“Apple Computer has closed a security hole that allowed an underground program to tap into its iTunes Music Store and purchase songs stripped of antipiracy protections,” John Borland reports for CNET News. “The PyMusique software, created by a trio of independent programmers online, emerged last week as a copy protection-free back door into the popular iTunes store. One of the creators was Jon Johansen, the Norwegian programmer responsible for releasing DVD-copying software in 1999.”
Borland reports, “Apple released a statement Monday saying the problem had been fixed, and that some iTunes customers would need to upgrade their software. ‘The security hole in the iTunes Music Store which was recently exploited has been closed, and as a consequence the iTunes Music Store will now sell music only to customers using iTunes version 4.7,’ the company said in a statement.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Expected, but, wow, that was quick!
Related MacDailyNews articles:
‘PyMusique’ lets users buy songs without DRM from Apple’s iTunes Music Store – March 18, 2005
Come onnnn, DVD John. You knew it was coming! Yesss. You’re not dealing with slackers here, Johnny. This is Apple! You’ve got to get up pretty early in the morning if you want to be successful in this world, for cryin out loud. Of course, Richter never got up early a day in his life and look at him.
Hey, I keed. I keed the portly.
Oohhhhh, yippee! First freaking post! Again.
Hey, you know, the first post awards around here are really starting to remind me of Dell. Know what I mean? They SUCK!
You know what really sucks – folks that get off on being first posts and then you see that they are not first.
So Triumph, is there anything you want to do to the awards?
I knew this would have a shorter lifespan than a fruit fly.
Hey Charlie. Do you think “Triumph” and “Triumph” are two different canine insult comics?
Read.
You’re right Charlie, but it looks like Triumph was first. And second.
Don’t you suppose that MDN might be waiting to post “first post” posts post the first non “first post” post?
I knew this was coming, but it sucks that it forces iTunes users to upgrade to 4.7. I was keeping one machine at a lower version, because of rendezvous. Not that I expected Apple to keep supporting the older versions forever, but it was nice to have a choice about which version to use, and still have access to the music store.
Do you know what really sucks?
Folks that get off trying to make fools of people, and then find they are the fools.
Good for Apple. DVD Jon is a criminal and his activities do nothing to benefit users. When we get a Mac, iPod, sign on to iTMS, we agree to certain policies and that, of course, brings “restrictions.” We may not like them but the do benefit users. For example, the iPod/iTunes/iTMS “restrictions” (DRM, # of Macs/PCs, etc.) allow Apple to get deals with the record companies. That, in turn, gets us music at a decent price and with a broad selection. Yada yada.
DVD Jon (and users of PyMystique, Hymn, et al.) prefer that the “restrictions” not apply to their so-called “rights” (not defined legally, otherwise Apple and others would have been challenged and would have lost, legally) and find methods to circumvent said restrictions.
When I buy a car, the use of it come with certain inherent “restrictions.” Speed limits, for example. If I choose to ignore those speed limits because my car is capable of going faster than 55mph or 70mph or whatever, and I determine that it’s my “right” to go as faster as I wish, I still may face the potential of additional restrictions (locked up in jail) for the “crime” of exercising my so-called “rights.”
Apple is doing a good thing by updating iTMS/iTunes to thwart DVD Jon who appears to be nothing more than a petty criminal with programming ability. It’s a shame that ability can’t be used for something more beneficial to humanity than criminal activity.
Would Triumph and all ‘his’ inane aliases go to some other venue please.
That was quick.
It’s just a game of cat and mouse…. Jon (or whomever is really responsible for this hack) will put additional effort, and emulate iTune 4.7 “good enough” to temporarily get by this hurdle. I just wish I had the extra time that Jon must have to do something more constructive…. like having a life.
But, to each his/her own I guess.
On another note, it seems that Pepsi has run out of the bottles for the ITMS promotion. They seem to have disappeared from the shelves in Southern California.
I hope that someday, one of the absolutely lovely ladies in Norway (I know because I currently live in another Scandanavian country) would interest Jon in a more productive and enjoyable activity.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
This is why I use a Mac!!
See how long Microsoft would take to fill a similar security hole.
9 months later…
Im still waiting…
Is anyone working on this yet?…
Solar Flare, that was funny.
TeraPatricks, nice analogy.
I knew the minute this got public Apple would slam the door on them. It should not be allowed anyway. People like this ruin it for everyone else. Glad Apple has closed the door and locked it.
I’m wondering how long it takes one of our modern journalists to mistake this breach as a worm or virus…
I agree that what DVD Jon was doing in this case was illegal and definitely counter productive. What is really different in this case is that users ALREADY had a choice – buy legally from ITMS or pirate off Kazaa etc. What was different about what he did with cracking DVD protections is that before he did, there was no choice. I am against pirating and file “sharing” of DVDs because it is stealing but I think I SHOULD be able to use a DVD as I chose after I buy it – make a copy for personal use, put a copy on my laptops hard drive to watch on the road, etc. All the restrictions on DVDs SUCK – I especially hate the regions – why can’t I buy a DVD when I am in the US and take it back and play it in Japan? – why can’t I change the region on my powerbook more than 5 times? – I shouldn’t have to have regions at all! So tho I think he is wrong in what he is doing here, I have to admit that I am kinda glad that he cracked the DVD crippling DRMs. The movie companies should be trying to figure out how to USE new technology to sell DVDs not how to THWART it.
I’m glad Apple fixed this. I just know that if I downloaded purchased music using PyMusique that I would, without a doubt, put the DRM-free song on of the P2P’s because only DRM-enabled music from Apple prevents me from being a pirate. Thank you Apple for protecting me from my sinful ways.
I side both both sides. I don’t endorse or support DVD Jon’s actions, but by the mere fact that he’s pushing the limits of what’s in place forces Apple to not sit idly by enjoying the influx of dollars. It forces Apple to keep improving and raising the standard, making iTunes the best there is (compared to the competition). While other companies (Napster, Sony, etc) are building music stores with insane interfaces, iTunes keeps it simple. Thanks, DVD Jon, for keeping the spotlight where it belongs… on Apple/iTunes.
“… but by the mere fact that he’s pushing the limits of what’s in place forces Apple to not sit idly by enjoying the influx of dollars. It forces Apple to keep improving and raising the standard, making iTunes the best there is (compared to the competition).”
Apple was making iTMS the best there is by being more liberal and having fewer restrictions than other implementations of DRM. His actions aren’t improving things. They’re forcing Apple to be more restrictive.
Another reason not to buy $0.99 iTunes.