Musiclovers beware! [UPDATED!]

[Psionicist]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051109-5542.html

Sony said: “Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it,” he asked? “The software is designed to protect our CDs from unauthorized copying, ripping.”

Is it just me, or is this something incredibly stupid thing to say when you have been sued and all major news papers have written about the rootkit?

SysInternals have proven the rootkis is dangerous: http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/ Look at the size of that bluescreen. Heck, you even have to install another spyware program from the maker of the rootkit to download the uninstaller, which doesn't even uninstall the programs

Edit: Link about lawsuit: http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2005/11/calif_ny_lawsui.html

 

[The_Warlock]

If there are places on the net that I trust, nearly implicitly, it's places like Sysinternals.

I had heard about this first actually through the article about it being used to hide cheats in World of Warcraft. Then I followed some links from other sites, saw the other blogs and sysinternals breakdown of what had been found.

I am the head of IT at the small company I work for. I double checked the sources I could find. And promptly saved every blog from Sysinternals on the subject for the step by step methods he used, and informed everyone in my company that Sony BMG audio discs were not allowed to be played in any computer.

I also told them to check any discs they had been playing with me so I could verify if any were content protected.

Why? Because apparently it's not new. There's a good chance this has been rolled out over the last 5 to 7 MONTHS.

If it doesnt say Compact Disc, I am not buying it. If it says Sony, I am not buying it.

Welcome to another example of paranoid protection that makes things bad for the honest people.

Sony said: “Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it,” he asked? “The software is designed to protect our CDs from unauthorized copying, ripping.”

Is it just me, or is this something incredibly stupid thing to say when you have been sued and all major news papers have written about the rootkit?

And yes, that is the stupidest thing to say...but it's that kind of arrogant posturing that usually gets people riled up and angry, so hopefully Sony reps will keep sticking their feet in their mouths down to about thigh level, which will hopefully get the consumers buzzing like hornets.

Oy...it's stuff like this that makes me hate people.

 

[der_kluge]

Saw this on CNN.com and thought of this thread. Good job, Sony.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/11/10/sony.hack.reut/index.html

 

[Umbran]

Saw this on CNN.com and thought of this thread. Good job, Sony.

Yep. A virus that exploits their DRM system. It was bound to happen.

But, honestly, that's a good thing. Because now we have the situation where software that Sony didn't tell people about in their license, that they've actively tried to hide from consumers. is now causing harm. And that's lawsuit country. With a little luck and some good lawyers, this can set a solid precedent for the future.

 

[Henry]

New Update:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051111/ap_on_hi_te/sony_copy_protection

WASHINGTON - Stung by continuing criticism, the world's second-largest music label, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, promised Friday to temporarily suspend making music CDs with antipiracy technology that can leave computers vulnerable to hackers.
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Sony defended its right to prevent customers from illegally copying music but said it will halt manufacturing CDs with the "XCP" technology as a precautionary measure. "We also intend to re-examine all aspects of our content protection initiative to be sure that it continues to meet our goals of security and ease of consumer use," the company said in a statement.