Recorder Identification Code - tracking back CD writers?

[Ralf-P. Weinmann]

On Thu, May 22, 2003 at 11:32:02PM +0200, Thomas Shaddack wrote:
> Seems there is a danger hidden in distributing officially unsanctioned
> data on CDs. There is a technical measure that allow tracking the CDs back
> to the writer they were created with. We should be aware about this for
> any scheme that relies on distribution of physical CD-R/RW media.
> 
> According to Orange Book Part2 Ver 3.1, the CD recorders are supposed to
> write RID (Recorder IDentification Code), a 97-bit number identifying
> brand, type, and serial number of the recorder, every 100 frames in the
> Q-channel to all CD-R and CD-RW disks.

You should be able to circumvent this by writing your CD-R in RAW mode, where
you can control what's going into the Q-channel.

Sources [1],[2] seem to imply to me that this is only limited to consumer
audio CD recorders anyway. Further investigation ongoing.

Cheers,
Ralf

[1] http://www.cdrfaq.org/faq02.html#S2-26
[2] http://www.mitsuicdrstore.com/SCMS_nh.html

-- 
Ralf-P. Weinmann <rpw at uni.de>
PGP fingerprint: 2048/46C772078ACB58DEF6EBF8030CBF1724