In Groundbreaking Decision, Feds Say Hacking DRM to Fix Your Electronics Is Legal

guest · Oct 25, 2018

In Groundbreaking Decision, Feds Say Hacking DRM to Fix Your Electronics Is Legal
October 25, 2018
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/xw9bwd/1201-exemptions-right-to-repair

The Librarian of Congress and US Copyright Office just proposed new rules that will give consumers and independent repair experts wide latitude to legally hack embedded software on their devices in order to repair or maintain them. This exemption to copyright law will apply to smartphones, tractors, cars, smart home appliances, and many other devices.

The move is a landmark win for the “right to repair” movement; essentially, the federal government has ruled that consumers and repair professionals have the right to legally hack the firmware of “lawfully acquired” devices for the “maintenance” and “repair” of that device. Previously, it was legal to hack tractor firmware for the purposes of repair; it is now legal to hack many consumer electronics.

Specifically, it allows breaking digital rights management (DRM) and embedded software locks for “the maintenance of a device or system … in order to make it work in accordance with its original specifications” or for “the repair of a device or system … to a state of working in accordance with its original specifications.”
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"Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies" (PDF): https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2018-23241.pdf

zapjb · Oct 25, 2018

Hope it doesn't come down to a difference of opinion about, "to a state of working in accordance with its original specifications".

mirimir · Oct 26, 2018

That is excellent! So totally obvious, as well. But still a great win.

guest · Oct 29, 2018

What the newly revised copyright law lets (and doesn’t let) you do with your gadgets
October 29, 2018
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/29/w...lets-and-doesnt-let-you-do-with-your-gadgets/

Here are some things you can do now that you couldn’t last week:

Unlock new phones. Believe it or not this was not allowed. Used phones, sure. [...]
Jailbreak Amazon Echoes, Google Homes and Apple HomePods. [...] load it up with open-source software — and now they can do so in compliance with the law.
Repair smart home components and devices. [...] you should be able to get root access and fix or reactivate devices (like smart bulbs or security cameras) that have been abandoned or bricked.
Access and modify land vehicle software. [...] The law now exempts reading and modifying this software for the purposes of repair — you just can’t tweak it in any way that impairs its roadworthiness.
Hire someone to do those repairs for you. [...] not everyone is clued in on this stuff, so it’s important to make sure it’s also legal for consumers to delegate that right to a third party.
These new freedoms will hopefully result in a more flourishing used-device market and allow phones, cars and smart home devices to live longer and happier lives.

Strangely, the tools you would require to do most of these things — bootloaders, jailbreaking kits and so on — are still illegal to distribute.
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guest · Oct 30, 2018

EFF Says DMAC Expansion Doesn't Go Far Enough
October 29, 2018
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/eff-says-dmac-expansion-doesnt-go/

Security researchers can now examine more infrastructure and other complex systems without the fear of legal consequences, according to Zero Daily.

However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said the ruling does not go far enough, stating that the exemptions are still too narrow and complex.

“We cited a broad range of examples where Section 1201 interfered with people’s use of their own digital devices. But the Office expanded the exemption only to 'smartphone[s],' 'home appliance,' and 'home system, such as a refrigerator, thermostat, HVAC or electrical system.'”

“It’s absurd that a law intended to protect copyrighted works is misused instead to prevent people from taking apart or modifying the things they own, inhibit scientists and researchers from investigating safety features or security enhancements [...]"
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