Macrovision purchases BD+ DRM for $45 million

Macrovision just announced it has purchased the Self-Protecting Digital Content technology that forms the basis of Blu-ray's BD+ DRM system. If you're wondering, that would be the same BD+ technology that went from "impenetrable for 10 years" to "cracked" just last week. 18 months ago, Macrovision hoped to avoid becoming irrelevant by including its analog content protection in the AACS spec used by both formats, but is taking over Blu-ray's digital content protection with the $45 million purchase from Cryptography Research. We're wondering how these latest vulnerabilities will affect Macrovision's plans to commercialize the technology through licensing, since one of BD+'s strengths is an ability to address "emerging" security threats.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 3:22PM]

45 million down the drain?

They are a public company too. I would be pretty pissed off if i was a shareholder right now.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 3:44PM]

I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason that Macrovision bought the already-cracked BD+. Does anyone know if you can "re-encrypt" BD+ by using different key sets or other advanced methods to make previous cracking methods (temporarily) ineffective on new disc releases?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2007 3:45AM]

Yes, you can. Unlike the security scheme in HD DVD, BD+ is renewable. It can be broken, but fixed. Windows Media format files do something similar, and WMV has been broken many times. Every time it is, Microsoft releases new updates to secure future playback. Similarly, each Blu-ray disk carries the virtual machine software package on it necessary to decrypt itself for playback. If BD+ is broken, this just means you can decrypt any Blu-ray disk that currently exists, but not any future releases (or future copies of current movies).

It has yet to be proven if SlySoft's AnyDVD will work on future Blu-ray releases. The image above, which was meant to be intimidating is just a relabeled version of Figure 7 from http://www.cryptography.com/resources/whitepapers/SelfProtectingContent.pdf

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 4:22PM]

Even if it is busted companies are still using it and will continue to do so. The Blu-Ray spec probably requires it. If Macrovision owns the technology then they can license it and make a certain amount of money every time a disc or player is sold.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 5:24PM]

I wonder how much this DRM costs vs how much additional revenue it brings in. That'd be a nice business case to review

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 6:19PM]

Oh great, Macrovision Part 2.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 11:00PM]

Part 2? More like Part 200. Macrovision has a LOT of different DRM schemes out there, in everything from DVD to DVRs, cable to video games. They're involved in pretty much all forms of media.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 19th 2007 6:27PM]

No company is going to pay $45 million for a technology that has been ripped. There is absolutely no evidence or proof that the Slysoft program has hacked BD+. From what I understand BD+ is renewable so if one movie gets hacked the next release closes the hole. It also retards playback of any copied discs if you get that far. Who has the time and patience for that? Just steal the disc from the store if you don't want to pay for it.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 20th 2007 10:22AM]

'that went from "impenetrable for 10 years" to "cracked" just last week. '

This comment reminds me of Britney Spears ;)))
I don't know what is wrong with my brain today :)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 20th 2007 8:17AM]

Macrovision? Now there is a wealth of intelligence. Any teenager from Europe will show them their loss of light.