HDCP 'master key' supposedly released

[poisondeathray]

HDCP 'master key' supposedly released, unlocks HDTV copy protection permanently

HDCP 'master key' supposedly released, unlocks HDTV copy protection permanently

Just as the MPAA is preparing to offer movies to customers at home while they're still in theaters by limiting playback to DRM-protected digital outputs only, the HDCP protocol they rely on may have been cracked wide open. All devices that support HDCP, like Blu-ray players, set-top boxes and displays with HDMI inputs, have their own set of keys to encrypt and decrypt protected data and if keys for a particular device are compromised, they can be revoked by content released in the future which will then refuse to play. Now, posts have been floating around on Twitter about a supposed "master key" which renders that protection unusable since it allows anyone to create their own source and sink keys.

Who discovered this and by what technique isn't immediately clear, but as early as 2001 security researcher Niels Ferguson proposed that it could be easily revealed by knowing the keys of less than 50 different devices. Hardware HDCP rippers like the HDfury2 and DVIMAGIC have been around for a while and various AACS cracks easily allow rips of Blu-ray discs but if this information is what it claims to be, then the DRM genie could be permanently out of the bag allowing perfect high definition copies of anything as long as the current connector standards are around. While it's unlikely your average user would flash their capture device with a brand new key and get to copying uncompressed HD audio and video, keeping those early releases off of the torrents in bit perfect quality could go from difficult to impossible.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/hdcp-master-key-supposedly-released-unlocks-hdtv-copy-protect/

[jagabo]

Thank god. Now maybe Hollywood and all the manufacturers will drop HDCP and we can start exercising our fair use rights like we used to. Well, I can dream, can't I?

Ars Technica has some more details and an explanation of what it really means:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/claimed-hdcp-master-key-leak-could-be-...drm-scheme.ars

[Island_Dweller]

Thanks for the links guys. Very interesting read, to say the least...

[Nelson37]

So are these keys unique to each individual Unit, or the same throughout a model line?

If my device's key is revoked, what recourse do I have as a consumer?

[jman98]

So are these keys unique to each individual Unit, or the same throughout a model line?

If my device's key is revoked, what recourse do I have as a consumer?

I don't know the answer to that first question.

For the 2nd one, in theory the manufacturer would give you new firmware with new keys on it that would do the job. If they didn't and they made your device useless, you could always sue.

If this information turns out to be true, it seems that in the near future consumers would be able to generate their own keys that will work forever with the help of a (apparently) yet to be written software program to do the job. Since Hollywood would not have a record of YOUR key generated this way, they would not really be able to revoke your key.

[yoda313]

So does this mean (if true) that a blackmagic card could capture the pure hdmi output from any bluray player in perfect rendering? Would it be a perfect bit for bit copy? Would this mean you could do perfect bit for bit realtime copy of the bluray over the hdmi?

Also how would that work with the blackmagic card if the hdcp was turned off? Would you get all the sub channels simultaneously? Or would it be like any other capture where you only get the video plus the main audio track that is currently selected?

Does this potentially lead to breaking hd dvr's from cable companies and fios/sat companies? Would that be possible to do it with hdmi instead of just component cables? Would that potentially make the hd pvr less than ideal and move blackmagic up to the number one capture option for high def cable/sat/fios?

Also what file size in capture would it be for the blackmagic? Say its a 21gb m2ts main movie file if ripped with anydvdhd. Would it be just about 21gb in a captured file with the blackmagic sans hdcp? Or would it be slightly less if you can only copy the main audio track that is playing? And this would be in full 5.1-7.1 audio correct?

[jagabo]

So does this mean (if true) that a blackmagic card could capture the pure hdmi output from any bluray player in perfect rendering?

That probably depends on the design of the BlackMagic card -- whether software (or driver, or firmware) can talk to the Blu-ray player through the HDMI port to perform the HDCP handshake. The software would also have to perform the decryption. My guess is the BMI would require some redesign.

Would it be a perfect bit for bit copy? Would this mean you could do perfect bit for bit realtime copy of the bluray over the hdmi?

No. What's stored on the disc is AVC/MPEG2/VC1 compressed. What travels over HDMI is the decompressed frames (with HDCP encryption). You would want to recompress the data.

Also how would that work with the blackmagic card if the hdcp was turned off? Would you get all the sub channels simultaneously? Or would it be like any other capture where you only get the video plus the main audio track that is currently selected?

I'm not sure but I suspect the player only sends the selected audio track.

Does this potentially lead to breaking hd dvr's from cable companies and fios/sat companies? Would that be possible to do it with hdmi instead of just component cables? Would that potentially make the hd pvr less than ideal and move blackmagic up to the number one capture option for high def cable/sat/fios?

Yes. Yes. And Yes (assuming the BMI can be made to work).

Also what file size in capture would it be for the blackmagic? Say its a 21gb m2ts main movie file if ripped with anydvdhd. Would it be just about 21gb in a captured file with the blackmagic sans hdcp? Or would it be slightly less if you can only copy the main audio track that is playing? And this would be in full 5.1-7.1 audio correct?

It doesn't matter how big the file is on the disc. It will be sent across HDMI as uncompressed video frames. 1920x1080p24 would be about 540 GB/hr as uncompressed RGB, half that as YV12.

[yoda313]

Thanks for all the responses jagabo.

It will be sent across HDMI as uncompressed video frames. 1920x1080p24 would be about 540 GB/hr as uncompressed RGB, half that as YV12.

HOLY CRAP!

Is there a raid setup anywhere that could handle that load???????

[cal_tony]

So as not to cause any problems, I deleted this post

Tony

[yoda313]

My god please let someone come up with a point and click solution!!!!

[jagabo]

Found this on another site. Not sure what it means but it is a lot of numbers and I was wondering what you would do with them?

I saw those too. And, although I'm all for publicizing the information (if it's true), I didn't think it appropriate to post here (I don't want to get VideoHelp into legal problems with Intel).

The text at the start of the post clearly states what you do with it.

My god please let someone come up with a point and click solution!!!!

LOL

[El Heggunte]

cal_tony wrote:

This is a forty times forty element matrix of fifty-six bit
hexadecimal numbers.

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh !

[cal_tony]

Sorry about the post. I really don't know what it all means. That's why I asked. If it is actual coding and I broke forum rules than I'm really sorry.

I just thought it was an example of what the coding might look like. Jagabo indicated that the first paragraph explained it all, but I'm still lost.


Re: the list of numbers, should I just go back and edit them all out?

Tony

[rumplestiltskin]

So the means are there for devices (like $3000 TVs) to be bricked when, rightly or wrongly, unauthorized content is believed to be transported across HDMI. I seem to recall someone sputtering in disbelief when I mentioned that (in another post a year ago). I would hazard a guess that, if the encryption has indeed been broken, it is probably time for the various mfr's of this equipment to yank the punitive functionality of the system so they don't get sued and (for a small fee) make available to any that request it a USB firmware updated that turns off the "gonna brick ya'" feature.

[jagabo]

Intel has confirmed the master key is real:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1733749/intel-confirms-hdcp-cracked

The article incorrectly implies that this has something to do with the protection used on Blu-ray discs. It does not (AACS an BD+ are used on Blu-ray discs). HDCP is only used on the HDMI link (Blu-ray, cable box, satellite box, etc).

[yoda313]

The article incorrectly implies that this has something to do with the protection used on Blu-ray discs. It does not

They were probably dumbing it down for the "general" public. They probably didn't want to discuss or didnt' know the on disc protection to prevent extraction was different or separate from hdcp.

Will this hdcp disabling end up functioning similar to macrovision stripping? In theory hdcp acts much like macrovision. Although you can still watch a garbled video with macrovision on a setup its not intended for. True that without proper hdcp you don't get a picture at all. But this is comparable to macrovision on dvds - there is digital on disc protection for dvds just like bluray and macrovision works to protect realtime copying.

Just curious - macrovision is still on bluray isn't it????

[MOVIEGEEK]

This news doesn't surprise me, I knew it was only a matter of time.
AnyDVD and DVDFab Passkey can strip or bypass HDCP.

[jman98]

They were probably dumbing it down for the "general" public. They probably didn't want to discuss or didnt' know the on disc protection to prevent extraction was different or separate from hdcp.

My personal belief is that it's more a "didn't know" thing than a "didn't want to discuss" thing. Online news is great in some ways, bad in others. The wide variety of news sources such as blogs means that any one can say anything without being held accountable for a lack of understanding. Even old traditional sources like newspapers have shown that they are willing to cut corners in terms of verification just to get information out quickly.

Since anyone can write something to a blog and it may get picked up and spread around, we don't have any real idea if the original source even understood what they are talking about. For example, I have lost count of how many times on Slashdot some idiot will submit an article on another website and write a completely wrong summary about it. The submitter will say "They said X. Horror! Evil! Everyone beware!" and then others will comment after reading the article and say basically "You idiot. The article said Not X. It actually says the opposite of what you claim it says." Yet the original incorrect summary remains forever to mislead readers. So I just assume that the original writer of whatever article pointed this out has no real understanding of what HDCP is.

[jagabo]

This news doesn't surprise me, I knew it was only a matter of time.
AnyDVD and DVDFab Passkey can strip or bypass HDCP.

No, they bypass CSS (DVD encryption), AACS (Blu-ray and HD DVD encryption), and BD+ (Blu-ray obfuscation). They have nothing to do with HDCP.

[HemLok]

Intel has confirmed the master key is real:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1733749/intel-confirms-hdcp-cracked

The article incorrectly implies that this has something to do with the protection used on Blu-ray discs. It does not (AACS an BD+ are used on Blu-ray discs). HDCP is only used on the HDMI link (Blu-ray, cable box, satellite box, etc).

While HDCP, itself, isn't "on" a disc or a specific protection for Blu-Ray the fact is that it is part of a protection scheme to prevent people from simply copying the output from a device such as a Blu-Ray player via output received by another device. If the player decodes everything and you can hook that up to another device to make record the output then who cares about the AACS or BD+? It becomes irrelevant. Of course HDCP goes beyond just playback of Blu-Rays and impacts more.

They were probably dumbing it down for the "general" public. They probably didn't want to discuss or didnt' know the on disc protection to prevent extraction was different or separate from hdcp.

Will this hdcp disabling end up functioning similar to macrovision stripping? In theory hdcp acts much like macrovision. Although you can still watch a garbled video with macrovision on a setup its not intended for. True that without proper hdcp you don't get a picture at all. But this is comparable to macrovision on dvds - there is digital on disc protection for dvds just like bluray and macrovision works to protect realtime copying.

Devices like my Blu-Ray player will not output HD unless an HDMI connection is used. It won't send upconverted SD material without an HDMI connection. People stuck with a playback device (ie HDTV, projector, etc) lacking an HDMI port can't watch the content in HD even if the viewing device is capable. The output is hobbled and that is simply ********.

This news doesn't surprise me, I knew it was only a matter of time.
AnyDVD and DVDFab Passkey can strip or bypass HDCP.

AnyDVD HD and DVDFab Passkey don't directly do anything to HDCP. With the changes they do make HDCP simply isn't enforced. So, it could be stated that neither product strips or bypasses HDCP because they really do nothing to HDCP. They simply do other things that make HDCP irrelevant.

It took a decade for HDCP to finally be compromised so credit is due to the people who created it. One of the reasons this whole thing is of bigger "concern" right now is due the plans to allow consumers at home to watch movies that are being shown in movie theaters in the comfort of their own home. This is a concern to the industry if people can simply record the movie if they have the necessary hardware to do so.

In the long run while it is great to see a master key leaked for HDCP the overall impact likely won't be too big. Sure, we may see an influx of "HDMI strippers" and/or tuner cards that aren't "sanctioned" from the black market but for everyday people this leak is pretty meaningless. The revelation of the master key going public is much more symbolic by demonstrating that motivated people can succeed in getting around this stuff. It's also possible that "screeners" could become a thing of the past if people can grab a beautiful broadcast quality copy of a movie while it is still in theaters. Note that I am not condoning this behavior at all but it is a concern of the industry I am sure.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I stand corrected, thanks for clearing that up.