http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1238370.php/HD-DVD_DRM_copy_protection_broken Its official, the hacker known only as Muslix64 has successfully cracked the copy protection on HD-DVD called AACS. Muslix64 released the source code, as well as a video that he shot proving the concept of the decryption. Designed as a program to make back-up copies of HD-DVD movies already owned, the software is quickly picking up buzz in chat rooms, and forums across the web. The video and link to download are currently listed at the forum where the announcement was made. The forum, Doom9 located at http://forum.doom9.org, is a known DVD hangout for those who like to discuss DVD movies, and technology. When this announcement was made originally, the first response made by user linx05 was “Is this for real?” Quickly other users downloaded the software and checked out the source code released with it. It is real. Watching the video, you see the software in action, and there is a promise of more code and maybe keys coming to the public in January. According to the author, Muslix64, the process after some trial and error was easy, “It took me around a week to do. But I [had] wasted few days trying to work on too complicated [of an] approach. In fact, it is very simple.” According to him, the process and idea came to him after reading an online document about AACS. “The program itself has nothing special. It simply implements the AACS decryption protocol. I have followed the freely available documents about AACS. Have a look at www.aacsla.com the trick is to find what they call the "Title keys.” So I figured out how to extract them.” However when asked about those title keys, or rather how to extract them, “I won't explain it in detail. Read the AACS doc first. You will understand. The title keys are located on the disk in encrypted form, but for a content to be played, it has to be decrypted! So where is the decrypted version of the title key? Think about it...” It is expected that the source code will be further developed, and that a user interface will soon be released. In addition, there are talks about ports to Linux, and OS X. One user, hechacker1, asked the most important question for those who are waiting, “So who is going to take this program to the next step?” The answer may be everyone or no one. The download and source code are legal, regardless of what other stories about this say. This is because no decryption keys are released with it and the keys in the cfg file are all null. However, with the promise of more information coming in 2007, the growth of HD-DVD decryption source code may run away as DeCSS source did after it was released. Analysts look at this topic two ways. Some say it was bound to happen because they warned Intel, Disney and others who had a hand in developing AACS, that it was doomed from the start because it shared similar encryption to other methods already public knowledge. Others say this might give the slow growth in the HD-DVD market its much needed push to make this a popular brand. One doom9 forum member zilexa agrees, “Now that you made the playback of HD-DVD almost as easy as a normal DVD movie, this could very well be THE reason for people to upgrade to a HD-DVD player! (And since Bluray uses AACS as well this could mean the same thing for Bluray). Since there has not been a bump for HD-DVD and Bluray like there was when DVD was released, it didn't seem very realistic these new HD players would break through. But now with your work, this could lead to a breakthrough in the near future!” This story will continue long into the coming year. As other coders use the source further develop the concept, and the Hollywood studios, and technology experts look to place a new method of encryption in players or HD-DVD movies to block this. One thing is certain doom9 just got a whole slew of new readers, and members and the world will wait to see what comes next on January 2nd.
There are no copy protection that will last, that just the way it is. Better encryption, better decryption, so the cycles continues on and on.
I don't think it was really "cracked." More like they found the title keys due to some security flaws, but this will be fixed by disabling those keys and using other ones (if it was cracked, this wouldn't be a viable solution). Here's an update: http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents I wouldn't be surprised if they did get it cracked not too long into the future though.
