Hackers Eye Game Consoles, HD DVD

By NewsFactor Network | January 2, 2007

Following a holiday season full of electronics gift giving, reports indicate that hackers are already starting to target new gaming consoles and HD DVD technology.

According to various news outlets, hackers claim to have cracked the Nintendo Wii through its controller, as well as through the Opera Web browser that allows the system to access the Internet.

The most recent post-holiday hacking claim, however, surrounds high-definition DVDs, which a hacker known as Muslix64 says can be unlocked and copied.

Muslix64 claims to have broken the Advanced Access Content System (AACS), an encryption specification designed to stop unauthorized duplication on HD DVD and Blu-ray players.

High Definition

Although HD DVD and Blu-ray are backed by different companies, and are considered competing standards, both use AACS to protect copyrighted material.

Blu-ray supplements AACS use with a software-based function that allows copyright holders to modify copy protection on new discs if older discs have been tampered with.

In making the hacking claim, Muslix64 provided a video of the encryption-cracking attempt, and posted it to YouTube.

The video shows encryption keys for six movies, and the hacker promises to provide do-it-yourself source code in January.

Never Say Never

On the gaming front, concerns are emerging over possible remote-control attempts on the part of malicious hackers bent on stealing personal information from unsuspecting gamers.

Vulnerabilities have already been reported in Sony’s PlayStation 3 gaming system, according to security firm Secunia. And, although malicious hackers have not yet tried to take over Wii systems or PS3s, that does not mean they will leave such Internet-capable machines alone forever, said Forrester analyst Paul Jackson.

“Any device that’s two-way and directed to a network is at risk,” he noted. “The advantage most of these devices have is that they’re not running sophisticated operating systems like Windows or Mac OS X, so they’re not as attractive as targets.”

But…

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