Copyright infringement monitors are the latest target of a well-organized, motivated hacking group
The group calling itself the MediaDefender-Defenders (MDD) has,
as promised,
struck again, this time leaking what appears to be the full, uncompiled source
code to anti-piracy watchdog MediaDefender’s toolset.
MediaDefender's software is used internally on behalf of clients like the RIAA and Sony BMG to control the illegal distribution of copyright movies, music and other media online. One company e-mail, leaked last Saturday, detailed the performance of the company's attempts to poison the distribution of pirated copies of "Spiderman 3" just days after its theatrical release.
“The [leak] is complete for their operations regarding Kazaa,
bittorrent, gnutella etc. This system is … released for the public in order to
identify the decoys [MediaDefender] set up,” states the leak’s accompanying NFO
file.
The leak is a treasure trove of information for anyone seeking
to better understand the anti-piracy operations of MediaDefender and its ilk. Judging by the sheer quantity of different
programs written for each network, BitTorrent seems to be MediaDefender’s
largest target, with the leak containing 16 different tools target it. In
addition to software for creating bogus media files, the leak includes tools for to
control the who’s who of filesharing networks: Ares, DirectConnect,
eDonkey2000, FastTrack/Kazaa, Gnutella, Kademlia, Overnet, Piolet, SoulSeek and
WinMX networks, among others.
Unlike the previous two leaks, MDD claims it received the leaked
source code directly from a MediaDefender employee. and the NFO file ends with “a
special thanks to the MD employee that gave this to us.”
While DailyTech has
been unable to verify the authenticity of any of the leaked materials,
MediaDefender has indirectly validated them through a series
of cease-and-desist notices sent to various BitTorrent trackers earlier
this week; the letters admit that “despite security precautions by our client,
a person or persons illegally accessed MediaDefender's email and other files,”
and that the sites in question “immediately and permanently cease and desist
from posting, distributing or otherwise making available MediaDefender's trade
secrets and confidential information.”
Responses have varied, ranging from compliance to outright
mockery. In one case, Meganova.org replied publicly in a profanity-laden tirade
against MediaDefender’s legal firm.
MediaDefender’s woes began last Saturday, when almost 700MB of
the company’s e-mails hit the underground. The following day, MDD released
copies of a VOIP conversation between MediaDefender and the New York Attorney
General. In a previous NFO file, MDD promised that there was “more to come,” and
it looks like the group will continue to make good on its claim.
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