Blu-ray Protection Bypassed 407
ReluctantRefactorer writes with an article in the Register reporting that Blu-ray copy-protection technology has been sidestepped by muslix64, the same hacker who bypassed the DRM technology of rival HD DVD discs last month. From the article: "muslix64's work has effectively sparked off a [cat]-and-mouse game between hackers and the entertainment industry, where consumers are likely to face compatibility problems while footing the bill for the entertainment industry's insistence on pushing ultimately flawed DRM technology on an unwilling public." WesleyTech also covers the crack and links the doom9 forum page where BackupBluRayv021 was announced.
This won't kill DRM (Score:5, Interesting)
So as disk-based DRM is consistently wrecked, but can't be updated until the next hardware cycle (~7-8 years at least), which alternative becomes obvious?
Software based DRM via network downloads. You can update the DRM-ed player in the next software patch, automated via Internet distribution. Apple is covered with their iTunes store, and Microsoft has been working frantically on heavy DRM in Vista and WMP.
Now you know why.
It's not cracked, not yet at least (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Here's what will kill DRM... (Score:5, Interesting)
Your post is more true than you realize. [popularmechanics.com]
something useful? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:This won't kill DRM (Score:4, Interesting)
The drawback people have spotted here (Score:5, Interesting)
This sounds like a right pain in the arse. I'm used to buying DVDs willy-nilly and just shoving films onto servers, PSPs, iPods, XBMC etc as the mood takes me. It always works, I just press a couple of buttons and away I go.
Reading these stories have made me think - I'm now even less likely to buy a HD disk than I am a standard DVD. I buy a HD disk in the shop and I've now got to worry, can I get the key for this disk? will it be for the right region? will it be the right version (you can be sure once a disk is cracked they'll shove new keys on all future pressings).
I don't think I can be arsed with all this really.. much easier just to download un-encrypted and know it'll work on everything I own, forever. FFS I'd pay more for the pirate version than the legit one given the chance.
My next prediction is the appearance of a site that'll serve keys. You put your HD disk in your machine, run a util that gets a hash from it, searches online and decrypts the disk automatically.
*scampers off to register hd-keys.com*
Re:Oh well... (Score:2, Interesting)
But which comes first? The widespread adoption of a format or the ability to easily copy the format's content? I have a feeling it's the latter; which is why strong DRM provides not only a false sense of security, but may actually be the single biggest reason customers choose to shun a format.
Yes it IS a crack (Score:5, Interesting)
The argument that DRM is "workable" breaks down because the encrypted message is delivered to a party who is expected to BOTH decrypt the message, and NOT know the keys. But the keys had to be used to effect the decryption!
Basically, it makes very little sense.
The only way that DRM can work is if the playback device does not trust its user. Which means that it CANNOT be a general purpose computer.
The next generation of "DRM Operating Systems" cannot support general purpose computing. Pretty much the only way to guarantee that DRM will work is for such a computer to not allow ANY non-DRM compliant software while DRM content is playing.
In other words, while the DRM movie is playing, your spreadsheet won't.
But, since music playback while working is common, we can safely predict that DRM restrictions will be lifted from music. Movies? The next generation may well support "single tasking while movie is playing" mode.
If this is not done (as well as locking out all non-DRM approved drives and kernel extensions), the keyset can be recovered from the player software.
This crack just demonstrates this particular weakness. When I probe a cryptosystem, I look at the algorithm used (are there errors in the implementation? is it a good crypto algorithm? etc.), the keys (key length, is brute force possible or is the key recoverable from a known encyrpted plaintext, was the key produced by someone sane, or an idiot, etc.) and key management (where and how are keys stored and published etc.).
Remember "Spaceballs": the code is: "1", "2", "3", "4".
It is also good to remember that once a single digital copy is "cracked", the work doesn't have to be done for that title again.
Re:Oh well... (Score:3, Interesting)
Remember SunComm, which saw its stock price fall by $10million when someone figured out they could bypass its DRM by holding down the shift key? http://news.com.com/2100-1025-5089168.html [com.com] If only they'd hired a geek to give it the idiot test...
Re:He didn't crack Blu Ray or HD DVD (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Oh well... (Score:3, Interesting)
Yet writable DVD drives were still in the £300-£400 range at that time.
And while we're on the subject, I used to subscribe to a Netflix-style service. I'd intended copying the discs, and whilst I was able to do this, it wasn't worth the hassle; averaging out the rental cost, plus the price of the disc, plus the time taken to rip and compress the DVD onto a single layer disc..... I realised that I could buy the complete box set at a decent price and said "sod it...."
The size of the discs probably made it possible to sell complete season/series box-sets widely. This never happened on VHS; although the tapes were bulkier, they also seemed to want to milk the buyer with 1h-2h content on a tape, when they could have fitted more. Possible result? Too expensive, too bulky; so how often did anyone buy complete runs? Not often.
I guess with DVD someone twigged that countless people buying the complete series at a third of the price equated to far more profit than four nerds who shelled out for a couple of seasons of ST:TNG at two episodes per tape...
Re:This won't kill DRM (Score:2, Interesting)
That won't work, though. Think about it. You can put an update for either the decryption keys, or the decryption software on the disk. Let's say you put the software on the disk. Well, that means that Awai, Emmerson, Sony, Philips, Sanyo, Tandy, and countless others have to use identical computing engines in their equipment. If that's the case, we merely emulate the engine, and the security is cracked.
Let's say you put the decryption keys on the disk. Well, in order for the various equipment manufacturers to be able to read the movie, there would have to be a standard method for finding the decryption keys. We reverse engineer the standard, and our player software can update itself right from your disk.
Re:Oh FFS (Score:5, Interesting)
Common sense be damned. Could an encryption key be the world's shortest copyrighted work?
Re:One can hope..... (Score:3, Interesting)
I already did. I rent through Blockbuster online and/or Netflix. I'm catching up on all my TV shows I missed on Cable (which is also too expensive due to no competition) and the occasion film. DRM be dammed. I would buy DVD's if...
If they could do that, I would probably buy every DVD I watched. It would probably also kill rental companies. hehe It would be nice if I could walk into my favorite (see most convenient) store, go to the movie desk and ask for a film. They could just push a button, and a few minutes later, a hot-off-the-press DVD is burned (with cover art), tossed into a nice recycle friendly paper protector slip and for a Lincoln($5) or less, I can be out the door. At home, I can rip it to my iPod, computer, or PSP, depending on my needs and home theater setup(no sharing).
I can file the disc into my DVD binder, tear off the corners of the slip it came in, which doubles as a background art in the DVD binder holder, and I'm set.
The benefits? Well, the stores would get a digital copy downloaded into their machines. No longer do they need large store displays or floor space. They can burn their disc at the customers desire. The movie companies don't have to mass produce a ton of products, ship them, and go through all the safety tests to make sure their packing meets standards and regulations. They just download their copy to the store on release day (or before and restrict it's sale until release day to avoid blasting their pipeline). They could save loads on production costs. If you happen to have a coaster, just bring it back to the store and trade it in for a new one.
It's all about the price being right. Of course, some people like the plastic case and jacket, no problem, the machine can print that off too, on high quality glossy paper, toss it in a plastic case, and pay an extra $1-2. It's more a-la-cart. And you toss out the "we don't stock that title" occurrence, where you want that older DVD (like say, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1-5), but it's not available at the local retailer, who only has Season 6 and 7.
Of course, one day, they just might do that... only they'll still charge $15 for the DVD and $5 for the plastic case. People will still rent it, copy it, for $2 ($1 for the rental and $1 for the DVD) and the movie companies will still cry that no one is buying their DVD's even when they give them what they ask for! Of course, it's the fact that they need to get DVD's to people for the price that makes the effort of pirating the movie more hassle than it's worth. That price? $1-$5.
Of course, I'm not familiar enough with the costs associated with such a setup, but I think it seems in the ballpark of reasonable.
Well, that's my dream. It's reasonable... to consumers. =P
Cheers,
Fozzy
Re:Oh well... (Score:3, Interesting)
So this abuse has existed before with VHS. I do think UOP (User Operation Prohibition) is the STUPIDEST feature in the DVD format, though.
-Z