB someone elses phone, i uncheck the Installer app. its buggy and has less packages available than cydia.

unfortunately i paid for Kate...the worst program they've ever created and doesnt even play well with winterboard. waste of time indeed

February 12 2009 at 6:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jan

This makes sense ONLY if more than every 70th app is a pirated one, otherwise it simply doesn't pay off. Even then you have to live with all the disadvantages, that were listed above (false positives, showing your code to third parties...)

February 12 2009 at 5:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jan's comment
alexmak

Jan, that's so naive to think that only 70th app gets pirated. Here are some quotes from developers that I've collected:

- “I’m now sitting at 57% of users have IPA cracked copies ( 1891 copies IPA cracked) and paid are catching”

- App released 2 days ago for 99c. Sold 447 copies over 2 days. Pirated on first day, with 1200+ illegal copies being used.

- Right now I’m running at 70% pirate, 30% legitimate.

- IPA’d copies of my software went up to 75% at one point, but then as sales have picked up on iTunes, stablized out at 66%, so 2/3’s of my userbase are non-legit currently.

5050 Unique Device Identifiers In My Database
250 Reported sales from apple
4800 Stolen Applications
1200 Average stolen a day
62.5 Bought a Day
5% Legit Users
95% Stolen Applications

- “I am looking for anything that could help I am running at less the 8% legit users.”

- At current count I am lowering to 5% legit users and 6000 thieves…

February 12 2009 at 9:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dhaasgob

If I was a developer, and especially one that has been in the loop of the JB scene, then I'd not look at RIPDev's Kali service for these reasons:

1) RIPDev gets a cut of the money from quarterly sales... money for them to 'rip' other products (see #2).
2) They get to 'scan and evaluate' your source code to determine where to put the anti-piracy code. I bet that also means they could possibly steal code from you and use it for their own [craptastic] programs on the JB market (like they've done with Kate, Pusher, JuiceDrop, Pseudosubstrate, and Hood).
3) Would you partner with a group that has been known to namecall and make outrageous accusations against many JB-oriented and even some non-JB developers? Or a group that and force their own micro-ecosystem on users (that hardly involves anything that isn't RIPDev maintained)? I wouldn't.
4) Installer is still a (if not the biggest) source of cracked app installs, so RIPDev is somewhat aiding (and in a sense profiting from) cracking activities. RIPDev could easily require prospective Installer sources to be examined by them (or a third party) to determine if cracked material exists... but they haven't either due to laziness, greed, or being plain stupid/naive.
5) Plus, as with any other piece of code on the iPhoneOS, a simple MobileSubstrate plugin could bypass/manipulate this (just as easily as VoIPover3G manipulates wifi checks, so can a plugin manipulate 'anti-piracy' checks).

Food for thought.

February 12 2009 at 3:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to dhaasgob's comment
alexmak

in response to before making such bold claims, I'd suggest you to learn how exactly Kali system works — AFAIK it's all automatic process where no code is passed to Ripdev, so they don't see and don't steal anyone's code. and the same level of BS in your other comments. food for thought, true.

February 12 2009 at 6:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
s73v3r

Kate? As in the text editor? As in the Open Source text editor? If that's true, I'd love to see some source code.

February 12 2009 at 1:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
colouroflight

Lame. If you're a developer and your app is any good, it will be pirated.

Fact of life. Deal with it.

February 12 2009 at 1:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
krye

Holy crap! Did you look at the pricing? The ones getting rich are the folks at Ripdev. What's with the royalty fee? They are making money hand over fist, for what, the off chance your app might get ripped? It's bad enough Apple is scimming 30% off the top, now ripdev wants a cut.

February 12 2009 at 12:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve

The problem here is that Ripdev is bound by SDK and other constraints while most crackers are free to use whatever means to get the app open.

February 12 2009 at 12:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to Steve's comment
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