wessman
August 28th, 2002, 06:12 PM
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/articles/auto/08282002h.php
Felt-tip marker hack for copy-protect CDs 'completely neutralized'
By Tina Gasperson, Newsforge.com
Posted: 28/08/2002 at 12:07 GMT
Israel-based Midbar Tech announced yesterday that 10 million CDs using its Cactus Data Shield technology have been released in Japan, bringing the total number of music CDs using the controversial copy-protection utility to about 30 million. Coincidentally, a Japanese entrepreneur is credited with the 1962 invention of the versatile writing instrument called the fibre- or felt-tip pen.
Marjie Hadad, Midbar spokesperson, said the CDs, which implement the CDS-200 protection scheme, will play on computers - unlike previous CDs released with Midbar's CDS-100 technology, which caused myriad difficulties for PC users who attempted to play purchased CDs in their computers' CD-ROM drives, as well as in DVD players and car CD drives. Windows users had the fewest problems; by installing a special utility included on the copy-protected CDs their PCs were able to play the music.
The copy-protection technology works by using "proprietary electronic circuits and software algorithms" to alter the data on the CD, making it unreadable by CD-copying software. Midbar says that while the data is altered, the audio quality remains "perfect."
The last spate of copy-protected CDs spurred some down-home ingenuity, producing a deliciously simple method of circumventing the technology which aims to prevent CD owners from making any copies, including those for personal use only. The method involves the use of a black felt-tip marker pen, with the ink carefully applied to a specific portion of the CD in order to "prevent the prevention."
But Hadad says that won't work anymore. "Though the felt tip marker issue was never considered a universal hack, Midbar did add a feature in the last version of the CDS-200 that completely neutralizes even the remote possibility of its success."
Midbar's Web site promotes three different levels of copy protection. Its CDS-100 release is apparently purposely designed to prevent any kind of computer playback. This release has been reported to cause severe problems with Macintosh computers - some users reported that the CDs utilizing CDS-100 copy protection caused CD drives to lock up, rendering the drawer unopenable and the computer itself unbootable (although some sources say Midbar's effect on Macs was not so extreme). Bug or feature? You decide.
The CDS-200 release allows playback, and although as Hadad says, it is not intended to allow a felt-tip hack, a grassroots effort will surely soon be underway to test that claim. Japan's Pentel, Inc., once known as the Japan Stationery Company, is credited with the invention of the felt-tip marker back in the mid-60's, and a company representive assured us that production levels are more than adequate to cover any increased demand as a result of the millions of copy-protected CDs flooding the market.
CDS-300, scheduled for release some time in 2002, will work with downloadable music services, to prevent data streams from being copied by the user.
Among the companies in Japan using the Cactus Data Shield technology are Toshiba, Pioneer, and Memory-Tech.
© Newsforge.com.
CD's now protected against felt-tips
By Matthew Broersma
ZDNet (UK)
August 28, 2002, 12:21 PM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-955771.html
Midbar, the Israel-based company that makes copy-protection technology for audio CDs, said on Monday that its products are now to be found in more than 30 million CDs worldwide, with 10 million of those in Japan. Separately, the company said it has fixed a glitch that allowed consumers to circumvent its copy protection using a felt-tip pen.
Midbar makes the Cactus Data Shield (CDS) line of copy-protection technologies, which scrambles CD data in such a way that it can be played on an audio player, but can't be copied by a PC.
Copy-protection schemes such as CDS and Key2Audio are highly controversial, however, with some protected CDs having been found to cause glitches in some ordinary CD players, and to cause some computers--particularly Macintoshes--to crash.
Besides the technical issues, many argue that consumers are entitled to make copies of their CDs for personal use, much as the law allows consumers to make duplicates of copyrighted audio tapes.
The company said that a new version of CDS-200, one of its three CDS products, makes the felt-tip pen hack impossible. In May, it came to light that CDS, Key2Audio and other technologies could be circumvented by carefully drawing a line across the CD with a black marker, or even by sticking notepaper across the edge of the disc. The new version of CDS-200 has been on the market since July, and adds Macintosh compatibility, among other features.
CDS-200 is designed to allow full playability on audio players and PCs without allowing copying. CDS-100, like Key2Audio, simply prevents all PC playback, while CDS-300 -- to be released later this year -- builds digital rights management into downloadable tracks.
Big labels such as Sony Music and Universal have begun adding copy protection to their CDs in an attempt to stop consumers from copying tracks and distributing them over the Internet. A recording industry-commissioned study this week found that most consumers who had begun using file-trading services in the past six months had bought less music than before.
:sw
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/articles/auto/08282002h.php
Felt-tip marker hack for copy-protect CDs 'completely neutralized'
By Tina Gasperson, Newsforge.com
Posted: 28/08/2002 at 12:07 GMT
Israel-based Midbar Tech announced yesterday that 10 million CDs using its Cactus Data Shield technology have been released in Japan, bringing the total number of music CDs using the controversial copy-protection utility to about 30 million. Coincidentally, a Japanese entrepreneur is credited with the 1962 invention of the versatile writing instrument called the fibre- or felt-tip pen.
Marjie Hadad, Midbar spokesperson, said the CDs, which implement the CDS-200 protection scheme, will play on computers - unlike previous CDs released with Midbar's CDS-100 technology, which caused myriad difficulties for PC users who attempted to play purchased CDs in their computers' CD-ROM drives, as well as in DVD players and car CD drives. Windows users had the fewest problems; by installing a special utility included on the copy-protected CDs their PCs were able to play the music.
The copy-protection technology works by using "proprietary electronic circuits and software algorithms" to alter the data on the CD, making it unreadable by CD-copying software. Midbar says that while the data is altered, the audio quality remains "perfect."
The last spate of copy-protected CDs spurred some down-home ingenuity, producing a deliciously simple method of circumventing the technology which aims to prevent CD owners from making any copies, including those for personal use only. The method involves the use of a black felt-tip marker pen, with the ink carefully applied to a specific portion of the CD in order to "prevent the prevention."
But Hadad says that won't work anymore. "Though the felt tip marker issue was never considered a universal hack, Midbar did add a feature in the last version of the CDS-200 that completely neutralizes even the remote possibility of its success."
Midbar's Web site promotes three different levels of copy protection. Its CDS-100 release is apparently purposely designed to prevent any kind of computer playback. This release has been reported to cause severe problems with Macintosh computers - some users reported that the CDs utilizing CDS-100 copy protection caused CD drives to lock up, rendering the drawer unopenable and the computer itself unbootable (although some sources say Midbar's effect on Macs was not so extreme). Bug or feature? You decide.
The CDS-200 release allows playback, and although as Hadad says, it is not intended to allow a felt-tip hack, a grassroots effort will surely soon be underway to test that claim. Japan's Pentel, Inc., once known as the Japan Stationery Company, is credited with the invention of the felt-tip marker back in the mid-60's, and a company representive assured us that production levels are more than adequate to cover any increased demand as a result of the millions of copy-protected CDs flooding the market.
CDS-300, scheduled for release some time in 2002, will work with downloadable music services, to prevent data streams from being copied by the user.
Among the companies in Japan using the Cactus Data Shield technology are Toshiba, Pioneer, and Memory-Tech.
© Newsforge.com.
CD's now protected against felt-tips
By Matthew Broersma
ZDNet (UK)
August 28, 2002, 12:21 PM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-955771.html
Midbar, the Israel-based company that makes copy-protection technology for audio CDs, said on Monday that its products are now to be found in more than 30 million CDs worldwide, with 10 million of those in Japan. Separately, the company said it has fixed a glitch that allowed consumers to circumvent its copy protection using a felt-tip pen.
Midbar makes the Cactus Data Shield (CDS) line of copy-protection technologies, which scrambles CD data in such a way that it can be played on an audio player, but can't be copied by a PC.
Copy-protection schemes such as CDS and Key2Audio are highly controversial, however, with some protected CDs having been found to cause glitches in some ordinary CD players, and to cause some computers--particularly Macintoshes--to crash.
Besides the technical issues, many argue that consumers are entitled to make copies of their CDs for personal use, much as the law allows consumers to make duplicates of copyrighted audio tapes.
The company said that a new version of CDS-200, one of its three CDS products, makes the felt-tip pen hack impossible. In May, it came to light that CDS, Key2Audio and other technologies could be circumvented by carefully drawing a line across the CD with a black marker, or even by sticking notepaper across the edge of the disc. The new version of CDS-200 has been on the market since July, and adds Macintosh compatibility, among other features.
CDS-200 is designed to allow full playability on audio players and PCs without allowing copying. CDS-100, like Key2Audio, simply prevents all PC playback, while CDS-300 -- to be released later this year -- builds digital rights management into downloadable tracks.
Big labels such as Sony Music and Universal have begun adding copy protection to their CDs in an attempt to stop consumers from copying tracks and distributing them over the Internet. A recording industry-commissioned study this week found that most consumers who had begun using file-trading services in the past six months had bought less music than before.
:sw
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/articles/auto/08282002h.php