Mp3 To Include Digital Rights Management

RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
<a href='http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/35989.html' target='_blank'>http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/35989.html</a>

<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The MP3 digital audio format has been extended to allow the inclusion of digital rights management technology.

The Fraunhofer Institute - the company behind the development of MP3 - will demonstrate the technology during a presentation at CeBIT later this month.

Fraunhofer's Light Weight Digital Rights Management System (LWDRM) was launched last year. The system uses digital signatures to overcome what the Institute has called the consumer unfriendliness of existing approaches to DRM.

LWDRM requires the user to register with a digital signature certification authority. The technology blocks all attempts to copy the file until the owner is "willing to autograph the purchased content with his personal digital signature". At that point, the file can be transferred to a portable player or to "family and friends, adhering to the prevalent legislation and the rules of fair use", Fraunhofer said.

If the user shares the file via Kazaa or some other P2P network, his or her digital signature reveals just who "leaked" the content, and appropriate action can be taken. Content is protected using Fraunhofer's own watermarking technology and AES-level encryption.

Fraunhofer is aware that plenty of folk won't want to register for a digital signature, but it reckons its system at least allows such people to listen to music - they are simply prevented from sharing it.

LWDRM was originally developed for MPEG 4 audio and video, and according to Fraunhofer, has been implemented in solutions since 2002. However, the update brings DRM to the MP3 format. It's not the first time anyone has attempted to add DRM to MP3: Liquid Audio experimented with it in the early days of Internet-delivered digital audio and prior to its collapse Napster was working on a similar technology of its own.

Plenty of other DRM systems exist, of course, with Apple, Microsoft and Real Networks all offering copy-protection mechanisms that have been implemented in all the major digital music download services, all of them tackling the same consumer unfriendliness mentioned by Fraunhofer.

And like other DRM systems, LWDRM requires a new, compatible player to be used - or at least have their firmware upgraded. However, it does provide companies keen to get into digital music distribution a way of doing so securely without accepting the limitations of Apple's service - primarily the fact it only works with the iPod - or aligning themselves with Microsoft.

That said, none of the other DRM systems require users to certify themselves with a third party, the cost of which - quite apart from its inherent consumer unfriendliness - may put would-be LWDRM users off. Of course, there's nothing to stop music vendors issuing their own digital signatures, tied to the buyer's credit card details and the system on which the track was downloaded - much the way Apple's FairPlay DRM technology works. ® <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

time to move to OGG I guess...

Comments

  • DreadDread Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
    I think I'm just being slow but...

    why would file sharers start using this 'new version' of mp3 in the first place? Can't people just use the normal mp3 that doesn't require this digital autograph?
  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    I want to see what they're going to do about users in countries where downloading music is legal. Are we going to be immune to this?
  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--QuoteBegin-Dread+Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dread @ Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think I'm just being slow but...

    why would file sharers start using this 'new version' of mp3 in the first place? Can't people just use the normal mp3 that doesn't require this digital autograph? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ding ding ding.
  • BurrBurr Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9358Members
    Bah, if they do this, somebody will just find another way to download free music and not get caught... It works this way with all new security stuff, somebody out there with enough time and brains will find a way to crack the system.
  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    lol sillies ^^
    Read it again... it's not designed to stop current sharing or whatnot, it's purely to allow mp3s to be done legally without being shared. It's more to allow businesses that sell legit mp3s and stuff to be run without being cracked down on by silly things like RIAA or whatever.

    It only stops the sharing of files made with the new technology, so it only applies to mp3s your 'purchased' or whatnot, though who knows... the people against piracy have demonstrated their lack of general understanding often enough; they might mistake this as some anti-piracy thingy that will kill filesharing and get off the collective world's backs until the realisation of what it really is sinks in =3
  • Savag3Savag3 Join Date: 2003-03-05 Member: 14336Members
    This sounds as leaky as a strainer.
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Dread+Mar 8 2004, 04:14 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dread @ Mar 8 2004, 04:14 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think I'm just being slow but...

    why would file sharers start using this 'new version' of mp3 in the first place? Can't people just use the normal mp3 that doesn't require this digital autograph? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Maybe, but the record labels could start using it <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    A program of some sort would probably get developed to clean the files for the signature <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • Savag3Savag3 Join Date: 2003-03-05 Member: 14336Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Mar 8 2004, 11:12 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Mar 8 2004, 11:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Maybe, but the record labels could start using it <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    A program of some sort would probably get developed to clean the files for the signature <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The only way the record label companies could start 'using' it would be to change the format they use on their CD's, and provide a ripper that created signatured mp3's from this. But I find this very unlikely because of combatibility and so on.

    But if the record labels started selling their music over the internet in this format it would only be a matter of hours before everything is somehow (if you can listen to it you can make a regular mp3 out of it) converted to regular .MP3, and the use of a little filter in your filesharing program would only get you regular MP3's.

    Oh and: <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A program of some sort would probably get developed to clean the files for the signature<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Word.
  • That_Annoying_KidThat_Annoying_Kid Sire of Titles Join Date: 2003-03-01 Member: 14175Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-DOOManiac+Mar 8 2004, 07:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Mar 8 2004, 07:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Dread+Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dread @ Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think I'm just being slow but...

    why would file sharers start using this 'new version' of mp3 in the first place? Can't people just use the normal mp3 that doesn't require this digital autograph? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ding ding ding. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ^^

    even if they do I give it less than a week before a way of circumvention is found
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    Any attempt to "secure" digital music is like grasping at air. As long as it gives a output anybody can easily convert it to a un-tagged format.
  • InfinitumInfinitum Anime Encyclopedia Join Date: 2002-08-08 Member: 1111Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-That Annoying Kid+Mar 9 2004, 03:34 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (That Annoying Kid @ Mar 9 2004, 03:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-DOOManiac+Mar 8 2004, 07:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Mar 8 2004, 07:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Dread+Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dread @ Mar 8 2004, 09:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think I'm just being slow but...

    why would file sharers start using this 'new version' of mp3 in the first place? Can't people just use the normal mp3 that doesn't require this digital autograph? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ding ding ding. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ^^

    even if they do I give it less than a week before a way of circumvention is found <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You're pleasantly optimistic.

    I give it less than a day.

    0day my friend. 0day.
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