“For weeks, the blogosphere has been abuzz with tales of intrigue about Sony’s XCP copy protection system. Among the strangest revelations was that XCP itself infringes on the copyrights to several open source software projects. In one case, Sam Hocevar found conclusive evidence that part of XCP’s code was copied from a program called DRMS, which he co-authored with DVD Jon and released under the terms of the GPL open source license,” J. Alex Halderman reports for Freedom to Tinker. “What made this finding particularly curious is that the purpose of DRMS is to break the copy protection on songs sold in Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Why would XCP rip off code intended to defeat another vendor’s DRM?”
Halderman reports, “The answer is that XCP utilizes the DRMS code not to remove Apple DRM but to add it. I’ve discovered that XCP uses code from DRMS as part of a hidden XCP feature that provides iTunes and iPod compatibility. This functionality has shipped on nearly every XCP CD, but it has never been enabled or made visible in the XCP user interface. Despite being inactive, the code appears to be fully functional and was compatible with the current version of iTunes when the first XCP CDs were released. This strongly suggests that the infringing DRMS code was deliberately copied by XCP’s creator, First4Internet, rather than accidentally included as part of a more general purpose media library used for other functions in the copy protection system.”
“Intriguingly, the FairPlay compatibility code in XCP is not limited to converting files from XCP CDs. The code appears to support conversion into FairPlay of files in a wide variety of input formats — MP3s, WAV files, RAW audio files, and standard unprotected audio CDs — in addition to XCP-protected discs. It’s also strange that the FairPlay compatibility code is shipped but not made available for use by applications, not even XCP’s own player software. (Technically, the code is not exported from the shared library where it is stored.) This might indicate that First4Internet decided to remove the feature at the very last minute, shortly before XCP CDs started to ship,” Halderman reports. “In any case, the code is present and still works. It’s possible to execute it by jumping to the right memory location after performing some basic setup. I’ve used this method to test various aspects of the software.”
Full article, including a screenshot of iTunes playing a protected file that Halderman made from a regular MP3 file using the hidden XCP functionality, here.
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Related articles:
Texas sues Sony BMG for ‘spyware’ on CDs – November 21, 2005
Fingernail-sized piece of opaque tape defeats Sony BMG CD copy-protection DRM scheme – November 21, 2005
Retailers report Sony BMG, EMI copy-protected CDs turning off music buyers – November 20, 2005
Sony Boycott continues: Sony recalls XCP-tainted music discs, offers Red Book compliant CD exchanges – November 17, 2005
Sony BMG infected music CDs could be good for consumer rights – November 16, 2005
Microsoft to remove Sony BMG malware – November 15, 2005
Sony BMG infected music CDs could lead Sony into ‘big-league legal trouble’ – November 15, 2005
EFF publishes open letter to Sony-BMG calling for recall of all infected Sony-BMG CDs – November 15, 2005
Boycott Sony – November 14, 2005
Sony BMG ‘temporarily suspends’ production of music CDs with copy-protection scheme – November 11, 2005
Boycott Sony products: Sony music CDs can install kernel extensions on Mac OS X – November 10, 2005
Computer security firm: ‘Stinx’ virus hides within Sony’s copy protection scheme – November 10, 2005
Sony sued over copy-protected CDs – November 10, 2005
SonyBMG antics may well cause public to turn on them and turn many people onto Apple Macs – November 06, 2005
Report: Sony copy-protected CDs may hide Windows rootkit vulnerability – November 01, 2005
Analyst: Sony BMG’s boycott of Apple’s iTunes Music Store Australia won’t last long – October 24, 2005
Apple launches iTunes Music Store Australia – October 24, 2005
How to beat Apple iPod-incompatible Sony BMG and EMI copy-protected CDs – October 04, 2005
Japan music labels look to impose ‘iPod Tax’ while Sony, Warner still not signing with Apple iTunes – October 10, 2005
Why aren’t Sony, BMG, Warner, Victor making their artists’ music available on Apple’s iTunes Japan? – October 06, 2005
Sony and Warner holding out on Apple iTunes Music Store Australia – September 08, 2005
Musicians stage mutiny against Sony, defiantly offer music via Apple’s iTunes Music Store – August 10, 2005
Sony BMG and EMI try to force Apple to ‘open’ iPod with iPod-incompatible CDs – June 20, 2005
New Sony BMG copy-protected CDs lock out Apple iPod owners – June 01, 2005
Record company causes Apple to hit ‘pause’ on Australian iTunes Music Store – May 05, 2005
Sony really F***ed up on this one. Merry Christmas to all the lawyers banking on this.
‘Curiouser and curiouser,’ said the white rabbit
That could mean that Sony/First4Internet’s XPC code now falls under the GPL as a derivative work, and they may have to provide the source code to anyone who wants it.
I’m sure Cher wouldnt of imposed a code if she was still with Sony
Remember folks, this isn’t Sony, it’s Sony/BMG, a joint operation owned 50/50 by Sony and the Bertelsmann Group.
So while everyone has been calling for a boycott of Sony, how about a boycott of BMG too?
Find out what BMG is into at http://www.bertelsmann.com/bertelsmann_corp/wms41/bm/index.php?ci=96&language=2 so you know what else to boycott from this pack of vermin.
MW = miss, as in “Give it a miss.”
Coca-Cola is affilliated with Schweppes too!
Bad SONY/BMG, bad bad bad!!
In other news Glaser of Real Networks is blabbing his mouth again.
http://news.com.com/Glaser+turns+wrath+on+Apple,+Jobs/2100-1027_3-5983354.html?part=rss&tag=5983354&subj=news
Can you say, “Jobs leveraging tool” for getting Sony/BMG to keep their tunes on iTunes at Steve’s price and on whatever country he wants????
Good news.
The heat is on Sony/BMG
http://lame.sourceforge.net/open_letter_sony_bmg.html
and more ties with M$
http://p2pnet.net/story/7201
Can you say, “Jobs leveraging tool” for getting Sony/BMG to keep their tunes on iTunes at Steve’s price and on whatever country he wants????
Read this
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2005/11/18.html
Can anyone tell me how to say, “HAVE YOU PEOPLE LOST YOUR FRICKING MINDS???!” in Japanese? What the *&^&** are they putting in the sushi these days?
ソニーは熱を感じたにちがいない 彼らは悪いないそれを実現するなる 市場占有率を心配してはいけない、 Apple をしなさい、 BMW かFerrari か。
for thelonious Mac – 失ったあなたのFRICKING の心をか。か。か。民を住まわせてもらう!
ソニーは熱を感じたにちがいない 彼らは悪いないそれを実現するなる 市場占有率を心配してはいけない、 Apple をしなさい、 BMW かFerrari か。
This is not a translaton that you are looking for.
It says:
As for SONY heat was felt as for them who are not different is bad, it implements that it is not being worried about the share which becomes, it is not good, do Apple, BMW or Ferrari?
this is what you are looking for – a bit stronger – but what you asked for:
失ったとても心を民を住まわせてもらう
MW: that as in “and that is that”
I’m not a lawyer, but is there a chance that GPL gives consumers the right to the songs that supposed to be protected by Sony’s DRM?
M$: SunnComm is one of a very limited number of partners admitted to the JDP for our next generation of Windows Media Player codenamed “Corona”. We think SunnComm is uniquely qualified so we have been happy to provide you with the earliest releases of the new player, development documentation and technical development assistance. Also, we are looking forward to your unique development of a “Secure Burn Plug-In” using your MediaMaker technology for the new player. This is a solution that we believe the marketplace will respond favorably to and will be truly the first of its kind.
Yep … just who is the “marketplace”? ‘Tain’t the ordinary humble consumer, eh? Good luck with “Morona.”
As for SONY, ソニーは昨日の会社だ。ボイコットを続けよう、二度ともあんあ悪いことをしないように。
Boycott Sony/BMG and boycott Sony. The only sound that these two scoundrels should hear this holiday season is the deafening roar of fifty million wallets slamming shut. With the exception of one or two states, or local and federal governments aren’t standing up for us and taking these two to task. Unless we as consumers put some hurt on these two, other music and software corporations will be tempted to do the same, but with some better programming. These two need to be punished to make an example.
I have three words of advice…Peer To Peer.
For decades I’ve supported copyright as a means of providing income to musicians. But when companies started putting up barriers to stop me transferring music to my ipod that’s when I spat the dummy.
I usually buy about forty cds a year. Now I expect to buy about five and the rest will be from Peer To Peer.
Keys that match my purchases, or built-in DRM and purchases that are limited to propriety on-line stores!!!! Give me a break.
So after years of trying to do the right thing I feel I’m rightly pissed off with all this big brother bullshit. And all I wanted to do was just to listen to music.
MW word: turn as in big turn-off
I have one word of advice, iTunes.
Dear John,
Maybe for you mate but I like choosing the bit rate and DRM sucks. To each there own.
Oops, I misspelt their.
br
What, so nobody wants a playstation 3 ? I’ll bet Sony are the flavour of the month when that baby’s released.