CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives Digital Rights Management - Promises, Problems and Alternative Solutions by KRISTIAN SYVERSEN Macquarie University, 09 December 2004 “Digital Rights Management - Promises, Problems and Alternative Solutions” Thesis for Masters degree (M.Sc.) in Informatics, 2004/05 UNIVERSITY OF OSLO Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department of Informatics Information systems Postbox 1080, Blindern N-0316 Oslo NORWAY Telephone (+47) 22 85 24 10 Telefax (+47) 22 85 24 01 E-mail: [email protected] MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY Division of Information and Communication Sciences Department of Computing Sydney NSW 2109 AUSTRALIA Telephone: (+61) 2 9850 9518 Telefax: (+61) 2 9850 9551 E-mail: [email protected] Distribution: University of Oslo, Department of Informatics 4 copies (Examiner, Institute Library, Faculty Library) Macquarie University, Department of Computing 1 copy (Examiner) Macquarie University – Department of Computing, 2004 University of Oslo – Department of Informatics, 2004/05 I ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT: This thesis presents the introduction of Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems used to protect copyrighted content, why these systems are emphasized and by whom. Legal and technical aspects of such methods are also introduced. Moreover, progress in anti-piracy techniques and reasons for the current situation with online piracy are explained. In addition to presenting an alternative model for digital entertainment business, a new distribution system based on direct subscription on downloadable media files is suggested. Positive and negative aspects of these options are discussed, indicating how copyright owners and distributors will approach these challenges. INDEX TERMS: • Digital Rights Management - DRM • Legal • Intellectual Property Right - IPR • Copyright • Freedom of speech • Digital Watermarking • Watermark Attacks • Piracy • Business models • Compensation • New distribution model: Subscription Macquarie University – Department of Computing, 2004 University of Oslo – Department of Informatics, 2004/05 I PREFACE PREFACE This thesis is the final research paper to qualify for the degree of Master of Computer Science at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Informatics, University of Oslo. Most of my research was conducted during my stay at the Department of Computing, Division of Information and Communication Sciences, Macquarie University in Australia. This was because I was granted a one- semester scholarship to complete a part of my degree as an exchange student at Macquarie University. For this reason, this paper will be presented at both universities. Working on a paper where I had defined the topic myself has been fun, though being responsible for the outline and framework of this was not the smartest approach in regard to workload. Being new to the subject, with limited possibilities of comprehensive feedback, neither ideas to investigate further nor the outcome of my research has been handed to me on a silver plate platter. Still, Digital Rights Management, its potential and problems has been a very interesting field of studies, and it has been a delight to put a lot of effort into a topic where I felt I have had so much to learn. Hopefully both my personal and professional outcome will prove useful for further research. For anyone who would like a humoristic outline of the piracy conflict between internet users and content owners, I highly recommend the episode “Christian Hard Rock” from the animated TV series South Park (season 7, episode 9). I would like to thank my supervisors Terje Knudsen and Huaxiong Wang for valuable insight, Hans Christian Nilsen and Bent Jostein Syversen for proofreading, and the guys in the Honours Room for making the studies from early morning to late night bearable. A special acknowledgement goes to Marianne Afdal for a memorable stay in Australia, help to digitalize my diagrams and endorsement in general. Front page picture by J. Alex Halderman. _________________ Kristian Syversen Macquarie University – Department of Computing, 2004 University of Oslo – Department of Informatics, 2004/05 III TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE.................................................................................................. III TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................ V DIAGRAMS .............................................................................................VII SUMMARY ................................................................................................IX INTRODUCTION......................................................................................XI BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................XI RESEARCH .................................................................................................XI Method ................................................................................................. XI Problem..............................................................................................XIII Restriction ..........................................................................................XIII Literature review................................................................................XIV Research outline.................................................................................. XV Ambition.............................................................................................XVI Motivation ..........................................................................................XVI Further research ................................................................................XVI PROLOGUE............................................................................................XIX HISTORY .....................................................................................................1 TRUSTED COMPUTING ..........................................................................7 INITIATORS ..................................................................................................9 CRITICISM .................................................................................................10 LEGAL........................................................................................................13 TECHNICAL .............................................................................................21 DRM TECHNOLOGY DILEMMA ..................................................................27 STATE OF AFFAIRS................................................................................29 PIRACY ......................................................................................................30 EFFECT ......................................................................................................39 INDICATIONS .............................................................................................42 EMERGING BUSINESS MODEL...........................................................45 AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH ....................................................................47 COMPENSATION ........................................................................................50 REFINEMENT...........................................................................................53 Macquarie University – Department of Computing, 2004 University of Oslo – Department of Informatics, 2004/05 V TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBSCRIPTION MODEL........................................................................59 PRESENT SITUATION ..................................................................................61 ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION MODEL .....................................................62 SUBSCRIPTION MODEL ...............................................................................63 ALTERNATIVE SUBSCRIPTION SYSTEMS .....................................................65 Free use................................................................................................65 DRM enforced by software ..................................................................66 DRM by tying the downloads to a specific devices..............................68 DRM by lifespan of the downloaded file..............................................69 CONSEQUENCES ........................................................................................70 FUTURE .....................................................................................................73 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................77 CONCLUSION...........................................................................................81 BEYOND MUSIC AND MOVIES .....................................................................81 ABUSE OF DRM........................................................................................85 THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE IS NOT LIKELY TO BE CHOSEN .........................86 ABBREVIATIONS AND SPECIAL TERMS.......................................... A P2P - TOPOLOGIES.................................................................................. C OPINION OF A LAYMAN........................................................................ E REFERENCES............................................................................................G Macquarie University – Department of Computing,