IP: Re: DirecTV vaporizes hacked smart cards: : Good Morning SiliconValley Fri Jan 26 12:00:14 EST 2001

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 13:00:46 -0800 (PST)
> From: Kevin Poulsen <klp () well com>
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> Subject: Re: IP: Re:  DirecTV vaporizes hacked smart cards: : Good Morning
>   SiliconValley Fri Jan 26 12:00:14 EST 2001
>
>
> Mr. Ballman is correct that keeping the card out of the receiver prevents
> the ECM from touching it, but the receiver doesn't work without a card
> inserted, and the ECM is now in DirecTV's data stream. The purpose of
> preserving a hacked card that can never be used is not immediately
> apparent to me.
>
> Mr. Ballman is mistaken in his belief that the cards hit by last Sunday's
> ECM can be unlooped and reprogrammed "in about 5 seconds." As I reported,
> this ECM wrote to a "write once" area of the cards' memory. The cards
> cannot be unlooped in 5 seconds, or 5 years.
>
> K
>
> On Sat, 27 Jan 2001, Dave Farber wrote:
>
> > > Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 08:58:59 -0500
> > > From: Ballman <Ballman () usna edu>
> > >
> > > Dave,
> > > I'm a bit skeptical DirectTV story below.   There are a number of ways 
> SAT
> > > pirates avoid the
> > > ECM signal.  They can simply keep the card out of the receiver (reducing
> > > the chance of being
> > > connected when the bullet hits),  "ECM bullet blockers" are now on the
> > > market as are line
> > > switches.  Some of the pirate companies claim their cards have never been
> > > "ECM'd" due to
> > > anti-ECM programming.  The cards aren't permanently damaged by the ECM,
> > > they  can be
> > > "unlooped" and reprogrammed in about 5 seconds if the pirate has an
> > > unlooper/programmer.  The
> > > unlooper/programmer hardware is available for about $200 on the
> > > internet.  DirectTV recently
> > > suffered a major blow when pirates discovered how to hack the new "HU"
> > > type SAT cards.
> > > DirectTV has switched to exclusively selling systems using the "HU" type
> > > smart card.  My
> > > point here is that not all pirated DirectTV SAT cards will be effected,
> > > only the least
> > > sophisticated user will lose his pirated service. Even those who did lose
> > > their programming
> > > will send them back to the pirate programmer for reprogramming and be
> > > pirating again within
> > > two weeks.
> > >
> > > DirectTV has done the pirates a great service by being so
> > > predictable.  They always send the
> > > ECM bullet just before or sometimes during major sports events. Of course
> > > this allows pirates
> > > to prepare...
> > >
> > > Jerry
> >
> >
> >
> > For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/



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