Good question, not sure. But at the bottom where it was saying 'key revoked' or 'status unknown' it says 'offline' in the new version, which is a message I had not seen before this update.
I doubt GOG sees it that way, they're probably quite annoyed with me...

Anyone succeed in downloading the updated Defcon ? I tried downloading it using GOG downloader and it always messed up. Always restarting the download and when it was finished, it was check sum error. Even though I already set the concurrent connection to only one.

I had to do a direct download through the browser. The GOG Downloader generates errors with a number of recent files.

Hmm. Now that is a problem for me. I always get "403 - Forbidden" access when try to download game files form GOG through the browser. That is why I use the downloader.

Oh well, I guess I'll just try to download it another time.

Are you trying a straight download by clicking on the game link in the Downloads section, or are you trying to do something else like hand it off to a download manager like DownThemAll?

While I do believe you and trust your analysis, I was hoping that by now a 'blue' would have jumped in and said "Yes - that's a fixed version there now - and it doesn't talk to the net - no DRM" reply by this point.

Am kinda holding off cancelling my ticket waiting for that..

Well, I just simply clicking the link. But it reminds me: I got Video DownloadHelper and FlashGot add-on installed on my Firefox. Perhaps they hindering the download somehow ?

But I tried on Chrome too (without download related extension).. and I still got 403. The address is cdn.gog.com/...
Maybe just some problem in my internet connection network that prevent me to download it from web.

Yes, looks like you're getting the right link. Maybe something else about the web traffic from your country, as you suggest. I checked it recently and it was still working for me, so it also could be due to whatever interstitial routing (if any) GOG does between clicking the link and getting the download. One assume it verifies against your account, for example.

Maybe try logging off GOG and clearing your cookies, then log back in a try again. I've noticed before that GOG will persist bad session cookies and screw itself up at times.

I too find that odd. Then I though that they might still be testing the update. But why would they make it available if it was not tested yet?
The Mac version of the update is out now. I'm looking forward to the Linux version. Will a "blue" show up then, saying "mission accomplished"?

I continue to look forward to at least one of the following two:

* A clear statement from GOG about how the problem occurred despite it looking like they knowingly shipped DRM-enabled game for years.

OR

* Some information about how they will improve their process, policy, contracts, or testing to make this less likely in the future.

This is why my shopping at GOG has dwindled. It used to be you could trust the game would 1.) Work on your new OS and 2.) Be DRM free. Now days you have to be careful. If I have to be careful then I can shop anywhere else for that experience.

If you consider, originally when GoG started they had to deal with games that were already pre-internet so there was no possibility of it having a phoning or checking other than the startup or code-wheel. It's only natural newer stuff could introduce things that were never an issue before.

I always use firefox private mode. So, it should never store any browser.

And about my internet network. After my provider changed their DNS policy few months ago (now using transparent DNS), the traffic from my network often detected as spam by google -when you need to enter captcha to continue. Perhaps that is also what makes my access denied from downloading from GOG through browser.

I'll just wait. I am not in a hurry to download Defcon installer. I can do it anytime later. Thanks for your help though ;)

Just scream in a cow's ears for a few days.
Tricking the DRM is fine, in most cases. But as stated it has to be a permanent solution that doesn't allow for verification etc. A game that is supposed to phone home but calls a file installed on the local server through a dll installed by the game is fine. This will not break because of anything outside the game. Something like this where the external calls aren't even re-routed is asinine. That's simply lazy and poorly coded. The first is not going to break no matter the influence of the external server. The latter, which this game is, obviously will break if something goes wrong.

If you consider, originally when GoG started they also had a one world one price policy.

Where has that gone?

Oh, 'newer' explains it all.