ElcomSoft vs. Adobe: How AEBPR cracked Adobe's Acrobat E-Book Reader

The Advanced E-Book Processor (AEBPR) was purported to override any restrictions placed on an e-book by a publisher, and convert the document into a standard, unprotected Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF format. The story has captured worldwide media attention, and many debates discussing the political, legal, and philosophical ramifications of the issue have resulted. While some believe that products such as AEBPR open the door for widespread piracy of copyrighted e-book material, others believe that companies such as Elcomsoft are working in the interests of e-book publishers: by exposing inherent weaknesses in any security model, holes are able to be patched, security improved, and material ultimately better protected from piracy. Central to the debate is Adobe's Acrobat E-Book Reader security model, its use of encryption and plug-ins known as security handlers. This paper will look at this security model, and examine how a program such as AEPBR has been able to circumvent it.