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http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/08/30/itunes.drm.circumvented/

QTFairUse6 circumvents iTunes DRM

updated 11:45 am EDT, Wed August 30, 2006

 

iTunes DRM circumvented


A new software solution circumvents Apple's FairPlay DRM restrictions to create DRM-free music from purchased iTunes music. Users on Hymn message boards, who have cracked the iTunes (FairPlay) DRM yet again, are committed to cracking the iTunes DRM to allow free use of purchased music. The project has been dead in the water since Apple released iTunes 6 and changed the way the iTunes DRM worked (although previous versions work with older iTunes versions); however, the new solution adapts original code from previous attempts (QTFairUse) and users have managed to get it work with iTunes 6. The somewhat-clunky QTFairUse6 requires Python 2.4 and several other tools and uses the information that is buffered (i.e., stored in memory) after iTunes/QuickTime decodes the file.

According to Ars, "QTFairUse6 looks at AAC frames in memory after they've been decrypted, but before the decoding step, and dumps the data into a file. It currently only runs under Windows, and relies on iTunes for the actual decryption work as well as FAAD for making the dumped data into playable AAC files. Unlike earlier tools like Hymn/JHymn and the original QTFairUse, this program can handle streams from iTunes 6.0.4 and later."

Previous projects have garnered negative attention from Apple--sometimes resulting in legal action. These attempts to outwit Apple have often had marginal success and have been usually hindered or side-stepped by Apple when the company issues updates to iTunes/QuickTime to counter any circulating DRM hacks or fix/update decoding issues.


by MacNN Staff

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Comments

  1. trenchcoat77

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2003

    0
    08/30, 01:06pm | report spam | Reply |

    Why stop at music?

    Hey, my money in the bank on the corner needs to be free, too. I hate having to use an ATM only where *they* decide to put them. Can these guys help me crack the bank? I promise I will only use my money that I have deposited there, not anybody else's money. Trust me.

  1. e2Sync

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2005

    0
    08/30, 01:09pm | report spam | Reply |

    If you want to use your

    music anywhere, buy a freaking CD.

  1. I.P. Freely

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2003

    0
    08/30, 01:21pm | report spam | Reply |

    Retarded mofers

    If you actually own these songs, you WILL NOT GO THRU THIS BULLSHIT process to "get back" your songs!

    You only do this if you have other people's iTunes on your machine.

    You people aren't kidding anyone.

  1. vasic

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2005

    0
    08/30, 01:28pm | report spam | Reply |

    Not so sure...

    I don't think you CAN do this with other people's songs. In order to play a FairPlay song on iTunes, you have to authorise that computer. You can only authorise it if you know the ID and password; since nobody in their sane mind gives away their passwords, that means it's your song already.

    On the other hand, what you do with the newly created DRM-free file is a question of your own ethics. I only do this so that I can put these AAC files onto my Sony-Ericsson Walkman W-600 phone. It won't take DRM, but will play AAC.

  1. Feathers

    Grizzled Veteran

    Joined: Oct 1999

    -1
    08/30, 01:43pm | report spam | Reply |

    honest macs, yet again!

    Is it my imagination, or is it because a lot of content creators (ie: copyright owners) use Macs, that it seems that MacUsers in general take a more dim view of piracy than their PeeCee counterparts? Is it an intelligence thing, that MacUsers have a more highly evolved moral compass? It certainly appears so. Perhaps it's just statistical, with a smaller installed user base we tend less towards the L.C.D. (Lowest common denominator).

  1. QualleyIV

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    0
    08/30, 01:49pm | report spam | Reply |

    Legit uses

    First, let me say that I'm not one of those people goes around screaming DRM is bad, it's the end of the world, blah, blah, blah. I think it's perfectly legitimate for a company to protect its intellectual property and, to boot, I think that FairPlay is a pretty darn unobtrusive DRM system for about 98% of people.

    However, (and this is for those people who don't think that there are legitimate uses) I do have one issue. I'm a DJ and with protected AAC tracks I can't use my DJ software (Traktor) to play those tracks. Moreover, the whole burn/rip process degrades the audio quality so that's less than desirable. Personally, I've been waiting for this ever since iTunes 6 broke JHhmn. If Apple would make FairPlay available to third parties (Native Instruments in this case) I wouldn't ever have to think about using JHymn again, but as it stands, I really don't have any other viable choice where I can LEGALLY BUY my music from iTunes and use it for the purpose that I purchased it.

  1. Feathers

    Grizzled Veteran

    Joined: Oct 1999

    0
    08/30, 02:25pm | report spam | Reply |

    legally buy illegal use

    Guess I was wrong then! Does qualleyiv not appreciate that his use of iTunes tracks for commercial exhibition etc. is a violation of the Apple EULA? Or perhaps I'm being unfair and he DOES pay the appropriate royalties for his use of the tracks?

  1. JulesLt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2005

    0
    08/30, 02:49pm | report spam | Reply |

    Plenty of uses

    I'd agree with Qualleyiv - while I can (and do) buy CDs so I can use my music how I like, the restrictions on iTunes actually put me off purchasing from there.

    I also object to Apple putting Fairplay onto tracks that are easily available as cheaper legal MP3s via other sites (i.e. emusic). I can understand why Apple had to introduce Fairplay (to get major labels to agree) but it is beginning to prove a pain in the neck (and it is only an irritation rather than impossible to work round). Want to create a bespoke ringtone? Rip/Burn/Edit/Send via Bluetooth.

    Although the answer there is simple - use emusic where possible.

  1. JulesLt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2005

    0
    08/30, 03:01pm | report spam | Reply |

    DJing

    Feathers - venues employing DJs generally need a licence to do so, which covers a payment to mechanical copyright societies for royalty distribution, along a similar means as radio play. Of course it's an unfair system as most DJs/venues don't post playlists and it is therefore biased towards larger artists, while a great many nightclubs are not.

    It might be in violation of the Apple EULA but once again, it's a case of the Fairplay (and other DRM systems) being out of step with what people actually want / require to do with their media.

  1. ValkRaider

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    0
    08/30, 03:14pm | report spam | Reply |

    High Horse

    I love the high horse people get on, like they are better than other people...

    Come on. Quit claiming superiority. EVERYONE in some way tries to put one over on "the man" or abuse "the system".

    I am sure some of these people have kept the extra change when the cashier makes a small mistake.

    Or not told the cashier when an item rings up cheaper than it is supposed to be.

    Or kept the "extra" soda when the fast food place gives you one at order then forgets and gives you another one when you pick up your food.

    Or claimed your $10 TV that you gave to GoodWill was actually worth $200 so you could get a better deduction.

    Or claimed a few extra miles on that expense report, or maybe a couple extra incidentals for reimbursement.

    Or not been honest paid the late fee on a movie rental when they forget to charge you.

    Or ran a red light in the middle of the night.

    Or took a french fry when your kid isn't looking.

    Come on with the self righteous c*** people. Everyone gets what they can in life - we are not all Exxon Mobil CEOs...

    I $BUY$ my songs from iTunes because it is easy. I SPEND MY MONEY THERE. Once the song is on my computer I would like to be able to move it around as I please. To my Tivo. To my Linux boxes. To my wife's computer... Whatever. The same things I can do with the over 600 CDs I have purchased.

    How is that evil or wrong? No one is using this stuff to pirate stuff as you have to BUY IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

    Sure - I am sure that there are a few people who will let friends copy some tracks. That happens with any technology...

    But it is not for the comment makers here to judge others - because I am sure you would not want to be under the microscope your self...

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