AfterDawn: News

BBC begins to correct iPlayer exploit

Earlier this week, hackers discovered a loophole in the brand new "iPlayer for iPhone" beta service which allowed users to download and save all iPlayer content DRM-free.

The exploit, which was made easy using a Firefox plug-in, meant users could "fool the service into thinking they were accessing the programming (with a different DRM set-up) on an iPhone or iPod touch whilst on a computer." The shows could then be downloaded with no copyright protection.



The vulnerability has now been closed but the BBC will continue to monitor the situation and look out for future exploits.

"It's an ongoing, constant process and one which we will continue to monitor. Like other broadcasters, the security of rights-protected content online is an issue we take very seriously," added the BBC in a statement.



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Mar 2008 18:58

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• 7 comments

• Shegax

  When will they realize? Users, most of us want our content undisturbed and people will go out of their way to make sure that this is the case. Why don't they get that when they lash out at consumers in this way it just gets worse? It doesn't have to be a cat and mouse game all the time, for every game system, hand held, cellphone, ipod, computers ETC. LET THE USERS CONTROL THE DAMN CONTENT. thats what the whole cat and mouse, copyright chasing, consumer battle is always about. We need to change the way we think about copyrights, intellectual property, and the like. Copyrights hinder creativity and advancement. The founding fathers never meant for someone to spend 500 dollars making and publishing a book or song, only to reap the rewards for the rest of his or her life. It doesn't make sense. The founding fathers had in mind that a person would profit off of his idea for a CERTAIN amount of time, and then let the public make his idea grow with the fresh ideas of the public. They did not however want something like Intel, to keep trade secrets forever and patent every little single advancement they made. Pushing away anyone else with an idea better than theirs. This is not the capitalism that was envisioned. I'm not a communist, or any other thing people might want to label me, because labels don't require a person to use their brain to understand someone else's Ideas. I feel copyrights, drm , trademarks, and everything else that keeps other people out, it what will eventually kill off capitalism in the form we know it today.

  15.3.2008 20:11 #1

• tripplite

  am guessing some guys on the inside wanted to give of free music!! he he!

  15.3.2008 21:40 #2

• domie

  Originally posted by Shegax: When will they realize? Users, most of us want our content undisturbed and people will go out of their way to make sure that this is the case. Why don't they get that when they lash out at consumers in this way it just gets worse?whilst I detest DRM etc I wouldn't want it the other way either - you want us to end up like China ? They can probably copy your own mother now and they don't just stop at media - fake pharmacy drugs which killed 200,000 people in Africa alone last year due to fake malaria, fake insulin and fake HiV tablets - all imported from those evil chinese money grabbing fraudsters and bought by dishonest pharmacists making a quick buck - a total end to copyright and 100 % consumer choice would lead us all down that awful path I fear.

  15.3.2008 21:59 #3

• ammad123

  whilst I detest DRM etc I wouldn't want it the other way either - you want us to end up like China ? They can probably copy your own mother now and they don't just stop at media - fake pharmacy drugs which killed 200,000 people in Africa alone last year due to fake malaria, fake insulin and fake HiV tablets - all imported from those evil chinese money grabbing fraudsters and bought by dishonest pharmacists making a quick buck - a total end to copyright and 100 % consumer choice would lead us all down that awful path I fear.
  Woow man.. u rly made me think bwt all this Drm and copying stuff... i agree with u , completly !!

  16.3.2008 07:37 #4

• Sazaziel

  ummm... wow! Blame everything on the Chinese huh. It's not like they force people to buy their products. Last I remember we were the budget consumers who made them money grubbing. Like that movie "Menace II Society"...You don't like, you don't buy!
  
  Back on topic....who cares about the loopholes. Why do people try to make something perfect in a not so perfect world. I'm sure thats not the only loop hole on the Iplayer anyways.

  16.3.2008 07:54 #5

• tripplite

  Quote:ummm... wow! Blame everything on the Chinese huh. It's not like they force people to buy their products. Last I remember we were the budget consumers who made them money grubbing. Like that movie "Menace II Society"...You don't like, you don't buy!
  
  dont think china is such a great country, censoring the internet, steeling oil from sudan, fueling the war in darfur, killing masses in Tibet, forcing wages on business ....it doesn't effect me but if something goes down in china hell the prices will jump! thats why i prefer southern asia media:)
  

  
  

  16.3.2008 14:03 #6

• Shegax

  Alright after my comment this went in an entirely different direction. I didn't say do away with copyrights, or trademarks. Nor does giving examples of china's decisions make your argument any stronger. Look I didn't mean a free for all. All I meant was, we need to CHANGE the way we look at things, and give more power to the individual creators of Ideas. The whole Idea of copyright has been skewed so much that it doesn't even resemble what the founding fathers had in mind at all. You can do away with patents and copyrights and still manage the quality of products with a standard way of enforcing it. But keeping and enforcing the use, for an indefinite amount of time keeps fresh ideas from flourishing. For example, if we did away with the music industry or movie industry you think people would just stop creating? Hell no! We are human being with an intense desire to create. Making fake drugs and products that kill people just tells you that there isn't any set standard of enforcement, and intellectual property rights does nothing to either not ensure or ensure safety.

  19.3.2008 18:04 #7