To Defeat Copy Protection, Just Press ‘Shift’

“Second generation” CD copy protection debuted last month on R&B singer Anthony Hamilton’s latest Arista release, “Comin’ From Where I’m From.” The copy protection technology does not necessarily protect CDs from being copied. In addition to the CD audio tracks, the disc includes two data “layers” with Windows Media versions of the tracks (one for Windows systems, the other for Mac OS X systems). After a listener has agreed to the disc’s EULA, the listener’s computer will only load the DRM-protected data layers and not the unprotected audio layer. However, Princeton grad student John Halderman has found that MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System offers minimally effective copy protection, since it can be defeated by refusing to accept the EULA, by “holding the shift key every time they insert the CD,” or by using an “unsupported” system, such as those running Mac OS 9 or Linux.
John Halderman: Analysis of the MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System
Boston Globe: Technology that limits CD copies easily bypassed
LawMeme: New Audio CD DRM Defeated by Use of ”SHIFT” Key