HD-DVD DRM copy protection broken

Its official, the hacker known only as Muslix64 has successfully cracked the copy protection on HD-DVD called AACS. Muslix64 released the source code, as well as a video that he shot proving the concept of the decryption. Designed as a program to make back-up copies of HD-DVD movies already owned, the software is quickly picking up buzz in chat rooms, and forums across the web.

The video and link to download are currently listed at the forum where the announcement was made. The forum, Doom9 located at http://forum.doom9.org, is a known DVD hangout for those who like to discuss DVD movies, and technology. When this announcement was made originally, the first response made by user linx05 was “Is this for real?” Quickly other users downloaded the software and checked out the source code released with it. It is real. Watching the video, you see the software in action, and there is a promise of more code and maybe keys coming to the public in January.

According to the author, Muslix64, the process after some trial and error was easy, “It took me around a week to do. But I [had] wasted few days trying to work on too complicated [of an] approach. In fact, it is very simple.” According to him, the process and idea came to him after reading an online document about AACS.