French TV on AB3. Viaccess encryption without card

[sonsenfrancais]

I'm posting this in the hope that there is an expert here who can resolve this little mystery !

I watch French TV channels on Atlantic Bird 3, FTA plus the Viaccess encypted channels avalable with the BIS+ viewing card

It appears that recently they've decided to tighten up the encryption, and BIS+ customers have to send back their cards for replacement by the end October, when the changeover will happen. I've sent mine back to my vendor, TotalSat

But I continue to receive BIS+. In fact my package was the standard one of about thirty channels, but now I'm also getting the two cinema and the two mature content channels as well.

Details
I have two Technomates 5400 super and 5300. Both are 'Viaccess enabled' - ie they will accept a Viaccess viewing card. Obviously, normally they won' decrypt unless the card is inserted.

In the good ol' days a few years ago now, both machines were patched to receive Viaccess, but of course that no longer works. However the patch seems to be relevant - I've been told that an unpatched machine won't decrypt

So I reckon this will continue to the end of the month. I just ask for curiosity - can anyone explain what is happening here ?

TIA

 

[Analoguesat]

Simple - the BIS encryption has been compromised again. Its been available a few weeks. Which is probably why the card swap is happening.

 

[sonsenfrancais]

I thank you - sincerely - for that reply.
I have to say though that the last time those boxes were patched was when we were all using the TPS hack - when...three years ago ?
I can say for certain that those machines never decrypted Viaccess without a card until very recently
That's why I bought the card !
And I certainly haven't applied a recently developed patch.

 

[Analoguesat]

Its not unheard of for compromised encryptions to be using old keys towards the end - just before TPS disappeared they were available on gold cards made 2 years previously

 

[sonsenfrancais]

Ah - I thank you for that

Anyway, it means while my cards in the post I can continue watch the télé