Microsoft is currently working on a fix for its Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology as users have figured out a way to get around the copyright protection.
A new tool available on the Internet allows users that purchase or subscribe to songs from services like MTV’s URGE to strip the DRM from the downloaded tracks. In doing this, the users are left with a Windows Media Audio file that can be transferred to as many computers as they want and used without limitation.
“Microsoft is aware that a tool recently surfaced that circumvents Windows Media Digital Rights Management technology — breaking the content protection that our content partners apply to their intellectual property such as music or video content,” the company said in a statement provided to Macworld.
However, Microsoft is currently working on an update that will stop the application.
“Fortunately, the Windows Media DRM system has built-in renewability, we have an update and are working with our partners to deploy this solution,” the statement read.
Microsoft said that its content partners know that no DRM technology is impervious to being circumvented — that is the reason the system was built to be renewable. The company did not say when the update would be available or if it would have any affect on songs already stripped of the DRM in users music libraries.
Microsoft is certainly not the only company that has had problems with its Digital Rights Management technology being circumvented. Apple’s FairPlay DRM was also the target of such applications in the past.
The difference between the two DRMs is the market they serve. With Apple, you need to purchase a song before downloading it to your computer. However, with URGE you can subscribe to the service for a monthly fee and download as much music as you want. All of those downloaded songs are then available to have the DRM stripped from them.
Representatives from MTV were not immediately available to comment for this story.