Removing DRM protection from a PDF file. What is a DRM license for Android

Digital Rights Management (DRM) license is a tool that allows the copyright holder to control access, prevent illegal copying and distribution of their software. Cracking a digital code will be an impossible task for most people. Therefore, many users quite logically have a question: how can you reset DRM licenses Android and what is it?

DRM is an abbreviation for Digital Rights Management, which means “management digital rights" It is implemented through the developer’s implementation of various technical means, which do not allow it to be illegally disposed of. As a result, the person who downloaded the product can use it only for his own personal purposes, without the possibility of copying or transferring it to other users. A DRM license is a digital lock, the necessary key to which is held by the developer, who is also the copyright holder of this software.

When creating such digital code various mathematical algorithms, called cryptoalgorithms. We will not go into detail and explain what a crypto-algorithm is, but will only note that it is very difficult to crack a DRM license. The most common scheme for implementing this technology on Android is as follows:

• The user buys a phone or tablet that, in addition to the OS itself, contains special software from the developer.
• After the device is turned on and activated, the pre-installed software starts working in a demo version (for a period of a week, month, etc.). After the trial period expires, the program stops working, offering to buy paid version from the copyright holder.

Purchasing a premium product is the acquisition of a DRM license for the selected application. In addition to the above diagram, there may be other examples of implementing copyright protection on Android devices.
You can learn what a DRM license is for Android by watching the video below.

Resetting DRM licenses

Depending on which product is covered by the license, you must use one or another solution to the problem. For example, using various hacking software, you can reset the application activation counter. Some utilities allow you to remove the linking of certain files to the site, disable the need to verify your digital key, and much more.

For your mobile phone running Android OS, you can reset the DRM license without using hacker programs. To do this, just do the following:

• Go to the main menu of the smartphone settings, through the retractable curtain or from the main screen.
• Select the “Backup and Reset” tab. In Android 5 and higher, it is located under the accounts tab.
• Click on the line " Reset DRM(DRMreset)".

You should use this feature very carefully, especially if you do not know what will happen when resetting the DRM license. The fact is that after the actions taken, the user may lose access to certain features and functions of applications already installed in the memory. Also some branded preinstalled programs, which are present in phones from Samsung and Sony, may simply stop working. But otherwise, the functionality and personalization of the phone will not be affected in any way. A regular factory reset, which can be found in the “Backup and Reset” tab, will not remove DRM licenses.

How to remove DRM protection

IN lately Many Android software developers are constantly faced with user protests regarding the inconvenience of a digital license. However, in many products, including mobile applications, multimedia files, etc., it is still in use. Let's look at the main methods that allow you to remove the Digital Rights Management "digital lock" from the most common file types:

• Using specialized utilities. For example, free programs“DRM Media Converter” or “DRM Removal” can bypass and deactivate DRM protection from many popular file types. These include documents with extensions: .WMV, .M4B, .M4V, .ASF and many others.
• Convert files protected by a digital license using converters. Such programs include: Digital Music Converter, Sound Taxi, Note Burner, as well as many others that can be found on the Internet. Despite the fact that they are used only for a narrow range of extensions, after conversion you will receive an absolutely “clean file”.
• Using CD and DWD drives. Files with the WMV and WMA extension can be easily and simply removed from digital protection if you have a computer and a blank blank at hand. It is enough to burn WMA to CD, and WMV to DVD, and then copy them back to the PC. After this, the DRM license will be removed from them.

Utility interface for removing DRM protection

Note that in many cases, you can find a free-to-use alternative to DRM-protected software. Also, by purchasing a paid version of the product from the developers, you guarantee yourself the opportunity to use all the functions and capabilities of the software.

DRM is an intellectual property protection tool that allows the copyright holder to control access, preventing unauthorized copying and distribution of software. The technology is used on various products, including mobile operating systems, so users periodically have the question of what it is to reset a DRM license on Android.

What is DRM

DRM is an abbreviation for Digital Rights Management, which can be translated as “digital rights management.” Control is implemented by placing various technical means in the product that prevent illegal disposal of the software. The owner can use the protected product only for personal purposes; he will not be able to copy it and sell it. In essence, DRM is a kind of digital lock, the key to which must be purchased from the copyright holder.

The DRM key for gaining access is presented in the form of a code, the creation of which uses cryptographic algorithms. It is very difficult to hack, and you can only get it after purchasing a digital product with a license. On Android technology often implemented like this:

1. A person buys a new device, in which the manufacturer preinstalls certain software.
2. After turning on and activating the device, the software starts working for free in demo mode. After the trial period, the application ceases to function, requiring the purchase of a license.

Purchasing access to a full version of the software is an element of DRM. This is just one of possible options, there are other examples of copyright protection.

The procedure for resetting DRM differs depending on what the license covers. For example, using hacker software, you can reset the program launch counter, unlink files from the site, disable key verification, and perform other actions to unlink the license. As for Android, a reset can be done without hacker software.

You must use this feature with extreme caution, because after resetting your license, you may lose access to certain product features. DRM keys are required for operation special applications from the phone manufacturer. You can find such programs at Sony devices, Samsung, etc. After resetting the key, branded applications may stop working, but otherwise the functionality of the phone will remain at the same level.

It has nothing to do with giving up a license. If rolling back settings removes all apps from your phone, user installed, as well as personal data, then deleting the license only leads to disabling the software built in by the manufacturer.

If you want to know what the requirements are different applications, what programs will be affected by the removal of licenses, whether the device supports the technologies that are needed for normal functioning services, then install to mobile device DRM Info. The application displays information about DRM components, at the same time indicating whether they are supported on devices.
Why is this information needed? To understand whether it is worth buying premium accounts or applications with licenses. For example, to play Full HD and 4K videos on Netflix, you need 1 level of Google Widevine. Most devices come with the third level, so there is no point in spending money on a premium account, because there will be no improvement in quality - the device does not support the necessary technologies.

In this article I will talk in detail about what is DRM technology, I will introduce the reader to the features of DRM licenses, and explain how possible it is to reset them and bypass DRM protection.

Our life is full various types content. We watch movies on the Internet, listen to music, look at photos and read books, often without thinking that they were obtained illegally, thanks to the intellectual pirates of our day. The fight against illegal content theft has become a headache for many authors; reputable companies spend many millions of dollars in order to ensure high-quality and effective protection copyright.

Among various tools for protecting an intellectual product, DRM is very popular - it is a technology that allows the copyright holder to control access to the sold product, prevent its illegal copying, transfer, and so on. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the DRM license is not always effective, having both its advantages and disadvantages.

A similar technology is TrustedInstaller, which protects against vital removal important files for Windows (description at the link).

DRM is an abbreviation for “Digital Rights Management”, which means digital rights management. This control is implemented in the form of placing various technical means in a DRM-protected product that prevent the illegal disposal of the intellectual property product. Such a “digital lock” in the form of a licensed encrypted key can be very effective; the owner will not be able to copy the purchased digital product, transfer it, sell it, and so on.

The DRM key itself is presented in the form of a complex mathematical code, which is quite difficult to crack (crypto-algorithms are used). It can only be unlocked if you purchase the offered digital product.

DRM functionality

As mentioned above, DRM technology prevents the illegal distribution of copyrighted content, its copying, transmission, and translation into other formats. I realized that this DRM allows you to limit work with the product to the required lines, carry out limited copying, and remotely delete the required file on the user’s device. The possibilities of its functionality are very high.

At the same time, the sword, as usual, has two ends. The disadvantages of DRM include significant restrictions on the use of information, the probable impossibility of any copying at all, instability and unreliability of programs with such protection. Moreover, the principles of DRM sometimes conflict with the laws of some countries (eg Australia).

When is DRM used?

You may encounter DRM protection in a variety of situations. For example:

• When playing a file, it requires a key in the form of a password, code identifier or a special letter;
• the file is only executed in specific program;
• the program runs only on specific device(computer, music center, etc.)
• the number of possible file copies is significantly limited by the DRM license.

What is a DRM license?

A DRM license is a digital key used to decrypt previously encrypted content and also grants the right to use that content. You can receive such a key only if you pay for it.

There are also partial DRM licenses in the form of various “ trial periods”, a limited trial number of program runs and other types of temporary access to the product’s functionality, after which access to the program is blocked, and we are offered to buy a full version of the program.

Resetting DRM licenses

Resetting DRM licenses depends on the specifics of each license. Various hacker software allows you to reset the launch counters of DRM-protected files, unlink such files from certain sites, neutralize key verification by the software used, etc.

IN Android system you can reset all DRM licenses loaded on your device.

1. To do this, you need to go to “Settings”;
2. Select “Restore and reset”;
3. And then click on “DRMreset”.

You should use this option with extreme caution, because if you purchased a product with this license, then after resetting the DRM settings you will lose access to it. You should use this function in special cases, for example, if you sell your gadget.

How to remove DRM protection

To remove this type of DRM protection, there are various methods. Let's look at some of them:

• special programs, for example, “DRM Media Converter” or “DRM Removal” allows you to remove DRM protection from WMV, M4B, M4V, ASF and other files;
• if WMV and WMA files are protected by DRM, burn WMA to CD and WMV to DVD, and then extract them to your computer, the protection will be removed;
• use a converter to convert protected WMV, WMA and other files into other video and audio formats (use Digital Music Converter, Sound Taxi, Note Burner and other similar programs), after conversion you will receive a “clean” file.

You can see an example of how to remove DRM protection from a PDF file in the video:

Conclusion

In recent years, many developers, faced with protests from thousands of users about the inconvenience of DRM protection, are beginning to refuse to use them in their products.

Low cryptographic strength, limited application and many inconveniences imposed on the user have led to the fact that since the beginning of our decade, major players in the digital market have switched to other options for data protection (Apple, Sony, etc.). However, today it is clear that this DRM protection is quite common and when downloading any content, be prepared for its limited functionality.

I can advise honest users to purchase licensed products, and accessibility lovers should pay attention to free DRM alternatives with more simplified functionality.

Some phone users encounter incomprehensible menu settings on their devices. One of these is Android DRM License Reset. What this process is and whether it is necessary is described in this article.

What is DRM

Digital Rights Management (in the Russian version - “Technical means of copyright protection”) is a technology that allows authors to protect their digital products from piracy. In the case of Android, these are applications.

The protection process is carried out through the programmer introducing certain technical means into the software that prevent illegal use. As a result, a person uses the software only for personal needs and cannot copy or transfer it to other people.

DRM license is the key that opens the digital lock of the application. It is designed using complex cryptographic algorithms to prevent easy hacking.

Important! Hacking or circumventing DRM protection is against the law and will result in civil and administrative penalties in most countries.

The principle of operation of the technology:

1. A person purchases a smartphone or tablet on which (in addition to the OS) special software from the developer is installed.
2. After turning on and activating the device, the preinstalled programs work in demo mode for a limited period (week, month). After its expiration, the software stops functioning and offers to purchase the full version and a DRM license for it.

Resetting licenses

The main purpose of the reset function is to stop using the purchased software.

Important! Hard system reset does not affect purchased licenses, and deleting the latter does not affect the performance of the OS, but will prohibit the use of programs protected by DRM technology.

After this, reboot your device if this is affected pre-installed applications.

Pay attention! At the moment, DRM is losing its relevance due to imperfect protection. In Android 6 and above there is no reset function.

Conclusions

DRM license is a right of use full version software that is purchased from its copyright holder. The license reset function allows you to abandon such software without affecting the performance of Android.

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management, which translates to “digital rights management.” Thus, the answer to the question: “DRM protection - what is it” will be: “It is a class of technologies that are used by publishers to control content.” This can be expressed in this way: an audiobook that was purchased in digital version on the site will be reproduced normally on the computer with which the purchase was made. But if you copy it to another computer, it will become unnecessary file, which cannot be opened by any player.

Real examples of DRM technologies can be much more complex.

DRM was designed from the beginning to prevent digital products from being copied. But the next generation of technology provided the tools to limit viewing, printing, and editing.

In an attempt to protect the interests of copyright holders, DRM protection has become the cause of a considerable number of complaints from users purchasing digital products. Inability to use purchased music using various devices negatively affected customer demand. As a result, publishers realized that there was an opportunity to sell music in digital form without imposing DRM protection. It will be even more successful. In other words, DRM protection even had a negative impact on sales of various digital products.

DRM protection - what is it?

Over time, these technologies were able to gain support in legislation. For example, in large quantities Countries have legal provisions that prohibit circumvention of copy protection. In these states, debates about whether DRM protection is needed, how to remove it, etc., are essentially illegal.

But DRM also poses another complication because such technologies can interfere with users' ability to exercise their legal rights. That is why, in order to understand DRM protection - what it is, you need to realize that it is not possible to create backup copies purchased work.

Without delving into legislative practices on the application of various laws in everyday life, it is possible to propose a scheme for how to remove DRM protection, which will be completely legal in most countries. The only exception would be Australia. It is possible to create several copies for your own needs or for reserve, but not for sale or distribution. Please note that the process of creating copies of more than 10 pieces may be considered commercial use. Therefore, you should avoid copying more than normal. There are no clear restrictions on making copies. For this reason, it is technically possible to lose DRM somewhere in the process of obtaining mp3 copies that are not protected. But using a program that is designed to disable copy protection may be a violation of the law. Thus, when talking about how to bypass DRM protection, you should remember that you can only do this for your own personal purposes.

How to do this?

But it’s good that this technology can be removed using programs for general use that are not covered by DRM protection. How to remove it? The best example In this case, the mp3Recorder Studio application serves. To do this, you need to enable playback of the purchased audio file with protection when using the required program (WMP, iTunes or another). Next, you need to capture the audio using mp3Recorder Studio and then save the audio directly to mp3. This process will use the built-in function of sound cards, which allows you to capture sound already in the middle of the device. Most provide a recording device called a “Stereo Mix”. However, different names are used. This device makes it possible to capture everything that is being played sound card. This may require you to install latest driver from the official website of the card manufacturer. Typically, the drivers that Windows automatically installs most often disable and hide such a device.

“Digital copyright management” (or, more simply, copy protection systems) is supposed to protect. But in reality, not only does it not fulfill its main function, but it also makes PCs accessible to hackers. How and for what reason does this happen?

Why do you need to remove DRM protection?

DRM systems can also be insecure. With the wrong options for implementing copy protection, it is possible to open holes in the computer's security system, which, in turn, would remain closed in the absence of DRM. The point here is that in order to block normal copy functions in the OS, rights management software packages need the broadest access rights to system files, and in fact intercept control of such functions.

A good example of an unsafe implementation of this technology is the anti-copying system for audio CDs from Sony BMG. This rootkit was placed on a large number of audio CDs from a music label that is one of the most famous in the world. When such a disc was loaded into a computer's CD-ROM, automatic mode XCP for WINDOWS began. It was supposed to protect against copying of an entire album or the process of stealing tracks from a disc.

The XCP rootkit penetrated deep into the OS, and at the same time it installed completely independently. The ability to uninstall using normal methods was not possible. Also, during operation, it took up a large part of the memory and could cause crashes. But the most important thing is that absolutely nothing was written about this rootkit and its functioning in the user agreement (EULA). This is all despite the fact that almost no one reads such agreements.

But the most important thing is that the XCP rootkit created real threat for the entire system. For example, after its installation, all files that begin with $sys$ acquired the “hidden” mode. This was immediately used by virus creators. For example, the Breplibot Trojan, which was sent as attachments to E-mails, was detected only by antiviruses and programs. Such unsafe files were absolutely invisible to users.

How to disable protection

DRM protection on WMV and WMA files is done in stages.

These days, most audio that is downloaded and protected (WMP, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, Bearshare, Spiral Frog) are DRM files.

The process of writing a file is not complicated. There is a free method to remove DRM protection from WMV and WMA files. This is done in two steps.

1. You need to burn the DRM WMA file to a CD or DRM WMV to a DVD.

2. You need to extract WMV and WMA with protection to the PC itself, after which DRM protection will be disabled.

Rewrite method

This method is the most popular and accessible. It consists of burning DRM WMA and DRM WMV files with a regular converter that converts recorded and unprotected files. Precisely because such technology is easy to use, formats that differ from DRM WMA and DRM WMV will also be supported by converters such as SoundTaxi, NoteBurner and others. But this also has its downsides.

New technology

Hook Hook is an advanced technology that can be used to disable EPUB DRM protection. When comparing these programs with dubbing programs, it is this type that has noticeably fast conversion. However, it will not be easy to make it work with some of the DRM formats that have new high-quality encryption techniques.

After testing, the result was that DRM WMA and DRM WMV protection is simply removed using Digital Music Converter. This program can extract audio content from DRM WMV files. This program also supports other unprotected formats, such as: mp3, M4b, M4A, WAV, AC3, AAC.

Conversion steps:

1. First you need to add DRM WMA, DRM WMV or other files that are not protected.

2. You need to select the desired outgoing format.

What is DRM? Why do you need to remove DRM from WMA WMV files?

Speaking about the meaning of the term “DRM protection” (what it is - we generally discussed above), you need to know: these are programs that protect against copying and make it difficult to perform actions related to video and audio files. For example, if WMA or WMV files downloaded from WMP are protected with DRM, then it is possible to play them only using compatible devices. If every song had DRM, then the user would have to purchase this track on disk in order to listen to it using a player or car radio. For example, if tunes were purchased on iTunes and they are listened to on the iPOd, then due to the fact that they have already been purchased, the user will not need to perform this action again and again. You just need to remove DRM from the file, and you will be able to play it on iPod, Zune, PSP, CD player, PC and other devices.

Cautions

This method is not entirely suitable, sometimes it can even cause damage to the CD-Roma. WMP only has the ability to record DRM WMA and DRM WMV files. For other formats you will need DVD-Ripper.

Due to the long recording process, the conversion speed will not be better. During the recording process, most of the audio may be lost.