Sony won t have much time to celebrate winning the format war against HD DVD: SlySoft, which is based in the Caribbean islands nation of Antigua and Barbuda, claims it has cracked Blu-Ray s new copy protection technology known as BD+. After installing the newest version of the company's AnyDVD HD software, users are able to immediately wipe out the encrypted data on a Blu-ray disc that prevents the content from being copied. With the release of version 6.4.0.0 of AnyDVD HD it is now also possible to make backup security copies of Blu-ray discs protected with BD+.
BD+ was seen as a triumph for the Blu-ray format and for content providers fearful of movie pirating. Blu-Ray s BD+ technology is based on a virtual machine running on any licensed player that continuously checks whether the player has been manipulated to make unlicensed copies. It also offers capabilities for security updates through future disk releases, so it s only a question of time until Blu-Ray will shield itself against AnyDVD HD. Even SlySoft admits that a future tweak to BD+ could put an end to this crack, although the company claims that it is ready to deal with possible enhancements to BD+ designed to protect the technology from being circumvented by tools such as AnyDVD.
Previously, high-def discs relied on a platform called AACS. However, that standard was quickly hacked and was actually deceptively easy for even amateur hackers to bypass. BD+ was implemented last June.
Slysoft sells the AnyDVD HD software on its website for around 79 euros ($122).
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