v0.27.0: detect AACS-scrambled units by raw TS sync, not flag bits

Rename is_unit_encrypted -> is_aacs_scrambled and decide encryption from the unit's MPEG-TS sync bytes (destroyed by the encrypted body) instead of the TP_extra copy-control (byte 0) or TS scrambling-control (byte 7) flags, which discs do not set reliably. One shared predicate now backs the decrypt gate and out-of-band key validation, so callers agree on what 'encrypted' means. Decryption restores the syncs, so a decrypted unit reads as clear and there is no flag to clear.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.27.0 (2026-06-03)
+
+### Changed
+
+- **AACS unit-encryption detection now reads the raw MPEG-TS sync bytes
+  instead of header flag bits.** `is_unit_encrypted` is renamed
+  `is_aacs_scrambled`: a unit is encrypted iff its body TS packet sync bytes
+  (`0x47` at offset 4 and every 192 bytes) are not intact — the encrypted
+  body destroys them. The previous check read the TP_extra copy-control bits
+  (byte 0) or TS transport_scrambling_control bits (byte 7), which discs and
+  players do not set reliably. A single predicate now backs both the decrypt
+  gate and out-of-band key validation, so all callers agree on what
+  "encrypted" means. Decryption restores the syncs, so a decrypted unit reads
+  as clear and there is no encryption flag to clear.
+
 ## 0.26.1 (2026-05-22)
 
 ### Added

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "libfreemkv"
-version = "0.26.11"
+version = "0.27.0"
 edition = "2024"
 rust-version = "1.86"
 license = "AGPL-3.0-only"

src/aacs/decrypt.rs

@@ -69,28 +69,29 @@ pub(crate) fn aes_cbc_decrypt(key: &[u8; 16], data: &mut [u8]) {
 
 // ── Content decryption ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-/// Check if a 6144-byte aligned unit is encrypted.
+/// True if a 6144-byte aligned unit is AACS-scrambled on disc.
 ///
-/// AACS encrypts at aligned-unit granularity (all-or-nothing per unit) and
+/// AACS encrypts the unit body, which destroys the MPEG-TS sync bytes (`0x47`)
-/// signals it via the TS `transport_scrambling_control` (TSC) bits — the top
+/// a clear unit carries at offsets 4, 196, 388, … (one per 192-byte source
-/// two bits of TS-header byte 3, which is byte 7 of the unit (4-byte
+/// packet). So "scrambled" = "the TS syncs are NOT intact". This is
-/// TP_extra_header + sync + PID/flags). TSC `00` = clear, non-zero = scrambled.
+/// flag-independent: it does NOT read the TP_extra copy-control bits (byte 0)
-/// Byte 7 sits inside the clear 16-byte seed, so this is readable without the
+/// or the TS scrambling-control bits (byte 7) — AACS sets neither reliably
-/// key.
+/// across discs/players.
 ///
-/// NOTE: the earlier check read byte 0's TP_extra copy-control bits (`& 0xC0`),
+/// This is the single shared definition of "encrypted" for the whole ecosystem
-/// which are copy-permission, NOT encryption status — they false-positive on
+/// — libfreemkv's decrypt gate, autorip's sample selection, and the online key
-/// clear navigation units (PAT/PMT at a clip's start), causing a correct key to
+/// service's validation gate all call THIS, so they always agree on what is
-/// be decrypted against clear data and wrongly rejected.
+/// encrypted. A correctly-decrypted (or natively-clear) unit reports `false`,
-pub fn is_unit_encrypted(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
+/// so the decrypt path never double-decrypts and there is no flag to clear.
-    unit.len() >= ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN && (unit[7] >> 6) & 0x03 != 0
+pub fn is_aacs_scrambled(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    unit.len() >= ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN && !ts_syncs_intact(unit)
 }
 
-/// Verify decrypted unit by checking TS sync bytes at expected offsets.
+/// Most TS packet positions in `unit` carry the `0x47` sync byte — i.e. the
-fn verify_ts(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
+/// unit looks like clear MPEG-TS. Syncs sit at offset 4 and every 192 bytes
-    // In a 6144-byte unit, TS packets start at byte 0 with 4-byte TP_extra_header
+/// after (4-byte TP_extra_header + 188-byte TS packet). An encrypted body
-    // then 188-byte TS packet, repeating every 192 bytes.
+/// scrambles all but the first (which lives in the clear 16-byte seed).
-    // Sync byte 0x47 should appear at offset 4, 196, 388, ...
+fn ts_syncs_intact(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
     let mut count = 0;
     let mut offset = 4;
     while offset < unit.len() {
@@ -99,11 +100,15 @@ fn verify_ts(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
         }
         offset += TS_PACKET_LEN;
     }
-    // Expect at least most packets to have sync bytes
     let total = (unit.len() - 4) / TS_PACKET_LEN + 1;
     count > total / 2
 }
 
+/// Verify a decrypted unit looks like clear MPEG-TS (sync bytes intact).
+fn verify_ts(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    ts_syncs_intact(unit)
+}
+
 /// Decrypt one AACS aligned unit (6144 bytes) in-place.
 /// Returns true if decryption succeeded (verified by TS sync bytes).
 ///
@@ -111,12 +116,14 @@ fn verify_ts(unit: &[u8]) -> bool {
 /// 1. AES-128-ECB encrypt first 16 bytes with unit_key → derived
 /// 2. XOR derived with original 16 bytes → unit_decrypt_key
 /// 3. AES-128-CBC decrypt bytes 16..6143 with unit_decrypt_key and AACS IV
-/// 4. Clear encryption flag bits
+///
+/// Decryption restores the TS sync bytes, so the unit reads as clear afterward;
+/// there is no flag to clear.
 pub fn decrypt_unit(unit: &mut [u8], unit_key: &[u8; 16]) -> bool {
     if unit.len() < ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
         return false;
     }
-    if !is_unit_encrypted(unit) {
+    if !is_aacs_scrambled(unit) {
         return true; // not encrypted
     }
 
@@ -136,24 +143,13 @@ pub fn decrypt_unit(unit: &mut [u8], unit_key: &[u8; 16]) -> bool {
     // Step 3: Decrypt bytes 16..6143 with AES-CBC
     aes_cbc_decrypt(&decrypt_key, &mut unit[16..ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN]);
 
-    // Step 4: Clear the encryption flag — the TS transport_scrambling_control
+    // Decryption restored the TS syncs; verify the unit now looks like clear TS.
-    // bits (top two of TS-header byte 3) of every packet, so the output is
-    // valid unscrambled TS. Each 192-byte cell's TS header byte 3 sits at
-    // offset 7 within the cell. (The old code cleared byte 0's TP_extra
-    // copy-control bits, which are NOT the scrambling flag.)
-    let mut off = 7;
-    while off < ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
-        unit[off] &= 0x3F;
-        off += TS_PACKET_LEN;
-    }
-
-    // Verify
     verify_ts(unit)
 }
 
 /// Decrypt one aligned unit trying multiple unit keys. Returns the key index that worked.
 pub fn decrypt_unit_try_keys(unit: &mut [u8], unit_keys: &[[u8; 16]]) -> Option<usize> {
-    if !is_unit_encrypted(unit) {
+    if !is_aacs_scrambled(unit) {
         return Some(0);
     }
 
@@ -193,7 +189,7 @@ pub fn decrypt_unit_full(
     unit_key: &[u8; 16],
     read_data_key: Option<&[u8; 16]>,
 ) -> bool {
-    if !is_unit_encrypted(unit) {
+    if !is_aacs_scrambled(unit) {
         return true;
     }
     if let Some(rdk) = read_data_key {
@@ -220,10 +216,15 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_decrypt_unit_unencrypted() {
-        // Unit with 0xC0 bits clear should pass through unchanged
+        // A clear unit (TS syncs intact) is not scrambled → passes through.
         let mut unit = vec![0u8; ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
-        unit[0] = 0x00; // not encrypted
+        let mut off = 4;
+        while off < ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
+            unit[off] = TS_SYNC;
+            off += TS_PACKET_LEN;
+        }
         let key = [0u8; 16];
+        assert!(!is_aacs_scrambled(&unit));
         assert!(decrypt_unit(&mut unit, &key));
     }
 
@@ -273,9 +274,8 @@ mod tests {
             plain[offset] = TS_SYNC;
             offset += TS_PACKET_LEN;
         }
-        // Set the encryption flag: TS transport_scrambling_control (top two
+        // No flag set: CBC-encrypting the body below scrambles packets 1..31's
-        // bits of byte 7), inside the clear seed.
+        // TS syncs, which is exactly what `is_aacs_scrambled` (raw-sync) detects.
-        plain[7] |= 0x80;
 
         // Now encrypt bytes 16..6143 using the AACS algorithm (reverse of decrypt)
         let header: [u8; 16] = plain[..16].try_into().unwrap();
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Now plain contains encrypted data. Decrypt it.
         let mut unit = plain;
-        assert!(is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
+        assert!(is_aacs_scrambled(&unit));
         assert!(decrypt_unit(&mut unit, &unit_key));
-        assert!(!is_unit_encrypted(&unit)); // flag should be cleared
+        assert!(!is_aacs_scrambled(&unit)); // decrypted: TS syncs restored
 
         // Verify TS sync bytes
         let mut count = 0;

src/aacs/keys.rs

@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ mod tests {
         let original = std::fs::read(unit_path).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(original.len(), ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN);
         assert!(
-            super::super::decrypt::is_unit_encrypted(&original),
+            super::super::decrypt::is_aacs_scrambled(&original),
             "Unit should be encrypted"
         );
 

src/aacs/mod.rs

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub mod variants;
 // AES primitives (aes_ecb_encrypt, aes_ecb_decrypt, aes_cbc_decrypt) are pub(crate) in decrypt.rs.
 pub use decrypt::{
     ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN, decrypt_bus, decrypt_unit, decrypt_unit_full, decrypt_unit_try_keys,
-    is_unit_encrypted,
+    is_aacs_scrambled,
 };
 pub use keydb::{DeviceKey, DiscEntry, HostCert, KeyDb};
 pub use keys::probe;

src/decrypt.rs

@@ -185,12 +185,13 @@ pub fn decrypt_sectors(
             let chunks: Vec<&mut [u8]> = buf.chunks_mut(unit_len).collect();
             let nunits = chunks.len();
 
-            // Per-unit decrypt closure. The is_unit_encrypted check is
+            // Per-unit decrypt closure. The is_aacs_scrambled check reads the
-            // a byte-0 heuristic; on a misfire we snapshot+restore via
+            // raw TS syncs; a non-m2ts unit (e.g. MPLS/CLPI nav file) can look
-            // the original bytes so non-m2ts (e.g. MPLS/CLPI nav files)
+            // scrambled and trigger a decrypt attempt, so on a verify miss we
-            // survive. See test `nav_file_unit_survives_decrypt_attempt`.
+            // snapshot+restore the original bytes so it survives. See test
+            // `nav_file_unit_survives_decrypt_attempt`.
             let decrypt_one = |chunk: &mut [u8]| {
-                if chunk.len() == unit_len && aacs::is_unit_encrypted(chunk) {
+                if chunk.len() == unit_len && aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(chunk) {
                     let original: Vec<u8> = chunk.to_vec();
                     if !aacs::decrypt_unit_full(chunk, &uk, rdk.as_ref()) {
                         chunk.copy_from_slice(&original);
@@ -232,11 +233,11 @@ pub fn decrypt_sectors(
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    /// Regression for the 0.18.1 nav-file scramble bug. A non-m2ts unit whose
+    /// Regression for the 0.18.1 nav-file scramble bug. A non-m2ts unit (here
-    /// first byte has the top 2 bits set (here: the ASCII letter 'M' that
+    /// an MPLS file: starts "MPLS", carries no TS syncs) reads as scrambled
-    /// MPLS files start with, 0x4D = 0b01001101) trips `is_unit_encrypted`,
+    /// under `is_aacs_scrambled`, gets AES-decrypted with the unit key, fails
-    /// gets AES-decrypted with the unit key, fails the TS-sync verification,
+    /// the TS-sync verification, and must be restored to its original bytes —
-    /// and must be restored to its original bytes — not left scrambled.
+    /// not left scrambled.
     #[test]
     fn nav_file_unit_survives_decrypt_attempt() {
         let mut unit = vec![0u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];

tests/crypto_tests.rs

@@ -89,9 +89,8 @@ fn aacs_decrypt_unit_roundtrip() {
         plain[offset] = 0x47; // TS sync byte
         offset += 192;
     }
-    // Set encryption flag: TS transport_scrambling_control (top two bits of
+    // No flag set: CBC-encrypting the body below scrambles packets 1..31's TS
-    // byte 7), inside the clear seed.
+    // syncs, which is exactly what `is_aacs_scrambled` (raw-sync) detects.
-    plain[7] |= 0x80;
 
     // Save original plaintext for comparison
     let expected = plain.clone();
@@ -127,8 +126,8 @@ fn aacs_decrypt_unit_roundtrip() {
         prev.copy_from_slice(&plain[off..off + 16]);
     }
 
-    // Verify it looks encrypted
+    // Verify it looks encrypted (body TS syncs scrambled)
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&plain));
+    assert!(aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&plain));
 
     // Now decrypt
     let result = aacs::decrypt_unit(&mut plain, &unit_key);
@@ -137,8 +136,8 @@ fn aacs_decrypt_unit_roundtrip() {
         "decrypt_unit should return true on valid encrypted unit"
     );
     assert!(
-        !aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&plain),
+        !aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&plain),
-        "encryption flag should be cleared"
+        "decrypted unit should read as clear (TS syncs restored)"
     );
 
     // Verify TS sync bytes at expected positions (flag byte is cleared by decrypt)
@@ -157,14 +156,11 @@ fn aacs_decrypt_unit_roundtrip() {
         sync_count, expected_syncs
     );
 
-    // decrypt clears the TSC bits (byte 7, top two) — the only change from the
+    // Decryption clears no flag, so the unit round-trips byte-for-byte.
-    // original plaintext. Everything else round-trips exactly.
-    assert_eq!(plain[7], expected[7] & 0x3F, "TSC bits should be cleared");
-    assert_eq!(&plain[..7], &expected[..7], "bytes 0..7 mismatch");
     assert_eq!(
-        &plain[8..aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN],
+        &plain[..],
-        &expected[8..aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN],
+        &expected[..],
-        "decrypted unit body does not match original"
+        "decrypted unit does not match original plaintext"
     );
 }
 
@@ -258,56 +254,65 @@ fn aacs_vuk_derivation_roundtrip() {
     assert_eq!(vuk, vuk2, "derive_vuk not deterministic");
 }
 
-/// Test: aacs_is_unit_encrypted detects encryption flags correctly.
+/// Test: aacs_is_aacs_scrambled detects scrambled units via the raw TS syncs.
 #[test]
-fn aacs_is_unit_encrypted_detection() {
+fn aacs_is_aacs_scrambled_detection() {
-    let mut unit = vec![0u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
+    // A clear unit: TS sync (0x47) intact at every 192-byte packet → not
-
+    // scrambled. (Flag bits play no role.)
+    let mut clear = vec![0u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
+    let mut off = 4;
+    while off < aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
+        clear[off] = 0x47;
+        off += 192;
+    }
     assert!(
-        !aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit),
+        !aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&clear),
-        "zero unit should not be encrypted"
+        "clear unit (syncs intact) must not be scrambled"
     );
 
-    // The encryption flag is the TS transport_scrambling_control (top two bits
+    // Flag bits do NOT make a synced unit look scrambled.
-    // of byte 7). Any non-zero TSC = encrypted.
+    let mut flagged = clear.clone();
-    unit[7] = 0x40; // TSC = 01
+    flagged[0] = 0xC0; // copy-control bits
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
+    flagged[7] = 0xC0; // TSC bits
-    unit[7] = 0x80; // TSC = 10
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-    unit[7] = 0xC0; // TSC = 11
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-    unit[7] = 0x3F; // top two bits clear
-    assert!(!aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-
-    // Byte 0's TP_extra copy-control bits are NOT the encryption flag.
-    unit[7] = 0x00;
-    unit[0] = 0xC0;
     assert!(
-        !aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit),
+        !aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&flagged),
-        "byte-0 copy-control bits must not be read as encryption"
+        "flag bits must not be read as encryption"
+    );
+
+    // A scrambled body (syncs destroyed) → scrambled.
+    let scrambled = vec![0x99u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
+    assert!(
+        aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&scrambled),
+        "unit with no intact TS syncs must read as scrambled"
     );
 
     // Too short
     let short = vec![0xFFu8; 100];
     assert!(
-        !aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&short),
+        !aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&short),
         "short buffer should not be detected"
     );
 }
 
 /// Test: aacs_decrypt_unit_unencrypted_passthrough
 ///
-/// A unit without encryption flags should pass through decrypt_unit unchanged.
+/// A clear unit (TS syncs intact) should pass through decrypt_unit unchanged.
 #[test]
 fn aacs_decrypt_unit_unencrypted_passthrough() {
     let mut unit = vec![0x42u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
-    unit[7] &= 0x3F; // TSC = 0 → clear/unencrypted unit
+    // Intact TS syncs every 192 bytes → not scrambled → passthrough.
+    let mut off = 4;
+    while off < aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
+        unit[off] = 0x47;
+        off += 192;
+    }
     let original = unit.clone();
     let key = [0xAA; 16];
 
+    assert!(!aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&unit));
     let result = aacs::decrypt_unit(&mut unit, &key);
-    assert!(result, "unencrypted unit should return true");
+    assert!(result, "clear unit should return true");
-    assert_eq!(unit, original, "unencrypted unit should be unchanged");
+    assert_eq!(unit, original, "clear unit should be unchanged");
 }
 
 // ── AACS cross-validation with independent AES implementation ──────────────
@@ -374,8 +379,7 @@ fn aacs_cross_validation_encrypt_then_decrypt() {
             plaintext[i] = (i % 251) as u8;
         }
     }
-    // Set encryption flag: TSC bits of packet 0 (byte 7).
+    // No flag set: the CBC-encrypted body scrambles the packet syncs.
-    plaintext[7] |= 0x80;
 
     let expected = plaintext.clone();
 
@@ -406,19 +410,11 @@ fn aacs_cross_validation_encrypt_then_decrypt() {
         ok,
         "decrypt_unit returned false (TS sync verification failed)"
     );
-    assert_eq!(plaintext[7] >> 6, 0, "TSC bits not cleared");
 
-    // decrypt clears the TSC bits of every packet (byte 7 of each 192-byte
+    // Decryption clears no flag, so the unit round-trips byte-for-byte.
-    // cell). Clear the same positions in the expected copy before comparing.
-    let mut expected_cleared = expected.clone();
-    let mut o = 7;
-    while o < aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
-        expected_cleared[o] &= 0x3F;
-        o += 192;
-    }
     assert_eq!(
         &plaintext[..],
-        &expected_cleared[..],
+        &expected[..],
         "decrypted unit does not match original plaintext"
     );
 }
@@ -438,7 +434,7 @@ fn aacs_cross_validation_alternate_key() {
         plaintext[off] = 0x47;
         off += 192;
     }
-    plaintext[7] |= 0x80; // TSC encryption flag
+    // No flag set: the CBC-encrypted body scrambles the packet syncs.
     let expected = plaintext.clone();
 
     let mut header = [0u8; 16];
@@ -456,13 +452,8 @@ fn aacs_cross_validation_alternate_key() {
 
     assert!(aacs::decrypt_unit(&mut plaintext, &unit_key));
 
-    let mut expected_cleared = expected;
+    // Decryption clears no flag, so the unit round-trips byte-for-byte.
-    let mut o = 7;
+    assert_eq!(&plaintext[..], &expected[..]);
-    while o < aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
-        expected_cleared[o] &= 0x3F;
-        o += 192;
-    }
-    assert_eq!(&plaintext[..], &expected_cleared[..]);
 }
 
 /// Verify that `decrypt_bus` correctly reverses AES-CBC encryption applied

tests/pass_n_patch_fix.rs

@@ -82,25 +82,24 @@ fn decrypt_sectors_with_css_keys_works() {
 /// Test: AACS unit encryption detection works.
 #[test]
 fn aacs_encryption_flag_detection() {
+    // A clear unit: TS syncs (0x47) intact at every 192-byte packet.
     let mut unit = vec![0u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
+    let mut off = 4;
+    while off < aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN {
+        unit[off] = 0x47;
+        off += 192;
+    }
+    // Encryption is the scrambled body (TS syncs destroyed), NOT a flag bit.
+    assert!(!aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&unit));
 
-    // The encryption flag is the TS transport_scrambling_control (top two bits
+    // Flag bits on a synced unit do not make it look encrypted.
-    // of byte 7), not byte 0's copy-control bits.
-    assert!(!aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-
-    unit[7] = 0x40; // TSC = 01
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-
-    unit[7] = 0x80; // TSC = 10
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-
-    unit[7] = 0xC0; // TSC = 11
-    assert!(aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
-
-    // Byte 0 copy-control bits must NOT count as encryption.
-    unit[7] = 0x00;
     unit[0] = 0xC0;
-    assert!(!aacs::is_unit_encrypted(&unit));
+    unit[7] = 0xC0;
+    assert!(!aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&unit));
+
+    // Scrambled body (syncs gone) → encrypted.
+    let scrambled = vec![0x99u8; aacs::ALIGNED_UNIT_LEN];
+    assert!(aacs::is_aacs_scrambled(&scrambled));
 }
 
 /// Test: DecryptKeys::is_encrypted() correctly identifies encrypted state.