AfterDawn: News

HDCP encryption permanently cracked?

According to multiple sources, hackers have released the HDCP 'master key' this week, cracking the copy protection permanently.

High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection's main focus is to stop the unencrypted transmission of high definition video content from a source like a Blu-ray player and a display monitor / TV set. HDCP is used with the Digital Video Interface (DVI), DisplayPort and High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) .



HDCP is required for all equipment that uses a HDMI connection. Since HDCP is a proprietary technology, it requires a license to be implemented and as part of the license agreement, a manufacturer must agree to limit the capabilities of the other video outputs on a device. This means that in effect, a movie disc can instruct a source player to downgrade the video quality if a user attempts to transmit high definition video content through a connection that doesn't feature HDCP.

With the master key released, anyone can now create their own source/sink keys.

You can view the original post here: HDCP Master Key

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Sep 2010 13:21

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• 4 comments

• ROMaster2

  Feels good man, feels real frickin' good.

  15.9.2010 14:44 #1

• andmill11

  So what exactly does this mean for us "normal" people? Backups of blu-rays? Can't we already do that?
  

  15.9.2010 18:51 #2

• KillerBug

  Realistically, this means that now your computer can be a DVR...and the files it records can be played back anywhere. It also means that instead of paying $350 for a crummy ATI cablecard tunder, you can use a $100 tuner with a descrambler box to do the same job, better.
  
  It also means that if you have some old POS TV; or maybe a HDMI receiver that does not have HDCP support; you can actually use it...at full quality rather than the SD quality that it reverts to without HDCP.
  
  If you want to record full-HD quality gameplay from your PS3, it is now possible...or at least it will be once there are 50,000 people selling the black boxes on ebay.
  
  I am sure there are a lot of other applications as well...these are just a few of them.

  15.9.2010 22:57 #3

• xboxer101

  So how exactly can this be used and what's required ?
  
  I have a Sky HD box which is near full and I'd like to be able to archive some stuff to an external drive.
  

  17.9.2010 11:22 #4