Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Steveoooo]

What is the best way to protect my music files (ape) from being poached?
I have an XP Pro system running MC 10.
Unfortunately, my system is in an semi-public space and I am paranoid about someone coming around while I'm out and copying my entire colection in one fell swoop.
Is there anyway to make the files only usable on my system. I have tried experimenting with XP's security permissions but nothing seems to work.
Also, my entire collection is on removable drives so a solution would have to prevent someone from just pluging the USB cable from my drive right into their computer and bypassing my computer.
Any help would be appreciated.

[KingSparta]

poached?

new term?

[LonWar]

new term?

Surely you have heard of a Poacher before??

[Matt]

Primate (ape) poaching may be the worst kind of poaching.

You could lock the computer whenever you're out. (Windows Key + L)  The only way I know around that is to cold boot with a boot disk and copy files in DOS, which isn't exactly trivial.

You still need to solve the physical security problems of a removable drive though.  Third party (or even NTFS) encryption could work, but it's a bit of a hassle.

On the other hand, you could become a Bananarama fan like KingSparta so no one would actually want your music

[Steveoooo]

I had envisioned a system where the computer could be up and running and people could use MC and listen to songs but if they 'Poached' (I love that word) them then they would be in for a suprise when they tried to play them on their computer (ie. they wouldn't work.)
I guess it's not that simple though?

[glynor]

Definately not.  You would need to use a so-called "secure" format, with DRM support.  If it were me that poached your files though, I'd probably be able to get around the DRM (and if I can do it, lots of other people can probably do it faster and more easily).

Even then, if they were able to access MC, they could use it's interface to burn DRM-free versions of the file (audio CD burn) using MC's interface, even if you had the rest of the system locked down.  Heck, they could set MC to record the output of the soundcard to a nice clean new MP3, and copy those.  There's probably a tiny generational loss with this, but you're probably using lossy-format files anyway.

(Another question might be why you would want to do this, but that's another story entirely.)

[floppydisc]

I would suggest that you store your files in an encrypted container. Take a look at http://truecrypt.sourceforge.net

[modelmaker]

Also, my entire collection is on removable drives

Or just don't leave your removable drives out in the open where people can walk off with them. If I were a thief, it sure would be easier and quicker to just take the usb drives, than copy them.

[Alex B]

If I have understood correctly, for some reason you are not afraid of physical thievery of your hardware, but just need to copy protect the files.

This is one of the scenarios in which the MS WMA copy protection could actually be useful. You could make WMA copies of the APE files with copy protection turned on. Save the smaller protected lossy files on an internal HD and make a limited XP user account for your "guest" users. Using that account set up a library that has only the protected files. You could also set MC in Party Mode so they cannot make changes to the library.

Put the external HDs inside a locked cabinet or drawer so the "guests" cannot power them on or just remove the drives completely when you are not around.

If you have a LAN and two or more PCs you could use Library Server and grant access only to the client PC.

BTW, what is the reason for this? I could think of places or situations like schools, museums or exhibitions, dormitories, private clubs, special events, etc.

[sbsp2]

Use SAFE.  Mount the SAFE volume (each volume can be up to 64gig in size) when you want to play your APE files contained in it.  When you mount a volume, it gets assigned a driver letter (that you configured). Each volume is protected with a password (of course).  It's simple, easy to use and very secure.  Check it out.

[glynor]

Neither Safe nor TrueCrypt would help in this situation.  These would protect the data on your hard drive from unauthorized access, but not from being copied.  Imagine this scenario: I bring my 60GB LaCie Pocket Drive (USB and Firewire, bus-powered), attach it to the MC computer, and copy the files from Windows Explorer or through MC to my unencrypted drive.  Encryption defeated.  Now, if they contain a system where you need to authenticate on each file access, that could help, but obviously that would prevent the use of MC on the computer.

AlexB's idea could work, and it would prevent 90% of the "potential infringers", however ...

Just be aware, depending on your configuration with Nero, Limited Users on XP can sometimes access the CD burner.  I don't know, because I won't use or buy DRM-protected material (I personally have some issues with the Freedom of Speech and perpetual copyright issues with it), but will MC still let you convert DRM files using the "record from soundcard method" I mentioned (and just learned about) above?

[GHammer]

If I were really concerned I'd use a combination of BestCrypt (or FreeCrypt) and and USB storage control. You aren't gonna plug in your USB drive and get anything off my system.

Here's one
http://www.buddyssoftware.com/products.aspx

Here's another
http://www.gfi.com/lanpsc/

[sbsp2]

Neither Safe nor TrueCrypt would help in this situation.

Hmmm, you don't leave the drive with the APE files mounted when you are away from the PC.  To mount, you need a password.  So, copying would be useless (you wouldn't see the APE files anyways when not mounted).

[KingSparta]

Surely you have heard of a Poacher before??

Yes but normally I Use it for Eggs Exclusively.

Now that i think about it, I may have some Poached Eggs This Weekend For Breakfast.

[Alex B]

Actually, a sleek and simple solution would be a locked cabinet for the PC and the external drives.

For example, a wooden trunk could be nice. You could drill holes for the wires and ventilation and perhaps add a couple of fans if needed.

[hit_ny]

What a strange request, How to protect your publicly stored mp3s from being poached ?

If some one wanted them badly enough, they would just pinch the HD in disgust after a few failed attempts.

I think your better off using MC as a server from your own presumably secure home and just have the client on the publicly available computer. Streaming is what i'm getting at. Maybe you can set a password to access your MC server.

But otherwise forget it.

[LonWar]

Yes but normally I Use it for Eggs Exclusively.

Now that i think about it, I may have some Poached Eggs This Weekend For Breakfast.

Thanks, Now I'm hungry.....   

[Steveoooo]

Yes, this is a dorm situation.
I explicitly trust everyone that has access to the computer and drives not to physically steal anything.
But as you know from P2P popularity, a lot of 'honest' people don't think copying data is stealing, after all the victim does not actually lose anything so what's the harm? Right?
So the people that I trust not to steal anything would, I believe, copy my entire library and not give it a second thought.
I think a music collection is a personal thing. I would gladly lend any of my CDs to someone but would be very miffed if someone took my entire collection in one go.
I guess I'm just wierd?