VideoLAN Announces libaacs

supersloshy writes "VideoLAN, makers of the well-known media player VLC, have just announced a new project called libaacs. The libaacs library's intention is to provide a free software library to implement the AACS specification, the copy-protection found on things such as Blu-ray discs. Note that this isn't meant to actually be a decoding library. It includes no AACS keys and is solely developed for research purposes."

Without the keys, it's 1201(g)

[tepples]

I'd like to see how such a cease-and-desist notice might be worded. From the summary: "It includes no AACS keys". From the article: "this project doesn't offer any key or certificate that could be used to decode encrypted copyrighted material." So without the player keys, it's not a complete circumvention device but instead an encryption research project, exempt under 17 USC 1201(g) [copyright.gov]. And even if it did have keys, the interoperability exemption in 1201(f) combined with the fair use exemption that the Register of Copyrights recently enacted for three years might save it.

Re:DADVSI

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

For another, I am speculating on the right of United States residents, including the editors of Slashdot, to use VideoLAN products.

Tangential riff: Anyone else notice CNN using videolan recently? It looked to me like they used it all the time for showing video of the oil spewing out of the well. They frequently had multiple videos running simultaneously, each in its own window and often there would be at least one 'dead' window with the trademark videolan traffic cone in it.

Translation of research exception in the law

[ciaran_o_riordan]

From the cited ruling [legifrance.gouv.fr] which discusses application of the EU ban on circumventing DRM:

Ces dispositions ne s'appliquent pas aux actes qui ne portent pas préjudice aux titulaires de droits et qui sont réalisés à des fins de sécurité informatique ou à des fins de recherche scientifique en cryptographie

Which roughly translates to:

These provisions do not apply to acts which do not interfere with rights-holders or to acts carried out for computer security purposes or for scientific research or cryptographic purposes.

So libaacs is legally 100% safe so long as it stays in those boundaries. (That EU law is unjust and should be contested.)

"legally play a Bluray"

[GodWasAnAlien]

"legally play a Blueray" (same question for DVD)

What exactly does that mean?

A Blueray/DVD player that one may purchase at Best Buy also decrypts the disc. Is that circumvention also?

What exactly is the difference between a commercial player and an open source player (which also must decrypt the disc)?

The main difference that I see is that one is using the official specification, and one is using an unofficial specification.

But using an unofficial specification is not illegal.

Perhaps, If some are claiming that an open source player plays "BlueRay" or "DVD" discs, then that may be a Trademark violation, as it has not been certified.

Is that what you are implying? a Trademark violation?

Re:Without the keys, it's 1201(g)

[RulerOf]

The cease-and-desist will claim some intellectual property violation and it will be up to you to give in to the intimidation or resist by contacting your host to get your site back online.

Back when the first AACS decoder was released on Doom9, it was called BackupHDDVD and made use of a key obtained from PowerDVD (IIRC) for Windows.

The programmer, however, implemented AACS decryption by following the specification as posted directly on the AACS Licensing Authority's website.

Food for thought ;)