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DRM is crucial for protecting premium streaming content, with Microsoft’s PlayReady a leading solution used by giants including Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+. When cracks appeared in PlayReady’s armor recently, Microsoft took swift action, asking GitHub to remove a series of leaked SL3000 certificates. It appears that Amazon also responded by indefinitely suspending subscribers who attempted to try out leaked credentials.
This is often achieved through Digital Rights Management (DRM) anti-piracy tools that dictate where and when digital content can be accessed.
PlayReady DRM is one of the leading players in the field. The Microsoft-owned technology is used by many of the largest streaming services including Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and others. As such, keeping it secure is vital.
Unfortunately for rightsholders, most protection measures have their weak spots. That also applies to PlayReady, as pirates have repeatedly shown that not all implementations are perfectly watertight.
Certificates Leaked on GitHub
A few weeks ago, an account named ‘Widevineleak’ published a list of both SL2000 and SL3000 certificates on GitHub. The SL2000 variant is commonly referred to as software DRM while the higher SL3000 provides more advanced hardware-based security.
The leak of SL3000 certificates is particularly problematic because SL3000 is intended to protect the highest quality content, including 4K and UHD releases. With these certificates, pirates could potentially decrypt and re-distribute high-resolution video streams, effectively bypassing the protections.
The original source of the leak is unknown. However, the prospect of mass piracy is clearly problematic for rightsholders, streaming platforms, and PlayReady itself, which relies on trust and security. It therefore comes as no surprise that Microsoft took immediate action.
Microsoft Issues Takedown Notice
Microsoft’s response included a takedown notice sent to its subsidiary, GitHub, asking it to remove the leaked SL3000 certificates. This confirms that the leaked information was the real deal and at risk of being exploited.
“The hosted materials are part of our PlayReady product and allow bad actors to pirate PlayReady protected content,” the notice reads, adding that “the entire repository is infringing” so should be completely removed.
GitHub complied with the takedown notice and removed the content in question, as well as two forks of the repository. Visitors who check out the link today will see a removal notice instead.
Curiously, the leaked SL2000 certificates were not mentioned in the takedown notice and remain online at the time of writing. While the immediate focus was on the higher-security SL3000 certificates, the omission raises questions about Microsoft’s broader strategy for addressing such leaks across different security tiers.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the leak and the takedown notice. That said, it doesn’t appear to be the only company to notice the leak.
Amazon Bans Users over Leaked Certificates
Amazon Prime, which uses PlayReady DRM among other protections, takes action against accounts that use these leaked certificates. An email seen by TF indicates an account suspension due to a violation of Prime Video’s terms of use.
“We have indefinitely suspended this account pursuant to Section 6.a. of the Prime Video Terms of Use because we have found you to be in violation of the said Terms,” the email reads.
The email adds that Section 4.k of the terms specifically prohibits attempts to disable, bypass, modify, defeat, or otherwise circumvent any DRM or other content protection systems. That would apply to those who use leaked credentials.
Account suspensions are not limited to leaked certificates. Users of other DRM circumvention tools that don’t rely on them, including VineTrimmer PlayReady, also had their accounts banned recently.
Amazon did not respond to our request for comment, but it is clear that these types of DRM circumvention efforts can be monitored and are taken seriously.
Ultimately, the integrity of DRM systems like PlayReady hinges on the trust placed in them by content owners. These leaks not only undermine trust but also serve as a stark reminder that the fight for content protection is an ongoing, adaptive battle, with pirates constantly looking for the next exploit.
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Addendum: Aside from legal issues that can arise, we have heard stories about other trouble with sales of leaked certificates.