Editing Software blacklist (section)

{{onesource|date=December 2009}}
'''Software blacklisting'''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheldon |first=Robert |title=What is application blacklisting? {{!}} Definition from TechTarget |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/application-blacklisting |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=Security |language=en}}</ref> is a tool used by manufacturers of software and music on [[CD]] and [[DVD]] to prevent copying.

Essentially the software on the disc will audit the user's computer for certain types of [[virtual CD]] and CD authoring software, or for [[debugger|debugging software]] used by [[warez|warez groups]] to create [[Patch (computing)|patches]] (known as [[software cracking|cracks]]) that bypass [[copy protection]] schemes.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} If blacklisted software is found then certain actions are taken by the software on the game or music disc. Examples would be allowing the copying of the game to take place, but crashing the copied game when attempting to start it; allowing copies of games that will malfunction in subtle ways and simply disallowing the game to be run while this software exists.

This software blacklisting can be seen as a countermeasure to virtual CD/CD burning software used to bypass [[copy protection]] schemes such as [[SecuROM]], [[SafeDisc]] and [[LaserLock]].

In order to copy the CD, the user may have to copy the disc on another computer (real or virtual), uninstall the blacklisted software or wait for an update of the blacklisted software, which will have a countermeasure to the game or music disc's own blacklisting countermeasure.