Popular hacking haven, CEF (Cheat Engine Forums) received a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notice 2 days ago from NEXON America’s Lloyd Korn. Cheat Engine however, was not shut down by the owner. To avoid any legal actions, CEF’s host shut down the site and terminated their hosting. Cheat Engine made an official notice on April 25th explaining their current issues.

April 25th 2009: Hosting trouble

As you might have noticed the forum is currently hosted on a free forum, and the main website is missing a few things like the tables section.
This is because the previous host has kicked me out because of a DMCA notice without notifying me at all. (Seems that even just talking about game modification is illegal these days. All hail the emperor) So now I’m looking for a new location to host the site, and in the meantime I’ll have to do with what I can get

It is clear that CEF have no intention of shutting down. Angnetwork.com made a post explaining CEF’s DMCA notice in further details.

Why is CEF down?
Q: Why is CEF down?
A: Dark Byte’s host received a letter from Lloyd Korn representing Nexon, who cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and had his host shut CEF down.

Q: Why didn’t Dark Byte just delete the MapleStory section(s)?
A: He had no choice in this. His host shut him down without much due notice to avoid any legal problems. He also said he will not remove the MapleStory section(s).

Q: What is going to happen now?
A: Dark Byte is currently looking for a new host for CEF. If you have any suggestions around 220 EUR a month, contact him. Be sure the hosts’ country or state laws do not comply with the DMCA.

Q: Where can I contact him?
A: On IRC. His username is “Dark_Byte”. irc.p2p-network.net/#cef

Q: When will CEF be back up?
A: Whenever Dark Byte finds a new host. The domain name should not change, as it was not registered with the host. Update: The temporary forum is setup at: http://cheatengine.freeforums.org and the cheatengine.org domain is currently directed there.

Q: What exactly was sent to Dark Byte?
A: This: http://pastebin.com/m3aa69273

Q: Should I call Nexon and tell them they suck?
A: No. Don’t be an idiot. Do NOT contact Nexon for any such reasons. Your “kindness” is being misguided.

You can view the DMCA in all it’s legitimacy below.

Re: DMCA Notice relating to www.cheatengine.org

To whom it may concern:

Nexon America Inc. (”Nexon”) is the owner of the Website, www.nexon.net (the “Website”) The website contains Nexon’s copyrighted material and the intellectual property in the Video Games on the Website, which include the games MapleStory and Combat Arms (the “Games”), as well as the original images on the Website and embedded in the Games, and the object and source code for the site. In addition, Nexon is the owner of the trademarks NEXON, Combat Arms and MapleStory, as well as hundreds of other trademarks used in association with the website.

You are currently hosting the following website: www.cheatengine.org (the “Rogue Website”). This website is a haven for private servers and hackers of the Games, and for those who have illegally misappropriated Nexon’s intellectual property: The people who run this Rogue Website specifically distribute and allow for the download of hacks and private server software for the Games and the pirated source code of the Games. Because of this, the Rogue Website is severely damaging the Game and is hurting Nexon’s business by misappropriating Nexon’s intellectual property.

You need to look no further than some of the examples in Exhibit “A” below to see Nexon copyrighted source code, artwork and protected Trademarks all over the site which is used by the owner to misappropriate and encourage the use of illegal hacking and private server software by others who visit the site.

I hereby state that Nexon America Inc. is the owner of copyright in the images attached hereto and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the infringing use was not authorized by it, its agents or the law. I further declare under penalty of perjury that this notice is accurate and that I am authorized to act as Nexon America Inc.’s agent in this matter. Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and your Terms of Service, Nexon America Inc. demands that you shut down the Rogue Website and remove the infringing material contained on said site.

You may reach me by e-mail at lkorn@nexon.net if you have any questions about this matter. The foregoing is not intended as a complete statement of our rights and remedies, all of which are hereby expressly reserved.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Korn

Lloyd Korn

Nexon America Inc.

General Counsel

Main (213) 858-5930

Fax (213) 858-5940

Email lkorn@nexon.net

www.nexon.net

The information contained in this message and any attachment may be proprietary, confidential, and privileged or subject to the work product doctrine and thus protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies.

Exhibit “A”

Hack Threads

Using hacks like these are against our Terms of Service

Thread

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=389618

File hosted on CheatEngine.org

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=56043

Used to edit files of MapleStory to make monsters move into one position so that players don’t have to move to every monster to kill.

Thread

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=372684

2 Files Hosted on CheatEngine.org

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=53559

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=53558

Used to add custom properties of MapleStory game files to create monster vacuums, making skills attack faster.

Thread

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=377153

Links to other threads such as the one above. Also a step by step tutorial with many screenshots of how to edit the MapleStory Game files to gain an advantage.

Thread

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=388353

Files

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=56263

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=56037

More patcher files that edit the MapleStory Game files. Edited versions of Map.wz make monsters move to one location. Mob.wz edits make the monsters unable to attack or behave normally.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=404396

Using hacks like these are against our Terms of Service.

More patcher files for making monsters move to one location. Screenshot of the hack in action on this thread. File is hosted externally.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=387987

Edited MapleStory game files hosted externally. Descriptions of what has been edited in this thread such as making character skills attack abnormally fast. Making it so monsters in game do no damage to a character.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=404285

Cheat Table for the entries of memory edits used.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/download.php?id=57938

Using antihacking bypasses and memory editors to hack the game. Against our Terms of Service.

Private Server Section

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewforum.php?f=54

Advertisements for various private servers of MapleStory.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewforum.php?f=53

Discussion of Private servers. Threads about setting up your own private server.

http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=221192

Guide on Setting up your own private server.

CheatEngine’s own software for Memory Hacking

http://www.cheatengine.org/downloads.php