>Security researchers who do something like test the security of a car without the permission of the car manufacturer (like in this post) are committing a felony.
It's not clear DMCA applies in this setting. I'm neither a lawyer nor a "hacker", but reading through the whole page you linked I can't figure out what part implies cars are covered? If they were, then it seems like it would put mechanics at best in a gray area.
> Why is it illegal to break the encryption of video game consoles?
Is it? I know it is illegal to strip a game and upload it to the internet. But is it illegal to save your own digital copy? I was under the impression that this violates terms of use, but isn't illegal. That the legality was focused around distribution.
IIRC Sony lost that court case where the Navy turned their Playstations into a supercomputer.
I'm not trying to argue, but I'm trying to state my understanding so someone can better help me understand. I really do want to know how many crimes I've committed lol
It would need to be handle significantly different from lock picking, which is legal. I assume one could craft an argument to shove DMCA in it, but that doesn't sound clear cut.
To your point, would most researchers want to spend lawyer money to test that ? Surely not.
A reporter pressed F12 to view the source of a web page and the Missouri governor spent months trying to charge him with a crime as part of a "felony investigation". Full weight of the state on his shoulders because he revealed something embarrassing about the state.
In practice if you embarrass a company, they will crush you legally. And sure, after you spend a few hundred thousand dollars on legal fees you'll probably win, and the company will have to say "our bad lol", but you'll still be out the legal fees.
Source: DMCA: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/1201
I'm sure that spending a few hundred thousand dollars on lawyers might find a legal loophole, but I wouldn't count on it.
Why is it illegal to break the encryption of video game consoles? Whatever the answer is, the same can be applied to breaking the encryption of a car.