NEW YORK, USA: A security hole in Adobe Systems Inc software used to distribute movies and TV shows over the Internet allows viewers to copy movies on some Web sites and avoid commercials on others, threatening the financial success of online video. The problem exposes online video content to the rampant piracy that plagued the music industry during the Napster era and is undermining efforts by retailers, movie studios and television networks to cash in on a huge Web audience. Amazon.com Inc by Friday had fixed a flaw that gave free access to record and copy from Amazon.com's video streaming service without paying. But screen-recording software can still make unauthorized, unprotected copies of Amazon online movie rentals, which could be viewed and copied beyond the rental limits on how and when to view. Adobe said it issued a security bulletin earlier this month about how best to protect online content and called on its customers to couple its software security with a feature that verifies the validity of its video player. "Adobe is committed to the security of all of our products, from our players to our server software. Adobe invests a considerable amount of ongoing effort to help protect users from potential vulnerabilities," it said in a statement. Amazon fixed its Video On Demand service, which offers as many as 40,000 movies and TV shows on its Web site, to stop completely free viewing of movies and television shows recorded with the Replay Media Catcher from Applian Technologies. |
Monday, September 29, 2008
Adobe software threatens video security
