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iTunes DRM hack integrated into VideoLAN client

updated 01:45 am EST, Tue January 6, 2004

iTunes DRM cracked


The Register reports that Apple's for GNU/Linux: "Johansen cracked iTunes DRM scheme in November by releasing code for a small Windows program that dumps the stream to disk in raw AAC format. This raw format required some trivial additions to convert it to an MP4 file that could be played on any capable computer. But in the best Apple ease-of-use tradition, Johansen has now made this completely seamless, integrating it with the VideoLAN streaming free software project."


by MacNN Staff

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  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 02:05am | report spam | Reply |

    DMCA...

    Easy money says Apple's going to find a way to sue/destroy this guy. Either that, or hire him as a programmer....

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 02:34am | report spam | Reply |

    Doubtful

    This is Jon Johansen that cracked the DRM... he's the one that cracked the CSS encryption used on DVDs, and just recently got off the hook for it in his native Norway (as he supposedly only developed it for playback on Linux, which this definitely backs up). Anyway, if he can legally crack CSS, then I don't see why he can't legally crack iTMS DRM.

    As far as hiring him... nah, I think he's too deep into Linux, and too strong about open standards to give a c*** about Apple.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 02:57am | report spam | Reply |

    Johansen and DRM

    If he can legally break the CSS and DRM, what basis do the legal agreements that we all push "I Agree" to when we install stuff. Does this now give us the right to pirate software as well? I see no difference between this and walking into a bank, asking for someone else's safety deposit box key, and taking their stuff.

    Open source is one thing, but closed source (or whatever it's called) is another. People's personal or collaborative works of art shouldn't be stolen. Downloading mp3's is the digital equivalent of walking into the Art Museum and taking the prize painting, your just hiding behind the internet and your ip number.

    Please don't get me wrong though, I'm not on the RIAA's side or the artists sides either. Music, and even movies sometimes, cost way more than they are worth. Artists are making more money than they should be. It's the $20 for an album with only 2 good songs that did them in. I'm just trying to protect the company I love from being screwed over by a bozo (again).

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 03:01am | report spam | Reply |

    The code is out...

    And the damage is done. No matter what Apple does at this point, thousands of people have this code now. Hopefully they will learn from the mistakes of the DeCSS fiasco and not turn this into a mess.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 03:16am | report spam | Reply |

    Heck, just burn a CD!


    1) Users of iTunes can already burn copies of music onto standard CDs, without any hacking or cracking software.

    2) Nothing on Windows is "seamless".

    3) No encryption system is airtight. Anything that can be seen or heard, can be copied, by some means. But people will still use iTunes Music Store because it is fast, reliable, cheap, high quality, and flexible.

    4) Among Johansen's goals is simply to make the same digital media available on Linux as is on Mac and Windows.

    This helps the Mac platform, indirectly, in that it promotes platform diversity. The more people who run MacOS and Linux, the more reason for application and web developers to make solutions that work on multiple platforms, not just Microsoft ones.

    5) In a recent suit vs. Hollywood about DVD decryption, Johansen won.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 03:35am | report spam | Reply |

    This little s******...

    It's not about open standards to him; it's all about whether or not he can break the encryption. The problem is he doesn't bother to ask whether or not he should break it; he just want's to see if he can do it. It's like GM foods. The scientists don't care how they affect the public or the planet; they just want the money and to see if they can do it.
    We can just add him to the list of people trying to s**** Apple and the rest of us.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 04:24am | report spam | Reply |

    DRM

    'I see no difference between this and walking into a bank, asking for someone else's safety deposit box key, and taking their stuff.'
    ...in this sitaution the owner no longer has his or her goods.

    With music or software piracy the original owner is missing out on a royalty, but still has their goods they have not been lost and do not need to be recovered.

    I am not a supporter of piracy, but I don't think this often repeated argument works. Not a flame just an opinion.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 04:46am | report spam | Reply |

    Uh... Piracy???

    I do not see how this supports piracy... You still need your user Key file to decode the .mp4 file. Sure you can transcode the file, but can't we do that anyway (using a few different methods)?

    I don't see the problem with this. I hope Steve can convince the labels that this is no big deal anyway. Maybe Apple can support the decoder lib so that everyone can use iTMS files in their software???

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 05:12am | report spam | Reply |

    ripped/cracked music

    We're talking about the difference between ripped music files and cracked music files. Apple should only care that this guy broke their DRM encryption. Since you can get most ITMS songs from P2P networks anyway, Apple would only pray this new decryption software causes more people to buy, crack n' share their music files.

    On the employment question: I would hire him. if anything to build better DRM technology, but more importantly to consult on how to bring more *nix users to OS X and make their services and hardware more attractive to *nix users. Despite being an open-source n***, Johansen has a big ego and would likely enjoy a position that allows him to push his agenda for technological transparency.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    01/06, 06:48am | report spam | Reply |

    Nice going chump.

    If you wanna crack the crypto for the fun of it, go ahead. Don't publish though becuase... oops, too late.

    If he'd thought about it for any more than a second, he'd realise that all he's really done by opening up the very liberal iTunes DRM to the world is push more vendors towards the very restrictive Microsoft DRM system. Way to help out the big guy, Mr Linux.

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