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21 Nov 2005
The highly controversial XCP digital rights management (DRM) technology bundled by Sony BMG on 52 of its audio CD albums can be defeated by applying a small piece of tape to the discs, according to analyst firm Gartner.
Applying a piece of opaque tape to the outer edge of the disk renders the data track of the CD unreadable. A computer trying to play the CD will then skip to the music without accessing the bundled DRM technology.
"After more than five years of trying, the recording industry has not yet demonstrated a workable DRM scheme for music CDs," Gartner concluded in a newly published research note.
The use of a piece of tape will defeat any future DRM system on audio CDs designed to be played on a stand-alone CD player, the analyst said.
Gartner predicted that the music industry will start to lobby for legislation that requires computer makers to include DRM technology on their systems.
But the analyst advised that, instead of limiting what users can do with music they have already purchased, record labels should focus on tracking this use.
This would enable a "play-based" model where users are charged a fee based on how they consume music.
Sony abandoned the use of the XCP anti-piracy technology earlier this month after weeks of heavy criticism from security experts and consumer advocates.
The technology sought to prevent users from making illegal copies of the music on Windows computers, but posed a major security risk and was capable of damaging the computer when users attempted to remove the software.
Gartner called the DRM scheme a "public relations and technology failure".
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Do you agree?
Ugo is in left field
I agree that Sony was just protecting it's investment. But at what cost? They installed software that just made millions of computers vulnerable to attack. That would be like Ford issuing remote starters, with the same code for every one, then saying sorry when 95% of the brand new fords got stolen. With the increasing ID theft attacks, I would rather have my car stolen, than some Ijacker running around with my SSN and bank info. At least insurance will replace the car for me. Is Sony going to compensate any victims of its overly aggressive protection? No.
Posted by: killacam1981 27 Sep 2006
Swiss cheese heads?
Reply to uncle sam about "...there's no need to charge excessive rates so these swiss cheese heads can air their valueless political statements on MTV." If you think talent is overrated, fair enough. Unfortunatelly most of the profit from record sales goes to the record labels, so if any artist becomes rich from music its not necessarily having a good voice (Britney doesn't, by the way), but because people buy their records in massive quantities. Its the record labels who should reduce the price of music, then more people would buy the records instead of copy or downloading them, making DRM technology unnecessary. Now go get yourself a Blue Peter badge mate.
Posted by: binladenmakesmyknobsweatlikecheese 21 Mar 2006
public relations and technology failure
A marking pen would be preferable to tape. Tape can cause a mechanical problem, maybe ruin your burner. Some have suggested a mark from a marking pen instead. How about some guidance on how wide and long the mark needs to be and with what color [for all I know you can see the band on the CD, so you know where to put it], or is Gartner trying to straddle the fence, getting publicity for himself while continuing the enabling of DRM using businesses?
Posted by: anon 28 Jan 2006
What the hell was Sony thinking ???
Do I own the media, or have license to content? If my media is destroyed, does Sony replace it for the cost of media like software companies do? I think not... maybe if they get legit purchasers to register their wares, and provide benefit to those purchasers, they'll better protect their business model. I for one, will no longer buy ANY Sony product (no cameras, radios, TVs, media, etc) based on their egomaniacal solution to a perceived problem. There are, last time I looked, an increase in CD purchases, and online music purchases, in the legitimate business world. How do they back their paranoia driven excuse for FORCING dangerous software on our PCs because we were ethical enough to actually purchase their product ???
Posted by: Yoda 25 Jan 2006
Reply to Ugo
Why the outcry? I see your point, but then I raise you... Sony spending millions on marketing and videos and pampered artists is their own stupidity. WHy shouldn't they downsize and cut corners like every other corporation on Earth? The way I see it, the record companies started this by charging $20.00 for a cd with 10 songs on it! If you're lucky there will be more than one song you actually listen to on it. By the way, why should these high school drop out, good for nothing musicians be making millions for not working hard? I love music, but I don't think Brittney Spears should be a millionaire because she has a good voice. How about musicians come back to reality and make their music accessible. Then there's no need to charge excessive rates so these swiss cheese heads can air their valueless political statements on MTV. How ya like me now?!
Posted by: Uncle Sam 24 Jan 2006
Go uncle Sam
Go uncle sam, I tend to agree with you, And the previous comment, about with the next version of vista Drm will be a fate accompli, I pay for the music, I pay for the OS, surely I get some rights?????????? Indeed it all becomes one big money grab for no apparant return to us, (sigh).
Posted by: Fed Up 24 Jan 2006
DRM is here to stay
"Gartner predicted that the music industry will start to lobby for legislation that requires computer makers to include DRM technology on their systems." Can you say "Windows Vista 64 bit" aka: Longhorn
Posted by: Fed Up 24 Jan 2006
why the outcry?
I cant believe people are so upset by Sonys attempt to protect their investment. Sony spend a lot of time and money developing and distributing these artists wether they be legitamite musicians or just plain old manufactured crap. Most of the popular music today is over produced and dolled up with million dollar video clips. Do you really find it surprising they want a return on their dollar and are upset when the number of copiers and downloaders far outway the number of purchasers. Music should be free! seems to be a popular outcry , well head down to your local on saturday night and enjoy the band on offer , otherwise if you want to get a proffesional clean clear mix of your favourite song pay for it. Larry, 21 Nov 2005 " DRM is like GM telling me that I can't lend my car to whomever I choose.. " , since when are you lending your car to possibly millions of people by putting it on the net , what sort of crazy logic is this. If companys stop making money on the popular musicians the number of ' break even bands ' in their stable is severely diminished and therefore you get less choice. Are you happy with that? Will this rant stop you from copying music , of course not , but maybe you can complain a bit less when when a company tries to protect itself and the musicians under it.
Posted by: ugo 24 Jan 2006
Another Sharpie fix
Wrote over the Sharpie with a dry-erase marker. Then, both erase simultaneously
Posted by: Sam 24 Jan 2006
re: Sharpie Fix
Deet will melt plastic (very well depending on time and concentration). But why not use a dry-erase or water soluble marker? (I've never tried the dry erase but I have had success with a water soluble marker.) By the way, you only need to cover enough data to make errors - you don't have to try and cover the whole ring all the way around). What about - that stops auto-run programs?
Posted by: JR 23 Jan 2006
Just a Repeat
This is a repeat. If you go back a couple of years, you'll find that Sony (I think) tried doing this before, for European sales only, and, again, without telling anybody about it. Somebody discovered the Sharpie method of over-riding the anti-copying data. It hit the press. I read it here in the States back then and was astounded it was so simple a solution. As a result, it then became law in Europe that the Music Labels had to include a notice -- in print -- somewhere on the CD cover jacket so that the consumer would know and choose accordingly.
Posted by: rw 23 Jan 2006
Tape??? Want to break your own CD unit, anyone?
To the reporter that brought these news: If you are really serious about someone using "a piece of tape" in the outer ring of a protected CD, for whatever reason, you should try that yourself. The vibration you'll feel is unreal, and you'll be lucky to still have a working CD unit after that. Do you want to get sued for breaking other people's CD units??? Just use a marker instead.
Posted by: Alex 23 Jan 2006
jail time for the writers of this article?
Ummm... but I thought that anyone who posted information on how to defeat copy protection was supposedly going to be sent directly to jail. Like that person who posted the web article about how to defeat copy protection by holding down the alt-key while the CD was loading. (d'oh!)
Posted by: Gaoler 23 Jan 2006
Information is key
Turn off autorun or holding down the shift key will disable autorun. Simple solution to an otherwise difficult problem. Need more info? http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-018 BTW, I don't recommend putting tape on a cd, it causes the cd to become imbalanced when it's spun at a high rate in your cd drive. Unless you want the cd to explode in your drive.
Posted by: les patrus 23 Jan 2006
Sharpie Fix
By the way, if you want to remove sharpie from any surface, OFF bug spray turns a sharpie into a dry erase marker so test the sharpie method out without concern for the safety of your discs! -jk
Posted by: -jk 27 Nov 2005
piece of tape?
Right, like I am putting a piece of tape on a CD that goes inside my drive, it will defeat your drive. I'm thinking a Sharpie works better here.
Posted by: Bill Frayer 25 Nov 2005
Analogue transfers arent viable.
"Thats why I copy Sony cds with a Sony Discman. Hook the line out cable to the Line in jack on your sound card and set your ripping software to Analouge mode. click record in your software, and push play on the cdplayer. Play the track, and push stop at..." Well the problem with analogue transfers is that the quality is degraded -massively-.
Posted by: SeaDawg 22 Nov 2005
In response to Baba
Look carefully on the data side of the disc, and you'll see there is a visible difference in the audio and data rings. You'll want to mark just outside the audio ring, covering the beginning of the data portion.
Posted by: Glass 22 Nov 2005
In response to SeaDawg
"...the quality is degraded -massively-." I've been recording music for years, from C-band satellite radio broadcasts (free - not Sirius or XM) onto video tape (really wide bandwidth) as well as from FM broadcasts. In the late 50's I was recording from AM radio onto reel-to-reel tape. I have yet to hear any "massive" degradation of quality. The way many people listen to music, in the car, on an iPod, whatever, quality isn't that critical. It only becomes critical in the home theater. Remember, all music starts out as analog. Digital is merely an approximation of the real thing.
Posted by: SteveP67 22 Nov 2005
mixed tape
No body freaked out over making mixed tapes, what the hell's their problem all of a sudden?
Posted by: grrrrr 22 Nov 2005
Question
How do you know how much of the outer part of the CD to put tape on or colour with a marker??
Posted by: Baba O'Riley 21 Nov 2005
so does...
So does disabling autorun.
Posted by: PC Doc 21 Nov 2005
Sony Thinks it's customers are idiots
Thats why I copy Sony cds with a Sony Discman. Hook the line out cable to the Line in jack on your sound card and set your ripping software to Analouge mode. click record in your software, and push play on the cdplayer. Play the track, and push stop at the end. It's not as fast as a digital rip, but consider that it will record anything that can be heard, so protection of audio will always be a moot point. They can't stop us from doing what we want. The fact that they lowered themselves to loading what was essentially spyware on millions of people's computers only proves they are unworthy of your money. They won't be getting a single dime of my money anytime soon.
Posted by: Vlatro 21 Nov 2005
A piece of tape!
LOL
Posted by: n/a 21 Nov 2005
Why is anyone suprised by this?
There are two separate reasons that DRM on CDs is unworkable - the first is to do with the CD format, and the second to do with DRM. In the first case, the problem is that any CD has to contain a set of unencrypted, uncompressed data stored in a clearly defined format in order to be playable - and every CD-ROM drive on the market knows how to read that data. The other problem is that the combination of the platform and media must, of necessity, contain every piece of information needed to regenerate the original data - since there is no real secret in this system, it has to rely in obsfucation and data hiding - systems like this have never been, and cannot be, secure. DRM also leads to the counterintuitive situation where the people that actually pay for the content end up with something that's less desirable and useful than the ones who just copy it.
Posted by: Peter Bell 21 Nov 2005
Old News
This has been the case for some years, although it used to be 'marker pen' rather than 'tape'.
Posted by: Chris 21 Nov 2005
nice but...
Any demonstration on how to do this ?
Posted by: m-p{3} 21 Nov 2005
If you want to ruin your CD drive - tape away!
I'm suprised anyone - especially Gartner - has taken this advice even semi-seriously ... people have had enough trouble with sticky labels in the past - what do you think a 'fingernail sized' piece of tape is going to do once it spins lose and gets in your drive? This could be a Sony hoax to mess up as many burners as possible ... ;)
Posted by: Mike Harris 21 Nov 2005
Sony Blushing
Sony should be ashamed of themselves. Not only have they proven that music should be free fro anyone anywhere, but that any attempt to protect it, is fraught with unassailable difficulties. For a better society, make these things free for anyone born :- 1) Water 2) Air 3) Food 4) Shelter 5) Clothing 6) Music Stop making money, and start making knowledge.
Posted by: Mark Jacobs 21 Nov 2005
DRM
That's good News for some I'm sure, but the best way to deal with DRM, is not to purchase from Labels who incorporate it into their Music. There's no other product that I purchase were the vendor tries to control the way I use the product, to the extent some record labels do. As far as I'm concerned, when I purchase a product, its mine to use as I like, DRM is like GM telling me that I can't lend my car to whomever I choose, I wouldn't accept that, and I won't accept the position of the record labels. Until they are prepared to allow my unfettered ownership of the produce, I will not be one of their customers. Music is still a descretionary purchase, not a necessity, at least not for me, and I will use my descretion in my purchasing desisions.
Posted by: Larry 21 Nov 2005
consume music? wtf?
is music really meant to be consumed? i 4 myself still think of enjoying the music i purchased instead of mixing it with milk and eat it straight ahead, like my every morning cereals... hello labels you missed something!
Posted by: mumbat 21 Nov 2005
Tape on your Tape
The last time I used tape was on Casette tape to record music from the radio.
Posted by: koen Baart 21 Nov 2005
Sony's Shame.
Here is my suggestion for Sony Headquarters . Here is a thought, just sell better music and package it with extras, liner notes, biography info, mini posters, etc. The packaging is a strong selling point for CDs. People might try out a song or two, but then they want all the extra goodies that come with the REAL CD. People love the packaging that come with extra goods, like the Lord of the Rings figures that came with the DVDs. Cute stuff, toys, stuff you can't make on a computer. Improve the quality of the product and increase the value added packaging, instead of trying to attack computer networks of citizens, governments, and industry.
Posted by: Marketing Expert - CMO 21 Nov 2005
if you can hear it you can defeat it
With two computers, and some high quality mikes, you can record anything.
Posted by: beber 21 Nov 2005
What about the public?
"Sony abandoned the use of the XCP anti-piracy technology earlier this month after weeks of heavy criticism from security experts and consumer advocates." Sure, experts and advocates helped, but sites like slashdot and digg.com brought the story to the masses and thousands of people wrote/emailed/called Sony demanding change. I know because I was one of them. Don't discount the little people. We can be pretty effective when we threaten to boycott entire companies.
Posted by: Doc 21 Nov 2005
A black felt tip pen works better.
A black felt tip pen works better. :)
Posted by: Seasnake 21 Nov 2005