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"Widevine Dump":Leaked Code Downloads HD Video from Disney+, Amazon, and Netflix

(torrentfreak.com)
449 points bertman | 1 comments | 27 Dec 21 12:55 UTC | HN request time: 0.247s | source
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sydthrowaway ◴[27 Dec 21 14:25 UTC] No.29702696[source]▶
I've often wondered how easy it would be for people in the scene to rip Netflix or others streaming content. Isn't it as simple as getting the URL of the video player element in the browser and using cURL or wget?
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alt227 ◴[27 Dec 21 14:31 UTC] No.29702740[source]▶
It is, but the resulting files are encrypted. Hence this post being about exposing CDMs (Content Decryption Modules). These use decryption keys obtained through hacking or paying internal staff. Once the decryption keys are exposed like this then the content providers 'burn'; them and generate new ones meaning the process has to start over again.
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ordx ◴[27 Dec 21 14:42 UTC] No.29702831[source]▶
I assume at some point Widevine plugin decrypts these files to display the actual video stream in the browser, correct? Why don't they capture already decrypted stream?
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1. Scoundreller ◴[27 Dec 21 14:53 UTC] No.29702911[source]▶
My thought is that the decryption and decompression are interlinked.

So while it’s relatively easy to get the raw stream, if you want to re-distribute it, you’ll have to compress it again.

With these leaks, you can get the compressed and decrypted files and re-distribute without any added compression loss.

Maybe I’m wrong, but it’s the only thing that makes sense to me.