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Spotify rushes to fix free download vulnerability | Spotify rushes to fix free download vulnerability |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Music streaming site Spotify has rushed to fix a security hole that allowed users free song downloads. | Music streaming site Spotify has rushed to fix a security hole that allowed users free song downloads. |
Downloadify, an extension to Google's Chrome browser, enabled users to download MP3 files by exploiting a vulnerability in Spotify's web player. | Downloadify, an extension to Google's Chrome browser, enabled users to download MP3 files by exploiting a vulnerability in Spotify's web player. |
Google removed the extension, but Downloadify was still available via other websites. | Google removed the extension, but Downloadify was still available via other websites. |
Spotify has confirmed to the BBC that the issue has now been fixed. | Spotify has confirmed to the BBC that the issue has now been fixed. |
Downloadify was created by Dutch developer Robin Aldenhoven. On Twitter, he noted that music stored online by Spotify was not encrypted. | Downloadify was created by Dutch developer Robin Aldenhoven. On Twitter, he noted that music stored online by Spotify was not encrypted. |
"I could not believe it myself that they did so little to protect their library," he wrote, later adding: "Spotify = awesome... so I don't want to damage them." | "I could not believe it myself that they did so little to protect their library," he wrote, later adding: "Spotify = awesome... so I don't want to damage them." |
Infringement | |
Other web streaming services are susceptible to similar exploits. Various services allow for the downloading, knowing as "ripping", of content from sites such as YouTube. | Other web streaming services are susceptible to similar exploits. Various services allow for the downloading, knowing as "ripping", of content from sites such as YouTube. |
Such actions are illegal and against the sites' terms of service. | Such actions are illegal and against the sites' terms of service. |
Sheena Sheikh, a solicitor from intellectual property specialists Briffa, told the BBC that the law is straightforward on such downloading activity. | Sheena Sheikh, a solicitor from intellectual property specialists Briffa, told the BBC that the law is straightforward on such downloading activity. |
"You are committing an infringement," she said. | |
"You're not authorised to download the songs. You don't have permission." | |
Spotify is the world's most popular music streaming service. Recent figures from the company said the service has 24 million active users, of whom six million pay a monthly fee for added features. | Spotify is the world's most popular music streaming service. Recent figures from the company said the service has 24 million active users, of whom six million pay a monthly fee for added features. |
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