Why DRM won't ever work

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Microsoft need to control *ALL* computer for DRM to work

Just got to point out a huge flaw in your reasoning here.

Even if a PC is locked down with the OS, what is to stop someone acquiring the software (or the OS) and performing the examination on a non locked down machine?

If we ever got to the stage where Windows is locked down that tightly what is to stop someone getting a Windows CD, which *must* contain the binaries that the CPU understands or a binary that obtains further binaries and running binary level reverse engineering on it from a non restricted machine such as Linux or BSD?

The only real way to prevent it is to some how lock it down at the chip level and even then the secrets would need to be impossible to capture.

Theoretically as the chips are supposed to be deterministic if you can anayliser it in enough detail you can even grab keys out of hardware. Problem is finding the tools that can do that, not even sure they have been invented yet. But they *will* come.

You can not give somebody access to something and expect it to be secure.

There is always the analoge hole! Ah but HDCP was meant to prevent that. They have however overlooked onje channel that they have not secured yet. ... The channel from the screen to my eyes. I'd like to see them protect that one! What are you going to do fit decryption chips in the opticasl nerver or something?



Of course there is the theory that DRM can work, and it can, depending on how you define "work". If the purpose of DRM is to prevent copying then it can't "work". If it is meant to stop non-skilled people from copying then it is unlikely to work, availablilty of cracks to the DRM is too eaqsy to spread. If the purpose of DRM is to protect companies from competing with you then in countries like the USA it does "work". Why do you think the Zune win't play music from iTunes? Microsoft can break Apple DRM and make the Zune play it, but USA law prohibits such an attack. Thus DRM has worked, if the intention was to protect Apples distribution channel.

Posted by: Someguy2   Posted on: 06/07/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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