Skip to Content

Massively has the latest Warhammer Online news, guides and analysis!
AOL Tech

Posts with tag Decss

Filed under: Security, News, P2P

First Blu-Ray/HD-DVD key revoked


And the saga continues. The content protection system used on next generation HD capable DVD's (AACS) was recently compromised through an exploit in the popular WinDVD software made by Intervideo. In a departure from the standard definition DVD encryption spec (CSS), AACS allows for the publishers to revoke keys handed out to specific licensees, if those licensees somehow misbehave or compromise the system.

Due to the revocation, WinDVD users must upgrade to a new version -- containing a new key -- if they want to watch the HD-DVD's they own.

DeCSS rendered useless the entire CSS system on first gen DVD's, making copying, ripping and backups a trivial procedure. So far, the AACS equivalent remains elusive. However, you can bet that someone somewhere is hard at work on a way to compromise AACS again, either in a short term single key crack -- like the one we've seen here -- or a longer term, system wide crack. There isn't a single known DRM system worth cracking that hasn't been cracked, multiple times; AACS will likely be no different.

[via Slashdot]

Filed under: Security, Video, News, P2P

HD-DVD encryption meltdown continues

The ongoing saga of HD-DVD's failing Digital Rights Management scheme continues to be of great interest. First the in-memory keys were found with a little bit of prying. Useful for making a backup copy of one movie, but if you wanted to copy another, you needed the accompanying key. This week we found out that a member of the notorious Doom9 forums found the other key details making a non-industry approved decoding library only a few academic steps away. It's not the holy grail of HD-DVD decryption (as DeCSS was to DVDs) but, through a quirk it's actually a very serious rights management hack, for now.

Alex Halderman of Freedom To Tinker explains, "due to a strange quirk in the way the processing keys used on existing discs were selected, the key Arnezami published apparently can be used to decrypt every HD-DVD or Blu-Ray disc on the market. For the time being, knowing Arnezami's processing key is as powerful as knowing a device key. For instance, someone could use the processing key to build a player or ripper that is able to treat all current discs as if they were unencrypted." Halderman's write-up of the events over the last few weeks isn't riveting, but for any DRM-geek, or DRM-geek wannabe, it's a must read.

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. We keep reminding the content producers that DRM is a failed experiment, and reminding you that DRM isn't a content protection scheme, but rather a customer lock-in strategy. At least you're listening, the content distributors are still missing the boat. We're only weeks (if not days) away from the first in a long line of HD-DVD decryption apps, libraries and utilities.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
SXSWi 2008 Schwag Unboxing
SXSWi 2008 Day 1
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

BloggingStocks Tech Coverage

More Tech Coverage

Joystiq

TUAW

BloggingStocks

Autoblog

Xbox 360 Fanboy

Engadget

WOW Insider

Switched.com

FanHouse