For the DMCA to apply, a copy-protection scheme must be "effective". Given that the SunnComm technology doesn't work on a Windows system where CD auto-play has been turned off, I would assume that in court they will have a tough time convincing a judge or a jury that their technology meets the "effectiveness" requirement of the DMCA. Turning off CD auto-play is good idea from a security standpoint and has nothing to do with circumventing copy-protection schemes.
Here's the wording of the DMCA: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c105:1:./temp/~c105Ate0xB:e11962 Sec. 1201. Circumvention of copyright protection systems `(a) VIOLATIONS REGARDING CIRCUMVENTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL MEASURES- (1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that *effectively* controls access to a work protected under this title. ====================================== `(2) No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that-- `(A) is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title; `(B) has only limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title; or `(C) is marketed by that person or another acting in concert with that person with that person's knowledge for use in circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title. ======================================== `(3) As used in this subsection-- `(A) to `circumvent a technological measure' means to descramble a scrambled work, to decrypt an encrypted work, or otherwise to avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair a technological measure, without the authority of the copyright owner; and `(B) a technological measure `effectively controls access to a work' if the measure, in the ordinary course of its operation, requires the application of information, or a process or a treatment, with the authority of the copyright owner, to gain access to the work. Richard PS. IANAL, YMMV, etc. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan A. Zdziarski Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 11:04 AM To: Schmehl, Paul L Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Full-Disclosure] Student faces suit over key to CD locks Does this mean they're going to attempt to sue Microsoft also, for publishing this feature in their Windows documentation? Or perhaps they'll take the RIAA's approach and sue anyone who uses the SHIFT key. _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html
