Develop anti-piracy tool

The Fraunhofer Institute has successfully developed a technology to help prevent online piracy, ironically, being abetted by another invention of this famous research organization: audio compression technology MP3

Michael Kip, a spokesman for the Fraunhofer Institute of Information and Publishing Systems, said scientists at the institute have successfully tested a software system, based on a digital marking technology of they help track down illegally copied audio files across peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.

Mr. Kip said that the Fraunhofer method is an effective alternative to the DRM system, which requires special readers and can be overcome by hackers.

Marking technology is not new, but this is the first time it is used in a system to automatically trace unauthorized copying in peer networks.

This system will allow content providers, such as record labels, to embed a digital watermark in their MP3 files. Watermark technology will make small data changes in both audio and video files. For example, change can be a higher sound intensity in a very short piece of the song or a lighter color space in a tiny part of the picture. Kip said even those with the best eyesight and hearing could not detect these changes.

The digital fades used in Fraunhofer's system also contain an information called "hash-value", which is used to create a link between music file providers and registered buyers. Mr. Kip said: "Hash-value is like a fingerprint, it contains unique information about the user. The software that we develop can automatically search for" this fingerprint ".

The Fraunhofer's method differs from other methods because it does not monitor every pirate who scans for unauthorized content.

Mr. Kip said, " For example, if a user buys and downloads a CD, write a copy to give to a friend, then the friend will upload it to the file sharing network. Then their system I will track music files to trace back to the original buyer, and depending on the legal system of the country where the user lives, they may be subject to a large fine. will help reduce online piracy . "

The Fraunhofer Institute describes their sample software as an application where content providers can install on their own servers to automatically monitor peer networks everywhere.

Kip said that during the Cebit exhibition next month in Hanover, the Fraunhofer Institute will demonstrate their technology.

When asked if MP3 technology was partly responsible for the increase in piracy, he said: " Yes and no. You can use a knife to cut bread or kill one. It is a tool that can be misused . "

Research on compressing music files has been done since the 1980s by a group of scientists at the Fraunhofer Integrated Circuit Institute. Their research results, MPEG-1 Layer 3 algorithm, were initially referred to as MPEG Layer 3 and then only MP3.