DVD Jon makes Apple crumble

Less than 24 hours after Apple blocked software that disabled its iTunes digital rights management system, the author has struck back with redesigned code that works around the block.

Norwegian hacker Jon Lech Johansen (also known as DVD Jon after breaking the DVD encryption code) had written an application called PyMusique that allowed Linux users to buy music from Apple and then play it on any music player.

Yesterday Apple blocked the code from being used, but DVD Jon and American coder Cody Brocious have revised the code to circumvent Apple's DRM again.

"This version uses the crypto from iTunes 4.7 to allow it to work again," said Brocious in his blog.

"If people want a Windows version enough I'm sure someone will release it, but we won't release an official Windows version any longer. Now, go buy music!"

While Apple has not yet taken legal action the software does breach the terms and conditions of the iTunes software licence.

Apple has increasingly been resorting to legal action against those it sees as working against its interest. The company recently sued a group of bloggers over the alleged release of trade secrets, and took action against a UK company for control of the itunes.co.uk domain.

But Apple is itself being sued in the US by an iTunes user who does not want to be locked into using an iPod, and by the European Union over UK iTunes pricing.