14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Phone Marketplace, the app storefront that accompanies the new Windows Phone 7 operating system from the Redmond-based software giant Microsoft, has got its DRM (Digital Rights Management) security cracked, and a proof-of-concept video is available below.
Basically, one developer came up with an application that enables the successful pulling of any app from the Marketplace, followed by the removal of the security, and the deployment of this solution to an unlocked Windows Phone with minimum effort.
All this is the result of some glitches in the app-security technique Microsoft uses for the Windows Phone Marketplace, enabling one to easily crack any XAP file there, some say.
Apparently, the issue is not new. Microsoft was informed repeatedly on the fact that it should improve the app security for the application store, a recent post on WPCentral reads.
Moreover, it seems that various developers already complained about the weakness in Microsoft's DRM for Windows Phone 7 applications, which is clearly demonstrated in the proof-of-concept video embedded at the bottom of this article.
According to WPCentral, they already contacted Microsoft on the matter, and they are willing to cooperate with the company in any way in this matter.
Some might suggest that the “FreeMarketplace” application showcased in the said video would promote piracy, but the actual purpose is to raise awareness on the security breaches in the Marketplace and to determine Microsoft patch them.
Similar concerns raised another application, the ChevronWP7 Windows Phone 7 unlock tool, which was released last month, and pulled soon after, and which was aimed at offering users the possibility to side-load apps on their devices.
While some people suggested that the software solution would promote piracy, its developers claimed that it would only set the base for the development of homebrew apps for Windows Phone 7, and said that Microsoft itself committed to help in the development of such solutions.
In the end, developers should be aware of the issues that Microsoft's DRM system is plagued with, and the proof-of-concept video below is aimed at this. At the same time, the Redmond-based company should be focused on improving the technology, to avoid future similar situations.