Microsoft patches DRM real quick

WHILE THERE are some security holes in Windows that have been waiting for Microsoft to pull finger for months, a hole in the DRM for Windows Media Player has been fixed in a few days.

Last week, a hacker developed FairUse4WM to strips the copy protection from Windows Media DRM 10 and 11 files. If it were a Windows problem, it might have waited until the next monthly patch Tuesday to be fixed, at the earliest.

However, since this one will cause ructions with the music business, Microsoft has apparently made it a priority to issue a new patch straight away.

Wired magazine said that this clearly demonstrates that economics is a much more powerful motivator than security.

However to be fair to Vole, updating a DRM is a doddle and Microsoft has a number of spare upgrades waiting in the wings for occasions like this.

Windows patches do have to be tested to see that they do not cause major melt downs elsewhere in the problem.

The hackers seem to having fun though. They have already released a patch to FairUse4WM to get around Microsoft's patch. So it looks like there will be a patch war running for a while.

More here. µ