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Topic: MP3 copy protection (Read 6405 times) previous topic - next topic
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MP3 copy protection

I am trying to find a solution to protect a MP3 collection in such a way that it cannot be copied.

There are different mechanisms available today, none of which really resolves my needs. 

One solution is to encrypt the MP3 files into a virtual drive, but as soon as this drive is "opened", it can be copied.

Another solution also available is to encrypt each MP3 file and use a dedicated player which will decrypt and play the music.  This is not a good solution either, as it will prevent me from using my favorit player.

What I am looking for is some sort of frontend to the windows filesystem being able to decrypt MP3 files, as it is being read by the player used.  Perhaps the mechanism i locked to a particular player, or limited in terms of reading speed.  This way one would prevent copying of decoded Mp3.

Does anyone have any thoughts of this?

MP3 copy protection

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Allie on
Does anyone have any thoughts of this?


Yes. It's not going to work.

Once you change the mp3 format it's not an mp3, so that's out.

The dedicated player option is ridiculous too as it'll just annoy your users and give them less value - I certainly wouldn't use these files myself.

If you need to protect files (why?) then go with Windows Media. Mind you, even if Microsoft themselves can't secure their system properly I doubt a one man band ever will.

So again, why exactly do you need to protect these files? And what are you protecting them from?

MP3 copy protection

Reply #2 –
Well, I suppose on windows you could use the EFS support in NTFS.  The issue is that the player would need to be running under a different user's credentials (one that had the EFS keys associated with it) if you want to prevent the user at the console from being able to use them any other way.  And the console user would need to be using a limited user account (one without admin access), and would not be able to log in as the special user account that the player runs under.

EDIT:  more explanations

1. EFS being NTFS's Encrypted File System support.  Encrypt the MP3s using a non-user account.

2. If the system is Windows XP Pro, you could set up a shortcut to the app using runas.exe, the non-user account's name and the /savecred flag (which isn't very secure, but most users are unaware of that).  You would have to start it at least once manually to type the password, after that, it would be cached, at least until the password expired.

Windows XP Home doesn't allow that flag.

3. There are ways to start general applications via the services control panel (under specific accounts), and even have them interact with the console.  I don't know if that works with XP's fast user switching, however.

-brendan

MP3 copy protection

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Allie on
What I am looking for is some sort of frontend to the windows filesystem being able to decrypt MP3 files, as it is being read by the player used.  Perhaps the mechanism i locked to a particular player, or limited in terms of reading speed.  This way one would prevent copying of decoded Mp3.

Does anyone have any thoughts of this?


Not possible in any remotely secure way.  If you can play a file, you can read it.  If you can read a file, you can copy it to a new location.

You'll have to store the files in an encrypted format and use a player with DRM support to decrypt them.  Look into WMP + WMA.

MP3 copy protection

Reply #4 –
I know a few folks that intentionally use local WMA DRM to secure audio content on public use workstations.  They use Winamp for playback.  (Users can't even install/use "illegal" circumvention tools to exact the content, since the users don't run with full privileges.)

Beyond that, it's custom solution time...

MP3 copy protection

Reply #5 –
Quote from: seanyseansean on
Quote from: Allie on

Does anyone have any thoughts of this?


Yes. It's not going to work.

Once you change the mp3 format it's not an mp3, so that's out.

The dedicated player option is ridiculous too as it'll just annoy your users and give them less value - I certainly wouldn't use these files myself.

If you need to protect files (why?) then go with Windows Media. Mind you, even if Microsoft themselves can't secure their system properly I doubt a one man band ever will.

So again, why exactly do you need to protect these files? And what are you protecting them from?


Thank you for all replies.  As you know, a large music collection is a result of ...more hours than I would like to admit.  I was simply looking for a way to implement a simple protection scheme to avoid someone being tempted to make their own copy when using the collection...

Sure, once data can be read, it can also be encrypted.  However, if the "protection" was such that it would only allow data to be read as fast as it would play (x1) - copying the collection would at least be very very slow.

Other than that the BPM Studio supports ATX and MCA format, but I have not found out if these formats would do me any good.

MP3 copy protection

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Allie on
I am trying to find a solution to protect a MP3 collection in such a way that it cannot be copied.

why would you like to do that?

EDIT: sorry, just read your response.