Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes | December 23, 2009, 4:18am PST

It seems that an enterprising hacker has busted Amazon’s Kindle for PC DRM.

The hacker, going by the name i♥cabbages, has released an app called Unswindle that decrypts Kindle content and transforms them into Mobi format.

The hacker seems to have some admiration for Amazon’s DRM implementation on the PC:

The Kindle proper and Kindle for iPhone/iPod app both use a single “device” encryption key for all DRMed content. K4PC uses the same encryption algorithms, but ups the ante with a per-book session key for the actual en/decryption. And they seem to have done a reasonable job on the obfuscation. Way to go Amazon! It’s good enough that I got bored unwinding it all and just got lazy with the Windows debugging APIs instead.

It’s been possible to decrypt some Amazon Kindle content for some time using a tool called MobiDeDRM, but this is the first time that it’s been possible to decrypt Kindle content on the PC. Given that even hardcore DRM such as that implemented on Blu-ray discs was busted, the chances to Amazon’s DRM holding out for long was negligible.

Note: I say that it’s possible to decrypt some files as opposed to all files because there’s no way to decrypt “Topaz” files which contain embedded fonts.

Big business versus the lone hacker is a cat and mouse game. I guess that either Amazon’s lawyers or programmers will be working over the Holidays, depending on which counterattack the book giant takes.

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Topics

PC, Amazon.com Inc., Hacker, Amazon Kindle, K4PC, Digital Rights Management (DRM), Hacking, Digital Media, Security, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

FAULKNE 13th Oct

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Verses v. Versus

bmgoodman 23rd Dec 2009

I'm sure you meant "versus" rather than "verses" near the bottom of your column. Please send me an additional search coupon to reward my helpfulness!

Happy Holidays to all!

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The coupon...

Bill4 23rd Dec 2009

...works great! I'd thought there'd be a free search with one the engines but you get a Yahoo, Bing, and Google search with it!

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Lone hacker?

John Zern 23rd Dec 2009

Probally a heck of alot more working to break the DRM then just a lone hacker.

The only reason we hear about it is because he/she did it.

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There is no try. Do or not do.

compufixer 25th Dec 2009

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windoze is so lame

Linux Geek 23rd Dec 2009

that hackers would break encryptions so easy.
Only Linux is safe for encrypted books.

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No method of encrypytion is safe ...

mrlinux 23rd Dec 2009

if you ship the keys to decrypt it, even if the key is bundled in an application or a piece of hardware.

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I don't agree.

compufixer 25th Dec 2009

If the key were to identify its owner, say by name and address, that would discourage a lot of the common 'sharing' behavior.

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Nope, I'd Hide Behind "Just War Theory!"

mistermachine Updated - 25th Dec 2009

IMO, I'd simply counter with "just war theory!" i.e. "The content
producers 'ripped me off for years' and the only way to encourage
better market practices is to 'go to war!'"

That's "Obama's endorsed approach" and it makes sense since--
swapping words-- "paying for things didn't lead to 'fairer prices' so a
different strategy was needed!" IMO, Wal-Mart followed this strategy
and took on the high margins of "mom and pop" shops.

Of course, once the people start revolting, the "content producers"
can't do a thing since-- once public opinion starts shifting-- and "rule
of law" is redrafted in their favor, there's no going back!

As we know, BlockBuster is starting to collapse and the bookstores are
too; Border's imploding, I've heard.

War is Peace; Peace is War!

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amazon sells books at a loss

rogerv 26th Dec 2009

At $10 a book amazon is
selling them at a loss.
Their strategy seems to be
to take that loss in order
to try establish a beach
head for digital readers.

Talks of unfair pricing is
complete nonsense. It's
just a lame excuse that
people that would tend to
steal content trot out to
soothe their conscious and
justify themselves.

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Actually if you give them the key to decrypt it...

mrlinux Updated - 28th Dec 2009

why bother encrypting it ??? I think what you want is water marking, this will not work either, code can be written to extract/change the water mark.

They need to learn this lesson quickly before they suffer the fate of the music industry.

1) DRM only hurts the paying customer, not the ones
who download it free from the internet
Making your paying customers suffer is a good way
to make them non-buying customers.

2)The competition is against the pirated copies,
the only way to win is to make it easy for the customers to use the content they pay for.
Example of how to screw your customer,
Microsoft was supporting "plays for sure"
DRM and then dumped it when they released the Zune
so now if an existing customer wanted to get a Zune they could not use their old (purchased content) on the device. Simple solution just go download them for free off the internet, it's not like they had not purchased them first.

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Most people don't WANT their books/music ...

mwagner@... 23rd Dec 2009

... encrypted. Either way, whan it comes to encryption, Linux is just as vulnerable to the knowledgeable hacker. It is just that there are lot fewer knowledgeable Linux hackers around than knowledgeable Windows hackers.

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Come now: you haven't figured out that LG

John Zern 23rd Dec 2009

is just trolling?

Think about it, no one (and I repeat) no one could be a clueless as LG and still be able to function on a daily basis.

He's just a troll. That's what he does.

It's what he is.

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I for one want my books encrypted

Too Old For IT 23rd Dec 2009

... especially the ones I author.

I've always said that my biggest issue with have a electronic version available is that some script-kiddie in his Amiga tee shirt and spiderman underoos living parents basement would suddenly be "sharing" my hard work to several million of his new best friends for free ... and not passing along the appropriate royalty.

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It's not the appropriation of royalties that bothers customers

Michael Kelly 24th Dec 2009

about DRM. It's the fact that content owners are using DRM to redefine what the appropriate royalty is, not to mention the rules of use. If content owners did not abuse DRM in this fashion then they would be the ones holding the moral high ground on this matter.

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And your are one of the reasons why sharing on the internet is so rampant..

mrlinux 28th Dec 2009

1) Encryption will never work when you have to provide the key to the customer via (ebook reader app).
So the only one affected by DRM here is the customer who is paying for the content, and so if there are issues with the DRM you upset your paying customers,
those pirating will not have any issues, because they are getting around the DRM.

2) Look @ the music industry they have learned and are selling music in unencrypted MP3 format and people are buying lots of music they could just get off the net for free. The reason for this is that the customers want it to be easy and simple to acquire and use the content, DRM prevents this.
Example, digital copy DVDs provided with DVD purchases, I can not use them because I do not have an iPod or Windows Media player device, so I do not purchase those DVD's with digital copies anymore, since the content is useless to me. I have device capable of playing Digital Video just not one of the 2 above.

3) Bottom line in order to compete with pirates you need to make the content easier to get and use, because you will never win on price.

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Do Public Libraries pay you each time someone borrows a book?

minardi 4th Jan 2010

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And the linux trolls

Pete "athynz" Athens 23rd Dec 2009

are much lamer...

Back to the topic at hand - which in way, shape, or form involves linux or it's variants.

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

Dude Angus 23rd Dec 2009

I wonder how many authors will give their books away for
free in the future, or use the "pay whatever the user
wants" method (like what Radiohead did with their last
album).

I give my book away for free in pdf, but I'm just a no-
namer. It will be interesting to see if a famous author
does it someday. Anyone think it will ever happen?

Dude Angus (www.dudeangus.com)

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Famous Authors

_JohnH 23rd Dec 2009

I think Cory Doctorow would count as "famous". He's "given away" numerous books via the Creative Commons license, and last I checked he claims he's making plenty of money on the paper versions.

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some authors DO give away books

llamasaki 5th Jan 2010

Check this site for an example:

http://www.baen.com/library/

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

mwagner@... 23rd Dec 2009

The bottom line is that DRM schemes don't work. What they DO is entice clever young hackers to break the law and put themselves at serious legal risk. (The DMCA makes it felony to even OWN decrypton tools - even if they are otherwise used in a legal context.)

In the end, these attempts to stop piracy (the excuse they use) are ultimately fruitless.

Pirates for profit won't be detered because there is too much money to be made - and the hacker sees no personal threat becasue all he is going to do is share the new tool (and some content) with his hacker friends. Way too little money is lost by the publishers to pay lawyers to pursue these kids.

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wrong on one point...

michaelstn@... 23rd Dec 2009

If the music industry is a guide, with their
outrageous lawsuits for poor quality music
copying, publishers will pursue the small pirates.
They'll also continue to ignore the big pirates.

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Greed

Al_nyc 23rd Dec 2009

It's all about GREED. The music industry is greedier than the publishing industry.

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The ENTERTAINMENT industry is greedier than the financial industry

VinceGlorthos 23rd Dec 2009

maybe there ought to be a 100% entertainment tax on movies, music, sports and the lot performed for profit. that will either drive costs in line with what the average person can afford to attend or it will generate a lot of revenue that can be used to support actual useful meaningful generally productive activity like engineering education.
Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

Pete "athynz" Athens 23rd Dec 2009

I guess it was inevitable - and in all honesty I'm not feeling too sorry for Amazon or their kindle team right now given the situation with the Orwell books a few months ago... It'll be quite interesting to see Amazon's response to this.

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Amazon made right with the Orwell book situation...

Aragorn_z 23rd Dec 2009

as I understand it anyway. Still, I own several Mobipocket books purchased from Mobipocket that have encryption on them that I'd love to be able to view on my Kindle. I understand the why behind DRM, but I hate that it has to be implemented. I do pay for my books and wish I could view them on whatever device is supposed to support them. Nevertheless, I love my Kindle and my reading has gone way up since purchasing it.

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They did eventually make things right

Pete "athynz" Athens 23rd Dec 2009

but it took a major public outcry over the whole thing... I am hopeful that they have learned their lesson about how to react to such a situation in the event such happens again.

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I'm with you on hoping lesson learned

Aragorn_z 24th Dec 2009

I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt now unless they violate my trust again.

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Not enough

rpmyers1 23rd Dec 2009

They need to completely remove the capability from the Kindle. That's the only acceptable solution.

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I'll still buy my eBooks elsewhere

leopards 23rd Dec 2009

I'll still buy my eBooks elsewhere in a format that my digital book reader can use without going through that kind of hassle to defeat the DRM that Amazon uses to sell Kindles! So far there has only been one book I was interested in that was Kindle edition only from Amazon! Have been lucky so far and own no DRMed eBooks, all have been available, (With a little searching) from other publishers in nonDRMed formats like lrf, epub or pdf!

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A cracker should not be labeled a hacker.

softwareFlunky Updated - 23rd Dec 2009

However, he could be labeled a freedom fighter instead of a pirate, in which case he would be a hacker and not a cracker.

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1984

dcdavy 24th Dec 2009

I am completely opposed to it ever since Amazon deleted the Orwell's book from people's Kindles. The time is coming when history is going to be easily editable by government. Seeing what Bush's administration was able to get away with, in the recent past, may give you an idea where all this is heading to.

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happy new year

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Cool, then I might buy a Kindle

urbandk 25th Dec 2009

I don't buy content that I can't consume as I see fit within my fair use rights.

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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RE: Amazon's Kindle for PC DRM busted

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