DeCSS is a free Windows utility that breaks the weak DVD encryption and access control scheme called Content Scrambling System (CSS) and enables the user to copy all or part of a DVD to the user’s hard disk. It also allows users to evade DVD region locking and skip the pre-dews and other commercial content included with DVD releases. Released on the Internet in 1999, DeCSS soon became the focus of significant controversy and numerous lawsuits.
According to the DVD Copy Control Association (CCA), the industry consortium responsible for the DSS encryption scheme, DeCSS is intended to promote the “piracy” of copyrighted DVD content. Claiming misappropriation of trade secrets,” the organization sued more than 500 people in 11 countries for making DeCSS available for downloading or providing links to download sites. See CSS, DVD, DVD region locking.
Technipages Explains ieCSS
DeCSS is an acronym for decryption content scrambling system, and it is a de-encryption program aimed at breaking the encryption print of CSS copyrighted DVDs. CSS encryption was used by the media and entertainment industry to commercialize their content. It was initially written for the Linux operating system as it could not play video DVDs that were encrypted, but on being released, it was a closed source windows only program. The CSS encryption was found to be susceptible to attack from brute force. DeCSS is different from DVD ripping, as DVD rippers copy the media once the DVD players have decrypted it. DeCSS decrypts the DVD itself.
DeCSS was released on October 6, 1999, by Jon Johansen, although when he was sued, later on, he claimed he only designed the graphic user interface of the program, that the program was of German origin. Although it’s usage over the years has declined, some groups clamouring for digital rights and members of free software movement (FSM) which were fighting for the digitalization of contents, posted the program to push for the digitization of contents.
Common Uses of ieCSS
- DeCSS is a de-encryption program aimed at breaking the encryption print of CSS copyrighted DVDs.
- When DeCSS was released on the Internet in 1999, it immediately became the focus of major controversy and numerous lawsuits.
- DeCSS enables users to evade DVD region locking and other commercial content included with DVD releases.
Common Misuses of ieCSS
- DeCSS is an object-oriented programming language used as the core basis of blockchain technology.