DVD CCA Drops Case; DeCSS Not a Trade Secret

jon787 writes "EFF is reporting that the DVD CCA is dismissing its case against Andrew Bunner. He was being prosecuted under California's trade secret laws for redistributing DeCSS. This means that the DVD CCA has finally conceded that CSS is no longer a secret, something the rest of us have known for a few years now."

Comments

DeCSS

[(1337) God]

/* efdtt.c Author: Charles M. Hannum <root@ihack.net> */
/* */
/* Thanks to Phil Carmody <fatphil@asdf.org> for additional tweaks. */
/* */
/* DVD-logo shaped version by Alex Bowley <alex@hyperspeed.org> */
/* */
/* Usage is: cat title-key scrambled.vob | efdtt >clear.vob */

#define m(i)(x[i]^s[i+84])<<

unsigned char x[5] ,y,s[2048];main(
n){for( read(0,x,5 );read(0,s ,n=2048
); write(1 ,s,n) )if(s
[y=s [13]%8+20] /16%4 ==1 ){int
i=m( 1)17 ^256 +m(0) 8,k =m(2)
0,j= m(4) 17^ m(3) 9^k* 2-k%8
^8,a =0,c =26;for (s[y] -=16;
--c;j *=2)a= a*2^i& 1,i=i /2^j&1
<<24;for(j= 127; ++j<n;c=c>
y)
c

+=y=i^i/8^i>>4^i>>12,
i=i>>8^y<<17,a^=a>>14,y=a^a*8^a<<6,a=a
&nbs p; >>8^y<<9,k=s[j],k ="7Wo~'G_\216"[k
&7]+2^"cr3sfw6v;*k+>/n."[k>>4]*2^k*257/
&nbsp ; 8,s[j]=k^(k&k*2&34)*6^c+~y
;}}

Re:DeCSS

[xargoon]

Maybe they will sue them for abusing the DVD logo and trademark instead..

Full Press Release

[mpav]

Full Press release is available here.

distro's

[byrd77]

so does this mean the varios linux distro's will be able to include a dvd player by default? could be a boon to wider acceptance on the desktop, especially at home

Re:distro's

[Loki_1929]

" so does this mean the varios linux distro's will be able to include a dvd player by default?"

Yep, as soon as we can find a DVD player in this damn spaghetti System V code.

So if something is released to the public...

[cartzworth]

...whether or not it is by the company that created it, it ceases to be a trade secret in the case of proprietary encryption schemes?

Does this mean?

[Facekhan]

Does this mean that Xine and Mplayer can now be distributed with libdvdcss included.

Yeah...

[c0dedude]

I'd just like to take a minute to thank the EFF. You can help them by donating.

CCA finally concedes CSS is no longer a secret...

[dodgyville]

Now if we can only get the Beatles to finally admit that Paul is dead, then that will mean the two most important but worst-kept secrets in the world will have been revealed on one day.

And I still...

[downix]

haven't gotten the damned t-shirt yet. 8(

Ok, thinkgeek here I come!

Will it be easier to get region-free players?

[MichaelCrawford]

One would think that all the DVD player manufacturers will now start making region-free players, but that might not be the case because they have contracts with the DVD-CCA that forbids them from doing so.

I've so far avoided getting a dedicated DVD player just because they have region coding, preferring to use a software-based open source dvd player.

But it's sure not as convenient or as pleasant to watch DVDs on my laptop as it would be on my TV with a dedicated player. For one thing, my laptop doesn't have a remote control.

Linux?

[mahdi13]

Does this mean I can finally watch encrypted DVDs on Linux without having the fear of the FBI crashing through my windows?

In Other News...

[plasm4]

Microsoft releases Office under the GPL Steve Ballmer wins Nobel Price in physics Former Enron executive Ken Lay goes to jail Duke Nukem Forever released

DMCA?

[Rick Zeman]

IANAL, but could it be that the reason they backed away from this case is that they don't want the DMCA itself to undergo the judicial scrutiny that it would?

It sure needs to, like, oh, shrinkwrap laws.

Re:Wait,

[kfg]

That's actually not a simple question which reading the article would fully resolve.

What it means is that the DVD CCA acknowledges that the keys and algorithm of CSS are no longer secret and thus have no protection under law as such.

In effect it means that said keys and algorithm can be published under certain circumstances without risk of action.

But that isn't exactly the same thing as saying that DeCSS is legal in the US.

KFG

Re:DMCA ?

[red floyd]

However, 17 USC 1201(f) explicity allows reverse engineering for interoperability:

(f) Reverse Engineering. -

(1)

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(1)(A), a person who has lawfully obtained the right to use a copy of a computer program may circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a particular portion of that program for the sole purpose of identifying and analyzing those elements of the program that are necessary to achieve interoperability of an independently created computer program with other programs, and that have not previously been readily available to the person engaging in the circumvention, to the extent any such acts of identification and analysis do not constitute infringement under this title.

(2)

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (b), a person may develop and employ technological means to circumvent a technological measure, or to circumvent protection afforded by a technological measure, in order to enable the identification and analysis under paragraph (1), or for the purpose of enabling interoperability of an independently created computer program with other programs, if such means are necessary to achieve such interoperability, to the extent that doing so does not constitute infringement under this title.

(3)

The information acquired through the acts permitted under paragraph (1), and the means permitted under paragraph (2), may be made available to others if the person referred to in paragraph (1) or (2), as the case may be, provides such information or means solely for the purpose of enabling interoperability of an independently created computer program with other programs, and to the extent that doing so does not constitute infringement under this title or violate applicable law other than this section.

(4)

For purposes of this subsection, the term ''interoperability'' means the ability of computer programs to exchange information, and of such programs mutually to use the information which has been exchanged.