BMG’s CD Copy-Protection Broken Already!

‘Shift’ key breaks CD copy locks. I don’t know if this is worse than the other copy-protection that was defeated by using a magic marker:

A Princeton University student has published instructions for disabling the new anti-copying measures being tested on CDs by BMG — and they’re as simple as holding down a computer’s Shift key.

Under normal circumstances, the antipiracy software is automatically loaded onto a Windows machine whenever the Hamilton album is run in a computer’s CD drive, making traditional copying or MP3 ripping impossible. However, simply holding down the Shift key prevents Windows’ AutoRun feature from loading the copy-protection software, leaving the music free to copy, Halderman said.

The technique was confirmed by BMG and SunnComm Technologies, the small company that produces the anti-copying technology. Both companies said they had known about it before releasing the CD, and that they still believed the protection would deter most average listeners’ copying.

“This is something we were aware of,” said BMG spokesman Nathaniel Brown. “Copy management is intended as a speed bump, intended to thwart the casual listener from mass burning and uploading. We made a conscious decision to err on the side of playability and flexibility.”

These copy-protection schemes seem like a major waste of money to me.