BBC releases fix to protect iPlayer from hackers

By Isabelle Chaize

The BBC have issued a fix intended to prevent PC users downloading programmes from iPlayer that are exclusively for iPhone and iPod owners.

Digital rights management issues prevent the broadcaster from streaming programmes more than a week after they were originally aired. The download service’s DRM, however, allows programmes to remain available longer, only expiring after 30 days.

A FireFox plug-in discovered by hackers shortly after the launch of the iPlayer for iPhones enabled them to save the streamed programmes to the hard disk of their computer and then distribute them to other people freely.

Despite the release of the fix, the BBC conceded tnat the war against hackers was far from over, saying ‘It’s an ongoing process and one which we will continue to monitor. Like other broadcasters, the security of rights-protected content online is an issue we take very seriously’.