Digital Rights Management Bill Cody – MSIT-526 – 12/20/05

History of DRM 1975 – Cassette tape Breakthrough in sound quality 1975 – Sony Betamax introduced Record up to 2 hours, cost $ – RCA introduces VHS 4 hour recording, cheaper $1, – Universal/Disney vs Sony Watershed moment for “fair use” 1983 – Compact Disc (CD) released Superior sound quality to cassette 1986 – Pioneer introduces DVD player Also, 3 million CD players had been purchased and 53 million CD’s in the U.S.

History - Continued 1998 – First recordable CD’s introduced Capable of holding 650 MB of data Seen as threat from recording industry 1998 – Digital Millennium Copyright Act passed (DMCA) Amended Title 17 of US Code (copyright) 1999 RIAA sues Napster First lawsuit of its kind Based on principles of DMCA

Implementation Multi-layered system Intellectual Property Asset Creation and Capture Asserts rights when content is created IP Asset Management Place content into asset management system, attach descriptive metadata IP Asset Usage Implements constraints over traded content through software (security)

DRM Functional Architecture

DRM – Copy Protection Macrovision Most widely used Signals implanted in off-screen range of video signal that change signal’s brightness to unwatchable levels when VCR set to record DVD signal or another VHS tape Can be embedded in VHS tape or created upon playback by chip in DVD player

DRM – Copy Protection Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) Controls transmission of digital content Developed by Intel, Hitachi, Sony Occurs during transfer between digital devices over high-speed (IEEE1394) networks All devices must contain “CCI” – copy control information

DTCP Diagram

DRM – Copy Protection Content Scrambling System (CSS) Data encryption/authentication method to protect DVD’s 40-bit encryption stream cipher algorithm Data on DVD naturally encrypted & can only be viewed properly on a DVD player licensed to decrypt the data Developed by DVD Copy Control Association (DVDCCA) Reverse engineered in 1999 by 19 year old Norwegian & published on the Internet (DeCSS)

Emerging Copy Protection High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) Developed by Intel Protects digital audio & video content as it travels across DVI or HDMI connections Rumored that Blu-Ray/HD-DVD will only output full resolution signals under HDCP

DRM Advocates MPAA RIAA Microsoft Sony Musicians (i.e. Metallica) Film makers Authors Computer programmers

Opponents to DRM Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure Some musicians Switchfoot Posted instructions on how to defeat DRM on their CD’s Texas, California Opposed Sony’s implementation

Failed DRM Methods CSS Early “physical protection” types Proprietary connections Sony XCM “rootkit” Supposed to limit number of times music can be copied from CD Undetectable spyware Became vulnerable to exploit and infection Removal patch issued created larger security hole

Legal Ramifications Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Makes it a crime to circumvent anti-piracy measures built into most commercial software Outlaws the manufacture, sale, or distribution of code- cracking devices used to illegally copy software Does permit the cracking of copyright protection devices, however, to conduct encryption research, assess product interoperability, and test computer security systems Provides exemptions from anti-circumvention provisions for nonprofit libraries, archives, and educational institutions under certain circumstances Requires that "webcasters" pay licensing fees to record companies

Legal Ramifications Lawsuits Court maintains discretion to reduce or remit damages in cases of innocent violations Criminal prosecution if violation was for purpose of commercial advantage or private gain Up to $500,000 fine Up to 5 years imprisonment

Future of DRM Microsoft implementations Windows Vista Will employ HDCP Legally-purchased high definition content will not display at optimum resolution unless computer monitor is HDCP capable and activated Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player also needed to enjoy high-definition content

Conclusion DRM – Powerful tool for protecting intellectual property DMCA “updates” U.S. Code Title 17 (copyright) to protect digital content Some methods dangerous and present security risk (Sony) Some methods will require expensive hardware upgrades to enjoy high- definition content Trend makes it increasingly difficult to make personal backup copies of legally- purchased content

Conclusion Overzealous organizations (MPAA/RIAA) file lawsuits with little discretion Need to focus on pirates, not housewives/children/the dead Increasingly limits right to “fair use” Legislature should re-examine DMCA and amend it to relax restrictions on DRM DRM should protect author(s), end user(s), and not be a security risk

Questions?