Privacy Digest

Sparring begins over high-def movie DRM hacks: "The music world may be edging toward common ground on digital rights management, but the cat-and-mouse game between those developing copy-protection technologies and those hacking them is still in full swing. The latest skirmish involves next-gen DVD formats and a popular Windows media player.

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A cat-and-mouse game between the guardians of the copy-protection system on next-generation DVDs and those intent on hacking it has kicked off with the first revocation of a descrambling key used in a popular software application.

Last week the Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator LLC said it was expiring a key used in Corel Corp.'s InterVideo WinDVD 8 application after the key was discovered and posted on the Internet.

Writing on the Doom 9 message board, a user with the name "Atari Vampire" said that he or she had managed to find the device key for the software. The device key is used in conjunction with individual keys on each movie title to decrypt the data on the disc.

In response Corel is updating WinDVD 8 with a new device key and warning users that they won't be able to watch HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc titles unless they upgrade.

"Our decision stems from recent reports that hackers have illegally obtained certain software licensing keys and have used them to duplicate copyrighted content without prior authorization," Corel said in a statement.

The discovery of the device key is the latest in a string of attacks on AACS, which is used on both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

(Via Computerworld Cybercrime/Hacking News.)