Part III: Protection against Unauthorized Copying and Data Recovery

Built-in CD Protection

CD protection against unauthorized copying was initially built into CDs. Even in times immemorial, when there were no PCs and no data CDs, and the problem of piracy didn t really exist, the Red Book already described a special bit called the digital copy prohibited /permitted, which prohibited digital reading from the medium if the copyright holder so desired (view the CONTROL field of the Q subcode channel ”if the first bit, starting from zero, is reset to zero, then digital reading is permitted, and vice versa). However, neither of the CD-copying programs of which the author is aware takes this bit into account. For instance, Ahead Nero Burning ROM displays a warning message, but nothing more. Neither of the CD-ROM drives blocks digital reading, even in the case that it is prohibited. This is the result, partially, of the fact that digital playback has considerable advantages over analog playback (lower parasitic noise, software correction of sound, etc.). For these reasons, analog audio is rapidly being squeezed out of the market. Devices that do not support digital playback have little chance of finding a niche in the market. Consequently, device manufacturers have little choice but to ignore this standard as a result of consumer demand.