10 ms·

Hulu encrypts its HTML to fend off Boxee…again

18 points by ciscoriordan 18y ago

marram 18y ago
What is html encryption anyways? obfuscation?
- jonknee 18y ago
  Looks like some code that has to be run through a couple JS functions before it's legible. I tried seeing where it actually happens on the site and can't find it. Regardless, it has already been "cracked". http://www.hulu.com/channels/Action-and-Adventure?ajax=true&type=episodes&kind=videos&sort=release&page=1 http://www.hulu.com/channels/Action-and-Adventure?ajax=true&... (That's a link from the article, I can't see anything like that when browsing through the site. It's all plain text for me.)
ciscoriordan 18y ago
It's pretty easy to circumvent the encryption, but the act of doing so might be a DMCA violation.
- mustpax 18y ago
  I think you just hit the nail on the head. I was wondering why Hulu would take the time to implement such a braindead "encryption" scheme. All you need is a JavaScript interpreter to break this. But now they can sue anyone who serves their content because it's circumventing their broken encryption scheme. DMCA is quite a nifty bit of legislation. Hell, publishers once sued someone successfully under DMCA for breaking an "encryption" scheme based on rot13. I kid you not: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-116424.html?legacy=zdnn http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-116424.html?legacy=zdnn
jrockway 18y ago
So the networks would rather Boxee users download full HD, ad-free versions of their shows from the Pirate Bay rather than watch the low-def versions with ads from Hulu? And then they complain about losing money...
Sephr 18y ago
Boxee including XULRunner isn't circumventing any "encryption". Boxee is then a browser which works on your TV. I'm guessing the content providers for Hulu don't know that you can use your TV as a monitor for your computer yet either. Also, I never heard of JavaScript source code that is meant to be eval'd qualifying as "encryption". At best you can call it obfuscation. document.documentElement.appendChild(document.createTextNode("omfg this is encrypted!!1!!!! DON'T TRY TO CIRCUMVENT"))

18 points by ciscoriordan 18y ago

marram 18y ago

What is html encryption anyways? obfuscation?

jonknee 18y ago
Looks like some code that has to be run through a couple JS functions before it's legible. I tried seeing where it actually happens on the site and can't find it. Regardless, it has already been "cracked". http://www.hulu.com/channels/Action-and-Adventure?ajax=true&type=episodes&kind=videos&sort=release&page=1 http://www.hulu.com/channels/Action-and-Adventure?ajax=true&... (That's a link from the article, I can't see anything like that when browsing through the site. It's all plain text for me.)

ciscoriordan 18y ago

It's pretty easy to circumvent the encryption, but the act of doing so might be a DMCA violation.

mustpax 18y ago
I think you just hit the nail on the head. I was wondering why Hulu would take the time to implement such a braindead "encryption" scheme. All you need is a JavaScript interpreter to break this. But now they can sue anyone who serves their content because it's circumventing their broken encryption scheme. DMCA is quite a nifty bit of legislation. Hell, publishers once sued someone successfully under DMCA for breaking an "encryption" scheme based on rot13. I kid you not: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-116424.html?legacy=zdnn http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-116424.html?legacy=zdnn

jrockway 18y ago

So the networks would rather Boxee users download full HD, ad-free versions of their shows from the Pirate Bay rather than watch the low-def versions with ads from Hulu? And then they complain about losing money...

Sephr 18y ago

Boxee including XULRunner isn't circumventing any "encryption". Boxee is then a browser which works on your TV. I'm guessing the content providers for Hulu don't know that you can use your TV as a monitor for your computer yet either. Also, I never heard of JavaScript source code that is meant to be eval'd qualifying as "encryption". At best you can call it obfuscation. document.documentElement.appendChild(document.createTextNode("omfg this is encrypted!!1!!!! DON'T TRY TO CIRCUMVENT"))