Newest Audio CD DRM Proves Ineffective

The Importance of writes "As noted previously, a couple of weeks ago BMG released a new CD by Anthony Hamilton that included DRM. Slashdot readers speculated that the system wouldn't work. Now there is a report proving it doesn't work by Alex Halderman, a graduate student at Princeton's computer science department and the author of an earlier, definitive report (PDF, HTML version) on first generation CD copy protection. Famed computer scientist Ed Felten asks: "Is this the end of the road for CD copy protection?" His answer? "It ought to be.""

Comments

Best copy protection

[trailerparkcassanova]

is to keep producing crap that no one will want to copy.

Re:I love the text on the CD..

[Alsee]

Since when does taking functionality away from something mean you're enhancing it?

Expect to start seeing "enhanced computers" hitting the stores in within a year or two at most. I guarantee that precise word - enhanced.

TCPA-enhanced-computers, Palladium-enhanced-computers, NGSCB-enhanced-computers, or SomePrettyNewName-enhanced-computers.

The "reduced functionality" will be extremely specific. It will store your "passwords" (encryption keys) in special memory, and you will be denied the ability to read that memory. Since you are denied access to your own passwords you will be denied the ability to read your own files except as permitted by someone else. You will be denied the ability to copy, back up, or move your own files, except as permitted by someone else. You will be denied the ability to modify your software, except as permitted by someone else. You will be denied the ability to modify your hardware, except as permitted by someone else. Other people can force you update, delete, or modify your system in any way they demand, or parts of your system lock up and your files go dead and useless.

Portions of the system will lock up completely unless you have a continuous internet connection constantly passing information to, and accepting commands from, someone else.

Why would someone ever buy such a crippled computer? Three reasons. Number one: All new computers sold will be "enhanced". Most people know squat about computers or the new "enhancements", they just buy a new computer, and that's how they come. Reason Two: The new computers can do everything the old computers can do, they can run all old software and use all old data. There's no reason at all not to get the new computers. Reason Three: The new Windows operationg system will only run on an enhanced computer. All sorts of new software will only work on enhanced computers. New file downloads won't work on the old computers. New E-mail will only work on enhanced computers. New WEBSITES will only be accessible with enhanced computers. Various old websites will be modified to only be accessible with enhanced computers.

If the new "enhanced" inititive succeeds we're all screwed.

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