Copy protection hole in Blu-ray and HD DVD movies

July 7, 2006

We all know one of the main reasons for the delayed introduction of next generation optical drives HD-DVD and Blu-ray. It was the copy protection AACS which should ensure an encrypted communication from disc to display.

Now it seems to have been just a waste of time. The German computer magazine c't discovered that it is possible to use screenshot functions of the player software to record the whole movie when it's viewed in full screen.

Computer magazine c't has discovered that the first software players running on Windows XP allow screenshots of the movies to be created in full resolution. To do so, you only need to press the Print key on your keyboard while the movie is running. Such a screenshot function could then be automated to produce copies of HD movies both from Blu-ray Discs and from HD DVDs picture by picture. As c't calculated, the performance of current PC systems is sufficient for a clean recording using this procedure. Once a pirate has all of the individual pictures, they can be put together to create a complete movie and mixed with the audio track that is grabbed separately.

This copy protection hole affects both Sony's first Blu-ray PC Vaio VGC-RC 204 and Toshiba's first HD DVD notebook Qosmio G30. Both of them use special OEM versions of Intervideo's WinDVD player software.

I think this is very funny. Everyone was curious whether it will be possible to hack the AACS system and now it seems you don't even have to do this but just record the output of your video player software. But we have to wait whether this function will be disabled with future updates and the key of this version will be withdrawn or not. According to Toshiba, this software version does not violate the AACS license. Read the full story over at Heise Security.

Source: Heise Security