Ubisoft’s Uplay DRM installs rootkit, leaves PC vulnerable to attack

White hat hacker exposes Uplay security risk

Tarryn van der BylJuly 30, 2012

Another day, another DRM controversy – and today it’s allegations that Ubisoft’s Uplay DRM installs a rootkit that exposes your PC to browser-based intrusion. Or maybe it’s an Abstergo Industries plot.

The claims comes via white hat hacker, Tavis Ormandy, who published an exploit that allows remote control of any PC with Uplay installed.

“While on vacation recently I bought a video game called Assassin’s Creed Revelations,” he wrote over on goodie hacker news site, Seclists.

“I didn’t have much of a chance to play it, but it seems fun so far. However, I noticed the installation procedure creates a browser plugin for its accompanying Uplay launcher, which grants unexpectedly (at least to me) wide access to websites.”

Most of Ubisoft’s recent games require Uplay, including the Assassin’s Creed series and the new Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.

According to security experts, though, it looks like the vulnerability may have been quite unintentional.

“Functionality in the Uplay browser extension, that normally enables games to be launched from a web browser, turns out can also be used to launch any other program on the system,” an anonymous expert told CVG.

“In the demonstration making its rounds on the internet, the code launched a calculator.”

Ubisoft has apparently declined comment, but probably because they’re too busy fixing it to answer the phone.