[opendtv] Blu-Ray DVD copy protection breached

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:55:04 -0400

http://www.digitaltvdesignline.com/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=KYA
VSHIDD14SKQSNDLRSKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=206905592

March 24, 2008

Blu-Ray DVD copy protection breached

By Thomas Claburn

The second line of defense to prevent Blu-ray discs from being copied
has been breached: SlySoft, a software company based in Antigua, West
Indies, said last week that its AnyDVD HD 6.4.0.0 disc copying program
can now "make backup security copies of Blu-ray discs protected with
BD+."

The first line of defense for Blu-ray discs, the Advance Access Content
System (AACS) copy protection scheme, was defeated in late 2006. Efforts
to keep the 32-bit AACS processing key off the Internet failed
spectacularly in 2007 when foes of copy protection schemes posted the
sensitive number in a variety of forms on Digg and other Web sites.

The technology behind BD+ was developed by Cryptography Research and
sold to Macrovision in November 2007. BD+ is supposed to serve as a
secondary layer of protection to prevent Blu-ray disc content from being
copied.

In the July 8, 2007 issue of Home Media Magazine, Richard Doherty, a
media analyst for the Envisioneering Group, said BD+, unlike AACS,
wouldn't likely be breached for 10 years.

SlySoft, in a March 19 press release, repeated Doherty's prediction and
noted that it had succeeded in circumventing BD+ only eight months after
his statement.

"We are rather proud to have brought back to earth the highly-praised
and previously 'unbreakable' BD+," said Peer van Heuen, head of
high-definition technologies at SlySoft, last week. "However, we must
also admit that the Blu-ray titles released up to now have not fully
exploited the possibilities of BD+. Future releases will undoubtedly
have a modified and more polished BD+ protection, but we are well
prepared for this and await the coming developments rather relaxed."

BD+ is designed to be responsive to attempts to circumvent it, so it is
likely that Macrovision will be able to take steps to re-lock
compromised Blu-ray titles. Indeed, Macrovision suggests such action is
forthcoming.

"Macrovision does not comment on specific techniques or procedures that
may directly impact the BD+ security technology," said Eric Rodli,
executive VP and general manager of entertainment at Macrovision, in an
e-mailed statement. "BD+ is a security response system designed to react
to security attacks, not prevent them entirely. As part of this system,
updated BD+ security code is continuously developed so that BD+
customers obtain ongoing value from the use of this technology."

All material on this site Copyright 2006 CMP Media LLC. All rights
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