[microsound] FW: [Sursound] DVD-A copy protection defeated

[Michael North <michael.north@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

With the interest in RIAA raids/mp3 downloads etc thought some on the list might be interested in this......

-----Original Message-----
From: sursound-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sursound-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Luiz GonÃalo de Moraes Prado
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 5:27 PM
To: Surround Sound discussion group
Subject: [Sursound] DVD-A copy protection defeated


>From High Fidelity Review

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber550899







DVD-Audio Copy Protection Defeated via WinDVD Software Hack




The music industry is buzzing with the news that high-resolution DVD-Audio
content can be ripped, bypassing most of the formatÂs copy-protection
safeguards. A small suite of applications that patch InterVideoÂs WinDVD 5,
6 or 7 program allow data to be routed directly to .WAV files on the userÂs
hard-disk, instead of to a soundcard for digital-to-analogue conversion.

 The three utilities are:

 DVD-A Ripper, which is intended to decrypt CPPM protected AOB and VOB
files, PPCM Ripper, used to capture Packed PCM (MLP) streams (stereo or
multi-channel) to .WAV files and DVD-A Explorer which allows the user to
browse a DVD-Audio track structure.

 The applications use WinDVDÂs licensed DVD-Audio and MLP decoders to access
the unprotected data, which can then be freely shared. The only caveat is
that DVD-AudioÂs Verance digital watermarking, embedded in the audio signal
itself, cannot be removed. The Verance watermark contains seventy-two bits
of data comprising four CCI (copy control information) bits and eight usage
identifier bits every fifteen seconds plus sixty content identifier bits
every thirty seconds  if a DVD-Audio player detects that an embedded
watermark does not match that of a specific disc (in other words if ripped
DVD-Audio content is burnt to a blank DVD-R disc using an authoring program
such as DiscWelder BRONZE), the machine will halt playback after thirty
seconds.

 The WinDVD hack does however, bypass two layers of DVD-Audio encryption, a
media key block used to authenticate the player (which itself is encrypted)
and Content Protection for Pre-recorded Media (CPPM), which was developed by
4C (comprising IBM, Intel, MEI and Toshiba) and uses fifty-six bit keys Â
instead of the forty bit keys used for CSS Â and the Cryptomeria Cipher (C2)
for content encryption.

 One interesting aspect of CPPM is that it allows for a hacked playback
device to be revoked using a Media Key Block (MKB). Each licensed decoder Â
in this case WinDVD Â has assigned to it a set of unique keys that allow it
to obtain the Media Key (used to encrypt the audio content) from the MKB and
decrypt the audio content. As WinDVD is now compromised in its current form,
future DVD-Audio releases could be prevented from playing back on the
software, rendering the hack uselessÅ were it not for the thousands of
DVD-Audio titles already released, all of which can be (in theory at least)
copied using the DVD-A Ripper, PPCM Ripper and DVD-A Explorer applications.

 Created by someone calling him/herself "MaximA", the suit of tools has been
privately used since 2004, but only today have they been uploaded to various
web sites for widespread download and use with both standard DVD-Audio
titles and the new generation of DualDiscs.

 Needless to say although the applications have some legitmate value for
enthusiasts (the ability to tell whether a disc has Verance watermarking and
being able to analyse the audio content digitally to spot up-sampled discs
for example), the use of either DVD-A Ripper, PPCM Ripper or DVD-A Explorer
to actually copy the content of discs has considerable legal implications
and as High Fidelity Review does not condone the theft of intellectual
property or music piracy, we will not be posting a link to the Rarewares
download site at this time. Readers who are looking for further information
are advised to check one of the popular search engines or a high-resolution
discussion forum for applicable URLs.


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