Originator: G.C. Langelaar, Technical University of Delft
Document-ID: SMS-TUD-609-1
Version: Final version 1.2
Subject: Overview of protection methods in existing TV and storage devices
Date: 26 February 1996
1. Introduction
2. Video Broadcasting Systems
3. Copy(right) protection methods
4. Conclusions
5. List of abbreviations
6. Literature
Today, television and computer devices are everywhere. In the future digital TV broadcasting will be introduced world-wide. However, digital data can easily be replicated without quality loss. It can also easily be retransmitted and modified [1]. The service providers are therefore naturally concerned about digital storage devices, because of illegal copying.
A mass storage device must be able to record data from several sources: digital data can come from the cable (through the Set Top Box) or from other digital home equipment (computer, audio-set, camcorder, etc.). Protection mechanisms must take care that service providers can keep control over their stored data, copyrights are not violated and consumers can protect their own private data against others.
In order to develop a protection system for a mass storage device it is useful to first take a look at existing systems that provide input for the storage system (STB's, computers, digital video and audio sources, etc.) and at comparable storage systems. This can give an understanding of the incoming signals and make the requirements of the service providers clear. This also gives an overview of existing protection methods, which can maybe be applied to the new mass storage device. Since these methods are already used in the past, an estimation of the strength or weakness can be made and implementation errors can be examined.
Several systems will be studied, some of them have been in operation for several years and have been progressively enhanced to fit the market requirements and discourage hackers. In chapter 2 a general description is given of a Pay TV system and some existing broadcasting systems are described together with the known hacks on these systems. The involved hardware and the attacks on this hardware by hackers are also discussed. Finally, the storage devices, which can be connected to such systems are discussed together with the copy and copyright protection methods.
In chapter 3 an overview is given of existing and new techniques for copy and copyright protection systems in storage devices and in data distribution systems.
In chapter 4 conclusions are drawn.