News Section Logo NEWS - Return to news section

 

Google Chrome Bug Inadvertently Adds 'Download Mode' To Netflix

Posted by: , 11:40 AEST, Tue June 28, 2016

Permanent Link     Add Comments
submit to reddit
Security researchers find Google Chrome bug that lets pirates download Netflix streams
News story feature image
Image/Photo Credit: Google

A Google Chrome bug in the DRM that handles encrypted streaming video, such as Netflix streams, is allowing pirates to rip and download decrypted videos.

Originally reported by Wired, the bug came to light after security researchers David Livshits (Cyber Security Research Center at Ben-Gurion University in Israel) and Alexandra Mikityuk (Telekom Innovation Laboratories in Berlin, Germany) discovered the bug, which could have been present for more than five years.

The researchers have already informed Google of the bug, and have uploaded a proof of concept video online to YouTube, but have withheld key information until Google can come up with a fix.

The bug exists within Google's Widevine DRM module, and the bug is allowing copies of decrpyted videos to be made, instead of only making the video available for streaming.

Boing Boing's Cory Doctorow also points out an interesting side note, suggesting that by pointing out the security flaw, Germany's Mikityuk could in fact be breaking anti-circumvention laws in his country, possibly facing criminal and civil liability. Doctorow contends that this could be the reason why this and other similar bugs are often not reported, for fear of liabilities resulting from anti-circumvention laws around the world.
It's unknown if the exploit has been used in the wild by pirates to rip Netflix streams in the past.


Comments:

Related News:

News Icon Google Facing 1,500 Piracy Takedown Requests per Minute

posted by: Sean F, 12:09 AEDT, Wed December 2, 2015

News Icon Bandwidth Use: Netflix Domination Continues, BitTorrent Use Down

posted by: Sean F, 15:56 AEST, Thu June 23, 2016

News Icon United Airlines Inflight Entertainment Requires DRM Install

posted by: Sean F, 17:03 AEST, Fri July 24, 2015

News Icon Netflix 4K Content Ripped, Uploaded Online

posted by: Sean F, 16:42 AEST, Mon August 31, 2015

News Icon Grammy Winner Launches Scathing Attack on Google over Piracy

posted by: Sean F, 12:14 AEST, Fri May 20, 2016