FREE SPEECH ATTACK: Princeton Student Sued Over Paper on CD Copying

The Registry ^ | Posted: 08/10/2003 at 15:53 GMT | By Tony Smith

[GirlyGirl2003]

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Shift key breaks latest CD anti-rip tech - grad student

By Tony Smith

Posted: 08/10/2003 at 15:53 GMT

A Princeton PhD student has published a paper detailing the music industry's latest CD copy protection scheme - and how the technique can be bypassed by simply holding down the host computer's Shift key when a 'protected' CD is inserted.

The copy-protection mechanism in question is SunnComm's MediaMax CD3 system. Launched in September, the company claimed its technology had passed strict testing to Recording Industry Ass. of America (RIAA) copy-protection standards with "flying colours".

The "comprehensive test procedures" - SunnComm's words - were performed by "world-renowned" Professional Multimedia Test Centre (PMTC), based in Belgium. PMTC Division Manager Frans Pender is quoted by SunnComm as saying MediaMax C3 offered "an incredible level of security for the music".

However, Princeton Computer Science Department student Alex Halderman's own analysis concludes MediaMax C3 is "irreparably flawed" thanks to the "weakness of its design". It is, he reckons, "unlikely to cause any significant reduction in copying".

He adds: "In practice, many users who try to copy the disc will succeed without even noticing that it's protected, and all others can bypass the protections with as little as a single keystroke."

Halderman probed SunnComm's technology using an off-the-shelf CD from music label BMG. He found that when the disc was first inserted, it auto-installs a device driver that subsequently interferes with attempts to copying the songs on the CD. The disc contains versions of its songs in DRM-protected WMA format, to allows computer users to listen to the tracks freely and to download the songs to a Microsoft DRM-enabled portable music player.

MediaMax C3 uses Windows' Auto-run feature to install the device driver, says Halderman. By holding down the Shift key, Auto-run can be temporarily disabled, preventing the driver from being installed, and allowing the user to access the otherwise unprotected - and uninterefered with - standard AIFF tracks.

Those tracks are unprotected in order to allow the CD to be played on video game systems and DVD players. Other copy-protection mechanisms, which add errors to the music code on the CD, for example, have foundered because they proved problematic when used on these 'legitimate' playback systems. Ditto their inability to work on Macs. Halderman rightly acknowledges SunnComm's attempt to remove these restrictions, though he points out that the company's technology still leaves Linux users in the dark.

"The driver examines each CD placed in the machine, and when it recognizes the protected title, it actively interferes with read operations on the audio content," writes Halderman. The CD contains drivers for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP and Mac OS X.

Halderman is no mere dilettante in matters of copy protection. He studies under Princeton Professor Ed Felten, who lead the team that successfully took up the challenge to crack the ill-fated SDMI encryption system, and was threatened by the RIAA with a Digital Millennium Copyright Act infringement suit for his trouble.

Halderman has himself published a number of papers on the topic of copy-protection mechanisms.

SunnComm admits its technololgy isn't perfect: "MediaMax CD3 is not a 'holy grail' solution expected to end illicit file duplication and unlicensed sharing," said COO William H Whitemore at the launch. "However, what we expect it will do is create an effective structure on the CD itself that encourages legal and licensed copying activities.

"A determined 'digital shoplifter', like any thief, can always find ways to steal," he added. "However, when record companies employ MediaMax, they create a legal way for music lovers to copy and share the music they purchase."

That said, we're not sure that he had "a way to steal" as simple as the one revealed by Halderman.

We asked SunnComm for comment, but the company did not return our calls. PMTC's Pender was similarly unavailable.

[GirlyGirl2003]

Should it be illegal to write anything? Of course there are many law suits regarding materials that are defamitory, or not true, but aside from those issues, especially in the area of science and technology, should it be illegal to write about certain subjects? Are you willing to allow government to modify your rights with laws that limit those rights? Should we "legalize freedom", or is real freedom just too risky for the great unwashed masses in fly-over country?

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[aristeides]

I thought the NSA had no luck trying to stop people from publishing encryption techniques. Why should the law protect record companies any more than the NSA?

[Voltage]

MediaMax C3 uses Windows' Auto-run feature to install the device driver, says Halderman.

Don't we have enough trouble with virus's? I don't want a CD to install anything on my computer without my permission..which I would not give!

Maybe the guru's can answer--wouldn't W2K or XP refuse to install anything without asking?

[LibWhacker]

SunnComm admits its technololgy isn't perfect:

Well, personally, I think it's beyond stupidly flawed when the press of a single key defeats it. It deserves no legal protection if that's all the thought they're going to put into it. imho.

[GirlyGirl2003]

This sort of thing really makes me mad. Most Americans are not technical, and they don't know about, nor do they have the time to keep track of these issues. But, these small law suits are huge attacks on free speech/ free press rights as defined by our First Amendment.

Just a few more suits like this, and your right to speak your mind about any issue will be affected. If you bring up the wrong subject, you could find yourself in a courtroom.

The complexity of everyday life is so great, few of us have the time to stay on top of attacks against our liberty, and they are many. It seems that in due time, liberty will be lost.

[friendly]

The good professor just made complete toast of the fraud perpetuated by SunnComm (and instantly made its phony baloney stock the worthless paper it always was). SunnComm has absolutely no case against this leading researcher who exposed the fake "protection" SunnComm foisted on unsuspecting media industry suckers.

SunnComm's reaction is to sue the messenger instead of producing a real protection system.

[absalom01]

Most likely, this case won't get far, but that's not the point.

It's simply a matter of time and money -- it's relatively inexpensive for the RIAA and (in this case) their contractor to sue an individual, who then faces thousands of dollars of legal bills, and loss of time, to simply answer the complaint.

The case gets thrown out? Well, that's fine -- the defendant is still out a few grand, and several weeks of his life, and will be spending the next ten years telling everyone he knows what misery it is to cross a deep-pocket company willing to bring a frivolous lawsuit.

[aristeides]

If the suit is frivolous, he can move for sanctions.

[afz400]

Digital Millennium Copyright Act's days are numbered, IMHO.
Good test of conservative philosophy, too - do you want to protect an ossified industry against new technology or do you want to preserve your freedom of speech and free association.

[yevgenie]

That was my comp sci prof in college. The same one I asked to write my letter of rec. to the NSA. =)

[absalom01]

Yeah, but that still costs money. Maybe, in this case, the profile is high enough that he can get some outside support, but the fact remains that it's REALLY EXPENSIVE to mount a defense. And, frivolous to you and me may not be frivolous under the law -- that's generally a pretty high standard.

Legal terror -- no other way to describe it.

[Psycho_Bunny]

ALL HAIL THE OMNIPOTENT SHIFT-KEY OF DOOM

[WackyKat]

But, these small law suits are huge attacks on free speech/ free press rights as defined by our First Amendment.

They're intended to be; that's why they're called SLAPP suits- Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

The purpose is to use the industry's money, lawyers and political power against average people in order to intimidate everyone.

[longtermmemmory]

Perhaps the stockholders should have a class action on their hands. When did these MORONS know their protection scheme would never and could never work.

Was this an effort by the music company to LOOK like they were doing something.

Did they put the intentially defective system on CD's because nobody will buy a neutered CD and this gives a comfort level to consumers?

This professor now has counter discovery, he can probe IN DEPTH what they knew and when did they know it. If he is smart he may get his universities law school students in on the case as part of they practical clinics.

Sounds like the protection company is penny wise and FTC foolish.

[GirlyGirl2003]

They're intended to be; that's why they're called SLAPP suits- Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

The purpose is to use the industry's money, lawyers and political power against average people in order to intimidate everyone.

Thats great information. Thank you. SLAPP: Shamless Lawyers Attacking Private Persons

[longtermmemmory]

If this is a federal suit, there are rule 11 sanctions for brining frivolous suits. Rule 11 sanctions are applied to the client AND the law firm JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY. In other words the lawyers filing the case are PERSONALLY responsible too. The judge is even empowered to make the lawyers pay the other lawyers themselves and prohibit their client from paying.

Its rare but the effects are nuclear. (or is that nuKler. ha ha)

[Choose Ye This Day]

All your AIFF tracks are belong to us.

[HEY4QDEMS]

I've known about pressing the shift key when a CD loads, it bypasses the auotrun.
It seems to me that the copy guard software developed by this company is obviously a very poor product.

Instead of suing this Princeton student, they should worry more about being sued by their own customers.