Report: HD-DVD copy protection defeated

BoingBoing reader Gunther says,

On the doom9 forums there is news of a new tool to decrypt HDDVD's. How you get the key is not yet clear but there is a promise to have a tool to get the needed key later. (check the #9 post in the thread): Link, and related coverage at the Inquirer UK.

Here is the instructional video posted by muslix64, the person who claims credit: Link. muslix64 says,

I was not aware of anyone having done that, so I did. Have a look. The AACS copy protection system is realy Unbreakable! The program is a simple implementation of the aacs crypto protocol freely available on the net. No reverse engineering! Stay tuned for source code soon! Merry Christmas everyone!

Snip from Reuters coverage:

A hacker known as Muslix64 posted on the Internet details of how he unlocked the encryption, known as the Advanced Access Content System, which prevents high-definition discs from illegal copying by restricting which devices can play them.

The AACS system was developed by companies including Walt Disney Co., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Toshiba Corp. and Sony Corp. to protect high-definition formats, including Toshiba's HD-DVD and Sony's Blu-ray.

Muslix64 posted a video and decryption codes showing how to copy several films, including Warner Bros' "Full Metal Jacket" and Universal Studios' "Van Helsing," on a popular hacker Internet blog and a video-sharing site.

The hacker also promised to post more source code on January 2 that will allow users to copy a wider range of titles.

Link.

Reader comment: A.V. points out that the HD-DVD DRM crack is not a crack -- but a hack that will stop working pretty soon:

Note that AACS has not been broken. All they did was copy the key from memory off WinDVD's software. Yes, this will let you copy HD-DVD for now, until the manufacturers revoke the key in the next batch of HD-DVD pressings. WinDVD will either have to get a new key or might get their licence canceled entirely, ending the product.

Of course if they get a new key, then it can be copied from memory again unless they start encrypting it in memory and then this program is useless.

So "backup" your HD-DVD's while you can, in a few months this program will be useless on newer releases.

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