A European solution to the global software piracy problem
Software piracy is on the increase. It is a major problem and
constant battle for the world's IT industry. One of the reasons for
this increase in the global piracy rate is that the Internet makes
it so easy to copy and distribute programmes. Now an IST research
project has developed an innovative software protection system that
it claims will protect CD-ROMs, DVD's and Internet software from
hackers or copiers.
The ASPIS project's research also incorporates new 'watermarking'
techniques for digital image, video and audio files providing
additional copyright protection. These authentication techniques
have particular relevance for the music, software games and
multimedia publishing industries - where copyright owners are
desperate to come up with new ways of preventing illegal copying.
It is difficult to quantify the effects of illegal software. But,
according to estimates by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) , an
US-based organisation dedicated to promoting online security, 40
per cent of all software programmes worldwide are pirated. A new
report -commissioned by the BSA and conducted by forecaster IDC -
predicts that a 10 percentage-point reduction in this rate over
four years to 30 per cent by 2006, could generate 1.5 million jobs
and increase economic growth worldwide by US$400 billion.
There are several initiatives to develop technologies to help
combat software piracy. However, the ASPIS partners are confident
their European solution rivals systems under development anywhere
in the international marketplace.
'Very promising results'
Research results from the Commission-funded project are "very
promising", says project manager Nikos Zissis, based at MLS
Laserlock of Greece, an international supplier and developer of
software protection products and services. This work has already
resulted in the development of a series of innovative products.
According to Zissis, this was key to the project's success. "It
wasn't just about developing a prototype. There was already a
strong demand from customers for the products," he says.
The project's main commercial partners France Telecom and MLS
Laserlock are marketing these products. The consortium also
includes Belgium's Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL) and two
Greek research institutes: the Computer Technology Institute and
the Informatics and Telematics Institute.
Researchers from France Telecom and MLS Laserlock concentrated
their R&D activities on, respectively; secure data access for the
Internet and software protection for DVD-ROM executable and data
files. Meanwhile, UCL and the two Greek research institutes focused
their expertise on developing authentication methods, based on new
watermarking techniques.
A range of protective measures
Thanks to ASPIS' software protection system for a new optical disc
(DVD-ROM) standard, developed by the project partners, illegal
copying of DVDs can be prevented. The optical disc contains a
unique 'protection signature' - manufactured by a special laser
glass-marking procedure - developed by MLS Laserlock for its CD-ROM
protection system. The key feature of the new optical disc, says
Zissis, is that it cannot be copied using any commercial or
industrial CDR Recording Equipment.
The project's technical advances also included the development of a
secure Internet connection - based on the extension of Conditional
Access systems for pay-TV, whereby a smart card user has access to
restricted areas of a web server. This is an advanced version of
the France Telecom VIACESS system that distributes images through
the Internet to registered smart card users.
In addition, the research resulted in the development of innovative
watermarking technologies, using new algorithms and cryptography
techniques, for image, video and audio data files. By using these
'state-of-the-art ' authentication methods, hidden from illegal
copiers, the aim is to provide copyright holders with proof of
copyright ownership.
The partners plan to present the new protection system at several
specialist industry fairs. France Telecom's registered VIACESS
smart card users are already benefiting from new secure Internet
access features. MLS Laserlock is also offering its customers a
number of new DVD and CD-ROM protection products incorporating key
ASPIS' technologies.
ASPIS in action - Tomi demonstrates the technologies
Tomi DVD, a multimedia encyclopaedia developed by MLS Laserlock's
sister company, MLS Multimedia, is being used to demonstrate some
of the ASPIS results. It features executable file protection, data
protection, and watermarking of image, audio and video files.
Firstly, explains Zissis, the customer, i.e. the publisher, needs
to protect the executable file, to prevent the copying of the whole
encyclopaedia. Secondly, the customer may want to protect the data
files. Thirdly, the customer may require watermarking of the
illustrations. "This means that even if someone, somehow, managed
to open an image file and make a copy of say, a photograph, later
on, using special detection software, we can prove copyright
ownership."
Zissis believes that participation in the project has benefited his
company: "Our customers, mainly software games' developers, were
already asking for the products. But, we couldn't have done this
without the collaboration of key partners," he says. Together they
may have found a way to win the war against piracy and keep
software safe under lock and key.
Subject Descriptors : Communications networks, Information transmission
Subject Index Codes : Telecommunications, Information Processing,
Information Systems
Subject Class : IT, telecommunications
Remarks : Results entry form
Collaboration Sought : Further research or development support, Information
exchange/Training
Sources of Support : CEC
Programmes : IST
Projects : IST-1999-12554
Project Title : An Authentication and Protection Innovative Software System
for
DVDROM and Internet
Contact Details
Contact Name : ZISSIS, Nikos (Dr)
Contact Organisation : MSL Laserlock International
City : Thessaloniki
Region : VOREIA ELLADA
KENTRIKI MAKEDONIA
Thessaloniki
Country : GREECE
Telephone Number : +30-2310-907222
Fax Number : +30-2310-937222
Electronic Mailbox :
zissis@laserlock.com |
RoDI
ISOC
IWA
ARTT
RTS
WQC 2003
ISAQ 2005