Apple AirPlay Private Key Exposed, Opening Door to AirPort Express Emulators

[Gemütlichkeit]

THIS

As you correctly highlight, the significance of this isn't that it enables others to implement 3rd party Airplay clients for innocent playback... it's that it allows Airplay-based software rippers to be constructed.

Want an un-encrypted copy of that iTMS rental movie? Stream it to an airplay-ripper you've downloaded off the 'net, and it'll be re-compressed in non-DRM form for you to play back whenever you wish.

This is the biggest worry for Apple. They can't raise lawsuits against free software apps hosted outside the US in the same way they could block the selling of non-licenced hardware in the US.

Sounds like a ghetto way of saving a buck.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Been wanting this for a while. I have a windows PC just doing nothing, if I can turn it into an Airport Express like device, can have music going throughout the house.

I am confused. If your Mac is networked, why not just share your music folder on your network so any computer etc can play the music from the shared music folder on the mac?

 

[manu chao]

I got my Mac connected to some great speakers.
Now, a friend comes by for a visit, brings along his laptop and we want to hear some music from his iTunes --> messy cables, my friend standing with his laptop by the amplifier because that cable is short (…)

Ever heard of Home Sharing? If you read carefully through this thread, you might even come across it. As long as you connect your friend's laptop to your WiFi network, you access its iTunes library through Home Sharing from your Mac.

Another friend comes over. We want to listen to music from his/her iPod/iPhone/iPad --> messy cables.

Simply connect his or her iOS device or iPod to your computer with the standard sync cable (keeps it charged at the same time), and you can access its content from your Mac.

All this could be accomplished with a few airport express units across the house which is somehow a luxury option money-wise and somehow redundant since I already have a wireless router and at least one computer up and running.

So, Airport Expresses are luxury but other WiFi routers onto which an Airplay hack could be installed are not luxury?
You can rightfully slam Apple for not including Airplay into the Time Capsule and Airport Extreme but that is about it.

And for those suggesting third-party software, this sounds great if I were the only using them. I cannot imagine telling my friends "hey, buy this $40 software so we can stream music to each other's computer". I'm not sure I could even convince them to install free software to mess with their audio setup.

To stream between computers, you only need iTunes and Home Sharing, which is, btw, free. And you now welcome/wish for a third-party hack to stream music and then in the same breath say that installing even bonafide software like the free Airfoil Speakers or iTunes is out of the question. What is it, you could convince your friends to install a third-party hack on their computers but not iTunes or Airfoil?

 

[DeaconGraves]

That's nice.

::Goes back to listening to podcasts streaming from his iPhone to his AppleTV::

 

[hehe299792458]

I am confused. If your Mac is networked, why not just share your music folder on your network so any computer etc can play the music from the shared music folder on the mac?

I think it's a matter of push streaming vs pull

 

[harry20larry]

I am confused. If your Mac is networked, why not just share your music folder on your network so any computer etc can play the music from the shared music folder on the mac?

Because what I ultimately want is an airplay/airmusic station ready to play from any of the 9 iOS/iTunes devices in the house wirelessly in the family area.

 

[ciTiger]

Apple will fix it soon...

 

[jzuena]

Is anyone here educated enough to explain to me how to compile and run this thing?

I can't find a way to install avahi. Tried installing it via fink - no luck.
MacPorts requires xcode, but I don't really want to install xcode. takes up a lot of space.
Even though I know some things I'd still prefer if someone would make a step-by-step how-to for me.

Thank you in advance.

The only prebuilt gcc compiler I know of for OSX is the one in xcode, so you will be stuck installing it at least temporarily in order to compile a standalone version of gcc.

Avahi is Bonjour, which is already part of OSX. Therefore I doubt the makefile bothers to have a configuration for OSX.

 

[ghostlyorb]

Sweet! I wonder how long until Apple will patch it!

 

[vincenz]

Sounds like a good day for jailbreakers.

 

[tdream]

If they found it once what's the stop them finding it again when apple update it? They know how to.

 

[Dorv]

Care to actually show me what app that will actually do what I was talking about?
I want to play music from iTunes on my Mac as the source, and multiple airplay devices as the target. Currently I can only play to Airport Expresses and Apple TVs (and upcoming Airplay certified speakers). I want Apple to include all iOS devices to that list of target devices.

Airfoil does this, no?

 

[afd]

Well, you CAN send the same audio to every device in your house, as long as the audio originates on your Mac (which includes simply plugging in any iOS device or iPod into your Mac).

How? Not unless I buy airfoil?

 

[shartypants]

I can't imagine how Apple could have thought they could keep that private key secret forever.

 

[afd]

I can't imagine how Apple could have thought they could keep that private key secret forever.

been secret since '04

 

[WannaGoMac]

Because what I ultimately want is an airplay/airmusic station ready to play from any of the 9 iOS/iTunes devices in the house wirelessly in the family area.

Home sharing from your Mac won't do that?

 

[jonwilson1988]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-gb) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

You require and airport router to use AirPlay?

 

[The Phazer]

THIS

As you correctly highlight, the significance of this isn't that it enables others to implement 3rd party Airplay clients for innocent playback... it's that it allows Airplay-based software rippers to be constructed.

Want an un-encrypted copy of that iTMS rental movie? Stream it to an airplay-ripper you've downloaded off the 'net, and it'll be re-compressed in non-DRM form for you to play back whenever you wish.

This is the biggest worry for Apple. They can't raise lawsuits against free software apps hosted outside the US in the same way they could block the selling of non-licenced hardware in the US.

Yup, this. I hope nobody was expecting many more iOS apps to support Airplay given the networks were concerned about it's security as is.

(Though there are plenty of ways to raise legal cases in most countries against this, in the UK for example distribution or importing would probably fall under the criminal (yes criminal, not civil) law against bypassing a technical protection measure.)

Phazer

 

[gorgeousninja]

Probably workin' 24/7 on it as we speak... I hope Apple finally stops being Sue Zombie, and realizes the advantages to the consumer for this.

Apple, go back to the logic that made you what you are - make products for the consumer's hearts & thoughts!

you seem, like so many people these days, to be wanting everything while giving nothing...

Hey Apple / music / movie /etc etc industry, why cant you just let me have whatever I want, whenever I want, all for free?
And let me moan and whinge non-stop while you're doing it.

When I hit the airplay button on my iPhone and my 400W audio system kicks in, when I'm sitting in my garden wirelessly selecting what music I want...then that still gives me a huge grin bringing Wow factor...and definitely is where my 'heart and thought's' have been for many many years.

Do not let mere familiarity breed contempt for those little joys, it does you no favors.

 

[HangmanSwingset]

ps3 metldr fiasco much?

At least Apple most likely has the sense to shrug it off most likely. If it were Sueny, they'd be pleading the judge for the IP addresses of anyone reading this article.

 

[Scuby]

I agree with the guy who wants any iOS device to be the receiver of AirTunes music.

I hear all the comments about Home Sharing and Airfoil, but both are only partial solutions that work in specific cases. I, personally, nt my old iPod Touch to function as a battery powered airport express - with some battery powered speakers attached, I can stream music anywhere (including the garden, etc) at the same time - perfect for parties. I could do that with AirFoil, but that means when I want to stream from my iPad to my Apple TV or Airport Express speakers in the living room I need a different solution. Plus i'm not sure the Apple Remote app will allow me to switch AirFoil sources on and off, which means I have to go back to my Mac to change them, it's not properly integrated, so not a great solution. Acceptable, sure, but far from ideal.

Basically, having AirPlay supported natively just means the whole system works simply, flawlessly and in a fully-integrated way. No faff, no limitations on what device can play what audio to which other devices. A simple iOS app that allows my iPod Touch to function as an Airport Express will be fantastic!

David

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Because the 3rd party device could be in your neighbours house so your neighbour can see or hear anything that is played through AirPlay from your devices without you knowing. And you might be playing stuff that you wouldn't want your neighbour to see.

Wouldn't the data still be encrypted by the WiFi key besides the AirPlay Key?

I would say that your neighbor would only be able to see or hear anything that is played through AirPlay only if your WiFi network is open, or if he physically plugs into your LAN. Otherwise, he'll have to break your WiFi key.

Could someone confirm this? Thanks.

 

[batchtaster]

you seem, like so many people these days, to be wanting everything while giving nothing...

Hey Apple / music / movie /etc etc industry, why cant you just let me have whatever I want, whenever I want, all for free?
And let me moan and whinge non-stop while you're doing it.

QFT.

And not just free - employ people and sink resources into it to make it happen, so that Apple (and other companies making great products) actually pays for these things they want, like they're 5 year olds pawing through the candy in the check-out line at Walgreens, demanding one more piece. You want the candy? Buy it.

On another tack, I can't help thinking this guy has opened up a can of worms for himself, DMCA-wise.

 

[doctor-don]

Try proofing before posting articles.

"especially when there it is possible to be an officially licensed AirPlay partner."

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I agree with the guy who wants any iOS device to be the receiver of AirTunes music.

I hear all the comments about Home Sharing and Airfoil, but both are only partial solutions that work in specific cases. I, personally, nt my old iPod Touch to function as a battery powered airport express - with some battery powered speakers attached, I can stream music anywhere (including the garden, etc) at the same time - perfect for parties. I could do that with AirFoil, but that means when I want to stream from my iPad to my Apple TV or Airport Express speakers in the living room I need a different solution. Plus i'm not sure the Apple Remote app will allow me to switch AirFoil sources on and off, which means I have to go back to my Mac to change them, it's not properly integrated, so not a great solution. Acceptable, sure, but far from ideal.

Basically, having AirPlay supported natively just means the whole system works simply, flawlessly and in a fully-integrated way. No faff, no limitations on what device can play what audio to which other devices.

I agree too. I would like to be able to stream audio/video to my Wii or XBox, this way I wouldn't have to buy an AppleTV (at least not yet).

I only like to stream to my iPad when I'm actually going to watch something on my iPad.

A simple iOS app that allows my iPod Touch to function as an Airport Express will be fantastic!

Good News! That iOS app you want already exists: is called AirView, and it's as free as free beer.
EDIT: It only works for video stream. It would not stream music. But you could solve that by streaming music videos!