17 Charged With Hacking Into Satellite TV; violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act...

Associated Press ^

[RCW2001]

LOS ANGELES Feb. 12 —

A federal grand jury has indicted 17 people who authorities say hacked into satellite television transmissions, causing millions of dollars in losses to DirecTV and Dish Network, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Six of the defendants were charged with violating the anti-encryption provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The other charges involved conspiracy or manufacturing a device for the purpose of stealing satellite signals. All three counts carry a maximum prison sentence of five years.

The indictments were returned last month and unsealed Tuesday.

Ten defendants already have agreed to plead guilty, authorities said, including a 43-year-old West Los Angeles man who has acknowledged causing $14.8 million in losses to satellite TV companies.

The investigation was aimed at people who develop software and hardware devices that crack the scrambled signals designed to limit satellite TV services to paying customers. DirecTV, for instances, uses "smart cards" as part of their set-top boxes that descramble satellite signals.

The defendants named Tuesday are charged with thwarting that security, often meeting in secret online chat rooms to exchange data and techniques and using such nicknames as "FreeTV," authorities said.

The defendants range in age from 19 to 52. Most live in California, although some are from Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Florida and Ohio.

"This case demonstrates our commitment to identifying and prosecuting sophisticated computer hackers who steal the intellectual property of others for their own economic benefit," U.S. Attorney Debra Yang said.

[Registered]

Curiosity can be misconstrued as guilt ;-)

[clamper1797]

The Access Card will work only in the Receiving Equipment that it came with.

Guess again ... and who gave them the right to make this ... will at all times remain the exclusive property of DIRECTV ... retroactive ?

[RoughDobermann]

As I understand it, you can purchase used equipment (receiver, dish, LNBs, etc.), but a new smart card has to be purchased from Dish and programming service activated. That is predicated on agreeing to the residential agreement's conditions. But, I may be wrong. Checking.

[glennaro]

You, and some others on this thread, are thinking legally, not ethically. Legally, you can develop an argument to counter just about anything (as we've all seen in recent years). Ethically there is no counter argument to stealing DirecTV's property; that is, the program signal.

By the way, the language on the DTV Access Card includes:

"The Access Card ... contain(s) trade secrets and are protected by United States and international copyright and other laws. You may not read, access, copy, modify, adapt, translate, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, decode, download, ... the foregoing."

[okkev68]

I cancelled my dish subscription and they didn't ask for the card back. I own the reciever, so if I make my own smart card then I am not breaking any laws. I just can't tamper with theirs.

[clamper1797]

If, however, you bought your equipment, then signed a release for the card; I would be in total harmony with the legality.

I agree with this ... BUT also if they don't want me to decode their signal ... keep it out of my house ... OH and I was NOT joking about making my own smart card ... who do you think helped designed these ....

[RoughDobermann]

You can't legally begin programming service without activating your smart card through Dish Network. By activating the card, you've agreed to the agreement. This is clearly stated when you sign up (legally).

[glennaro]

One could use a similar argument to rationalize creating your own version of Microsoft Office by stealing the proprietary software codes.

[clamper1797]

You may not read, access, copy, modify, adapt, translate, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, decode, download, ... the foregoing."

Show me in the copyright law where it says I can't read read, access, copy, modify, adapt, translate, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, decode, download, ... the foregoing for MY own uses (not for profit).

[clamper1797]

You can't legally begin programming service without activating your smart card

Guess again ... you really don't know what your talking about ... do you ?

[RoughDobermann]

Okay, say you by a system from Dish or a reseller. No, at that point, you have not agreed to anything. But, to enable the smart card (i.e., decode the signal to allow viewing), you have to agree to the conditions of the residential agreement.

[RoughDobermann]

Did you see me use the word "legally"?

[clamper1797]

Microsoft Office by stealing the proprietary software codes.

Microsoft does NOT pass these codes to you thru YOUR property every second of every day.

[IncPen]

I didn’t see it in the article but I’ll bet they were involved in some gimmick to make money from it. I bet they were selling an info pack or kit or something. 17 people can’t steal 14-something million dollars worth of services without doing something like that.

I think the charge had to do with a computation of how much revenue was lost by the provider

That surely is a put-up number.

[Hodar]

But, to enable the smart card (i.e., decode the signal to allow viewing), you have to agree to the conditions of the residential agreement.

And this is precisely what the hackers are doing. They have not signed anything, they buy the units at garage sales, or cheap units at Wal-Mart. They now OWN the units, and they then modify them.

Again, if the satelite companies would bother to sign the cards out, and then at least make an effort to control the number of cards out and about; I could have some sympathy. But, the truth is that they really have no idea how many cards are out in the market. Just because you toss the hardware, doesn't mean the card isn't on EBAY, or being used elsewhere.

[IncPen]

Ethically there is no counter argument to stealing DirecTV's property; that is, the program signal.

If you believe the DCMA is in any way ethical OR legal, then we have something to disagree upon.

The point being made is that by spraying their signal onto my property, like sunlight, it's mine.

[clamper1797]

enable the smart card (i.e., decode the signal to allow viewing), you have to agree to the conditions of the residential agreement

Bull .... WRONG AGAIN ... That like saying if I sell you my car ... the instant YOU start it you agree have to buy my gasoline

[okkev68]

Who said anything about stealing? I am sure someone could build a "smartcardless" receiver capable of unscrambling Dish networks signal. What laws have they violated?

I personally use cable because satellite internet isn't even close to the speeds I am getting with my modem.

[RoughDobermann]

Legally. Get that? LEGALLY.

[RoughDobermann]

I don't know. Probably not, knowing them.