When SunnComm showed off its MediaMax technology back in 2003, it claimed complete playability in any CD-player while preventing unauthorised copying in PCs. However despite how sophisticated they claimed their technology to be, all it took was a student to simply hold down the shift key while loading the disc to defeat it. This was a major embarrassment for the company and they even threatened to sue the student.
Now its SunnComm has finally plugged up this infamous loophole in an update to its MediaMax software. This update makes the CD difficult to rip or even play if the software is not installed. Once the user lets MediaMax to install, the software will then take control to block ripping and provide playback of the CD. While SunnComm knows that some advanced users may be able to break the protection, their aim is to stop casual copying such as 'pass a copy to your friend' by hoping that the average user will get frustrated trying to play their CD and then let the software install to see if it will play then.
SunnComm claims their MediaMax update still makes them the only company to guaranteeing 100% playability in all existing CD and DVD players, while also providing the best content protection suite available for audio CDs. According to the IFPI, one in every three audio CDs sold last year was a pirate copy. Also, Recordable CDs have outsold prerecorded audio CDs by a ratio of 2:1.
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The company has started shipping an update to its MediaMax software that blocks users from employing the Shift Key attack discovered in 2003 by a student at Princeton University. The student realized that SunnComm's DRM technology could be disabled by holding the Shift Key down when inserting a new CD. This allowed users to do what they liked with the songs, undermining the entire point of SunnComm's software. "The new technology, when embedded onto the optical medium, makes it even more difficult for the consumer to improperly use the CD without first installing the MediaMax software," SunnComm said in a statement. "Throughout the latest series of tests, this newest version of the copy management technology has proven to significantly improve protection for MediaMax-enhanced discs while remaining 100% playable in all consumer CD and DVD players." SunnComm acknowledges that some people may still find a way to workaround its DRM, but it's convinced the MediaMax update makes the Shift Key issue a moot point. The average consumer is not going to take the time to try and break the technology. Let the researchers have at it - we're not worried about them. SunnComm has been looking to sign up more big labels as customers of its technology and recently announced that Universal is considering MediaMax. The software places restrictions on how many times and to what devices a user can transfer music. Such technology is seen a must have for the record labels trying to block piracy. Many customers, however, dislike DRM technology, as it places new boundaries around once untainted products. |
Interestingly, last July SunnComm claimed to have fixed the Shift-Key loophole, so I wonder what went wrong for them to release another update to correct the issue they had already claimed to have fixed. :p
At least now, it will be interesting to see how well they can compete with Macrovision. The last thing many record labels would like is to start paying out royalties to protect their content with a protection that has a well known loophole. Now, at least SunnComm can compete with its 100% playability having finally plugged its loophole.
In my opinion, I would not be happy purchasing albums if I could not rip the tracks in my preferred codec. First, most copy protection providers only allow DRM-protected rips in the WMA audio format. I find the metallic audible artifact in WMA rather annoying even at high bitrates, which I do not hear in many other high quality codec's and even MP3s encoded with a recent version of LAME. Finally, I have two MP3 players (one CD based) and I am not going to fork out for another player simply because the music industry is blocking support for MP3-only players.
Feel free to discuss and find out more about copy protection measures in our Copy Protection Discussion Forum.
Source: The Register
[edited by Roj on 03.02.2005 04:18]
You're quite right there. The music industry compared the total number of CD-R's sold compared to only CD's that were sold with music.
Game backing up makes a huge factor and up until recently DVD->DivX/XviD conversions also 
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