Sony's New DRM Technique

skochak writes "Sony has introduced a new DRM scheme. You can burn a CD-R from the original once, but you can't re-burn from that first copy." From the article: "The concept is known as 'sterile burning.' And in the eyes of Sony BMG executives, the initiative is central to the industry's efforts to curb casual CD burning. 'The casual piracy, the school yard piracy, is a huge issue for us...Two-thirds of all piracy comes from ripping and burning CDs, which is why making the CD a secure format is of the utmost importance.'"

Comments

Not new!

[Paolo DF]

This isn't a NEW technique: Philips did use it years ago with their DCC digital compact cassettes

Details of First4Internet DRM implementation

[Anonymous Coward]

The First4Internet CD copy protection technology destroys the registry keys (driver device names) associated with your CD-ROM devices. Then a monitoring app allows or disallows access to the device.

The monitoring app is buggy. If it stops running or loses your device references, you will have to reinstall windows to make your CD-ROM devices work again.

Also, by messing with the internal driver properties like this, many apps simply hang or crash the system when trying to access the device.
You can forget about using your legitimate buring software after putting one of those CDs in your computer...

-- anon DRM developer

Re:Details of First4Internet DRM implementation

[Anonymous Coward]

Above confirmed. This is exactly why you should disable autoplay (or just hold Shift while you boot).

Naturally, other than that, it's a partial-mixed-mode CD; first session contains audio tracks with a slightly malformed TOC, and second session contains just data track, which will be autoexecuted in a dumb machine if you don't hold Shift.

This really doesn't bring anything to the table that hasn't been brought before in terms of basic technique. Additionally, the payload definitely qualifies as malware, and therefore should really be removed by an antispyware, who have traditionally held the grounds of safe removal of malicious software created by companies; or even a competent and ballsy antivirus (surrepetitious install damaging system configuration, no safe uninstall, bundled with shiny features = Trojan horse).

My suggestion is to use Exact Audio Copy, set up correctly (use Secure mode with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache) combined with Plextools Professional (set Enable Single Session mode before you insert the disc, and rip at a maximum of 4X) in a Plextor CD-RW drive (ideally the Plextor Plexwriter Premium). You can make a perfect copy of the actual CD-DA audio that way, burn an audio CD-R from the WAV/CUE pair if you wish, and - if you have a modicum of sense and don't wish to keep a disc with a live piece of malware in your CD collection - return it to the shop for a full refund, because hey, it doesn't work in your car/walkman/whatever. Sprinkle on additional this-stupid-CD-broke-my-computer rant should you wish. And release to BitTorrent... a stupid record company that puts malicious software on their CDs frankly deserves everything they get.

-- another anon anti-DRM developer

Re:secure the format

[why-lurk]

Not if anyone but Sony changes it. Sony owns the CD Trademark AFAIK and thus can simply declare the new format the "CD".

Only if you spell Sony "P-H-I-L-I-P-S", as Philips is the actual owner of the Compact Disc trademark, and is not a record label.

Philips is serious about maintaining CD compatibility, and has forced the purveyors of incompatiple DRM schemes to clearly label that they are not compatible with the standard.

See, e.g., http://www.spectacle.org/0702/evan.html

--kirby

Re:Backwards compatable?

[evilmonkey_666]

I have tested the XCP2 copy protection system on a pre release disc. It will play on CD and DVD players. But it won't work on Macs or under Linux.

When you play it on a computer or DVD player you are not listening to the CD content but rather low bitrate DRM files squeezed into a 80 mb partition.

The effect of this is twofold.

1) The sound quality is crappy.
2) There is less space on the rest of the disc for the real music (only about 60 minutes!)

I will *never* buy an XCP2 disc. It installs software automatically when it is inserted into a windows computer. There is no 'OK' or 'I agree' button. It just does it without telling the user, I doubt these discs are legal and I can smell a lawsuit coming if they actually try and sell these trojan ridden discs.

Don't get burnt, follow the law!

[greyfeld]

We already have this DRM scheme in place. It's called Serial Copyright Management System and has been required on all digital recorders since 1992. The manufacturer's of DAT recorders, CD recorders (set top models) and the media labeled for music already pay a tax to the RIAA and consumers who use these technologies cannot be sued.

http://www.gigalaw.com/articles/2001-all/samuels-2 001-04-all.html

What's so different about this other than it prevents burning on a CD-ROM? If you want to burn CD's to your heart's content without fear from the man, just follow the law http://www.virtualrecordings.com/ahra.htm.

Link to previous comments on this issue.

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=104952&cid=893 7703