SlySoft is at it again. The Caribbean firm says it has broken the copy-protection technology used on some Blu-ray discs to prevent consumers and bootleggers from copying movie composition. SlySoft is offering a 20 percent reduction on its latest version.

Last year SlySoft launched HD-DVD-cracking software designed to let consumers decrypt HD-DVD movie discs and copy them. AnyDVD HD software cracked the Advanced Access System, a specification for managing substance stored on HD DVDs.

SlySoft plus produces several other copy-protection software tools, including CloneDVD to burn copies of DVDS, Game Jackal Pro, which burns CD games to the hard drive, and Virtual CloneDrive, which is virtual drive software. SlySoft could not immediately be reached for comment.

Focusing on Blu-ray

Now that Blu-ray is the clear winner in the high-definition format battle, SlySoft has turned its attention to the Sony format. The latest version, AnyDVD HD 6.4.0.0, promises to crack Blu-ray copy protection. SlySoft is peddling the program on

its Web site for $47.

SlySoft’s claims about its software seem to be accurate. The company has a track record for its ability to hack CD and DVD copy protection and let consumers clone the files. But Richard Doherty, an analyst at Envisioneering Group, said the program may not work with all Blu-ray discs.

“We don’t have the package to know whether that works with a handful of discs or would work with the latest Blu-ray discs with Sony and Fox, but we are doing tests,” he said. “We should have more info to report next week.”

A Slew of Crackers

“AnyDVD HD comes with the same functionality as AnyDVD, but with additional features for full Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD support, including decryption of Blu-ray and HD-DVD movies,” the SlySoft Web site says.

Specifically, SlySoft is cracking BD+, a technology Macrovision developed. According to Macrovision, more than 20…

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