Musiclovers beware! [UPDATED!]

[Psionicist]

Here's the thread: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=154665

 

[Dog Moon]

Thank you.

 

[Jonny Nexus]

Unix based systems have had root kits for some time and they aren't asking permission to be installed.

Well I might be misunderstanding quite what a root kit is, but surely something that low-level would need admin level privilege to install?

(And if you're running in a standard user account, then you don't have admin level privilege - hell, on my Linux box I have to type in my admin password if I want to change the time).

 

[IronWolf]

Well I might be misunderstanding quite what a root kit is, but surely something that low-level would need admin level privilege to install?

(And if you're running in a standard user account, then you don't have admin level privilege - hell, on my Linux box I have to type in my admin password if I want to change the time).

While a root kit may need admin level privilege to install it can be trivial to get that. One, many, many windows users are running as local admin on their home PCs on a day to day basis. So that obstacle doesn't stand in the way for many folks. In addition one only needs to exploit a vulnerability in a local service running under a local system account and have full ability to access parts of your machine.

That's why the security patches MS releases are important to install. If a service that has a hole in it is running as 'Local System' it has full access to your machine. So if you can run code of you own choice by taking advantage of a service running that way then you can affectively do whatever you want to with that machine. Including installing a root kit.

 

[ssampier]

Sucky. I would never load any form of Trojan Horse or Spyware on my computer, no matter how "benign". Besides, the true pirates will do the pirating the easy way. Use your standard CD player out into the audio-in on your computer, bam, no copy protection.

 

[Psionicist]

It appears the program actually _is_ a spyware.

http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/

The program not only silently installs itself, it also silently monitor what you do with the CD and sends the information to Sony. The Sony executives where then lying when they claimed this was not the case.

Instead of admitting fault for installing a rootkit and installing it without proper disclosure, both Sony and First 4 Internet claim innocence. By not coming clean they are making clear to any potential customers that they are a not only technically incompetent, but also dishonest.

Edit: To quote Sony themselves:

The First 4 Internet content protection technology is completely benign; it is not adware, it is not spyware, it is simply and plainly content protection. This content protection technology has not yet been introduced in Europe.

When users place the content protected discs in their computers, they must first click on an end user license agreement, known as a EULA, which informs the user that content protection software will be downloaded to their computer, and remain there until they choose to uninstall it.

Right. (rolleyessmiley here)

Boycott Sony! http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,39020381,39235618,00.htm

 

[Zappo]

I am beginning to think the record and movie industry don't use DRM or copy protection "to keep honest people honest", I think they are trying to remove rights we already have and charge money for it (such as rewinding and timeshifting. Heck, they are already doing this: check out the TV-forum).

I have been thinking that for a long time already. Fair Use is being eroded, and not too slowly either.

 

[Jonny Nexus]

While a root kit may need admin level privilege to install it can be trivial to get that. One, many, many windows users are running as local admin on their home PCs on a day to day basis. So that obstacle doesn't stand in the way for many folks. In addition one only needs to exploit a vulnerability in a local service running under a local system account and have full ability to access parts of your machine.

That's why the security patches MS releases are important to install. If a service that has a hole in it is running as 'Local System' it has full access to your machine. So if you can run code of you own choice by taking advantage of a service running that way then you can affectively do whatever you want to with that machine. Including installing a root kit.

Yes, but that's Windows. My understanding is that standard practice on Unix/Linux is to *not* run user accounts with admin privileges (something that is much easier to do than on Windows due to the more modular way in which the security is implemented).

 

[IronWolf]

Yes, but that's Windows. My understanding is that standard practice on Unix/Linux is to *not* run user accounts with admin privileges (something that is much easier to do than on Windows due to the more modular way in which the security is implemented).

[DERAIL]

Most recommended security practices for Windows boxes state to not run under an administrator account on a daily use basis, just as in the *nix world. With advent of the Run As command which works much like 'sudo' it is even easier these days to run a Windows box on a daily basis as a non-administrative user.

As the use of Linux grows more widespread these same issues will face it. Users who ignore the recommended security practice of using a non-root account and continue to use it on a day to day basis. Right now it is the tech geeks and such using Linux, so you see more people following the standard practices than not on many occasion.

And the *nixes, which have had root kits longer than Windows, will still have services running on the box that can be exploited to install a root kit, just as in the case of a Windows box.

FWIW, I am a huge open source advocate and use *nix boxes on daily basis for personal and corporate use. I just try to keep people from assuming a false sense of security simply because they might be using a *nix box. Even *nix boxes need to have best practices followed and security patches applied to help keep them safe.

[/DERAIL]

 

[Angel Tarragon]

There is always a loop-hole. Play the disc in a discman or other device that is capable of supporting a headphones/line-out jack and use a double ended male cord. Plug one end into the player and the other end into the computer. Use a music editing program (Sonic Foundry Sound Forge comes to mind) to record the song, then edit out any noises at the beginning and at the end that you don't want. Or if your computer has a TV card record the the music video, then use some software to capture just the audio from it.