“Darren Dittrich followed up on the discovery that Sony was playing a dirty trick on its customers, secretly installing a malware-style ‘root kit’ on their [Windows] computers via audio CDs,” MacInTouch reports.
I recently purchased Imogen Heap’s new CD (Speak for Yourself), an RCA Victor release, but with distribution credited to Sony/BMG. Reading recent reports of a Sony rootkit, I decided to poke around. In addition to the standard volume for AIFF files, there’s a smaller extra partition for “enhanced” content. I was surprised to find a “Start.app” Mac application in addition to the expected Windows-related files. Running this app brings up a long legal agreement, clicking Continue prompts you for your username/password (uh-oh!), and then promptly exits. Digging around a bit, I find that Start.app actually installs 2 files: PhoenixNub1.kext and PhoenixNub12.kext.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of anyone installing kernel extensions on my Mac. In Sony’s defense, upon closer reading of the EULA, they essentially tell you that they will be installing software. Also, this is apparently not the same technology used in the recent Windows rootkits (made by XCP), but rather a DRM codebase developed by SunnComm, who promotes their Mac-aware DRM technology on their site.
Links included in the MacInTouch article here.
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Okay, we’re fed up. We are boycotting all Sony products until this and other “copy-protected CD” issues are addressed appropriately by Sony and recommend that our 2.2+ million unique visitors per month from 136 countries worldwide do the same. How’d ya like them Apples, Sony?
A “Boycott Sony” petition, written by Jeremy Johnson, can be read and signed at Petition Online here.
Related articles:
Computer security firm: ‘Stinx’ virus hides within Sony’s copy protection scheme – November 10, 2005
Sony sued over copy-protected CDs – November 10, 2005
SonyBMG antics may well cause public to turn on them and turn many people onto Apple Macs – November 06, 2005
Report: Sony copy-protected CDs may hide Windows rootkit vulnerability – November 01, 2005
Analyst: Sony BMG’s boycott of Apple’s iTunes Music Store Australia won’t last long – October 24, 2005
Apple launches iTunes Music Store Australia – October 24, 2005
How to beat Apple iPod-incompatible Sony BMG and EMI copy-protected CDs – October 04, 2005
Japan music labels look to impose ‘iPod Tax’ while Sony, Warner still not signing with Apple iTunes – October 10, 2005
Why aren’t Sony, BMG, Warner, Victor making their artists’ music available on Apple’s iTunes Japan? – October 06, 2005
Sony and Warner holding out on Apple iTunes Music Store Australia – September 08, 2005
Musicians stage mutiny against Sony, defiantly offer music via Apple’s iTunes Music Store – August 10, 2005
Sony BMG and EMI try to force Apple to ‘open’ iPod with iPod-incompatible CDs – June 20, 2005
New Sony BMG copy-protected CDs lock out Apple iPod owners – June 01, 2005
Record company causes Apple to hit ‘pause’ on Australian iTunes Music Store – May 05, 2005
boycotter said “We can still download Sony music off of Limewire though, right?”
{MacMania holds his side in pain}
MDN Magic Word: still – damn my side still hurts.
I’m with Mike A on this issue. I’d be highly pissed if Sony found a way to auto install their code but instead they give us a legal agreement then Mac OS in all it’s glory won’t install without authorization.
What does the code do exactly? It’s a DRM codebase? I, for one, am glad to hear that the Mac is supported with just about any code. DRM is here to stay and I’d rather be included than excluded.
Still, Sony should give a better explanation about this particular software.
I’ll boycott with yous guys for as long as it takes to get this corrected.
Or atleast until the PS3 comes out then you’re on your own LOL
{After applying some deep heating rub to his side, MacMania replies to call to arms}
Yes, count me in! Can someone please set up a blog so users world wide can sign the boycott role?
BTW, you may want to disallow comments; remember the Glaser/iTunes blog debacle?
AllofMP3.com
If you think Sony’s rootkit is nasty wait until you see the sh*t that’s going to happen with Intel chips and BlueRay DVD burners.
If you want to play, get a Quad now, a couple of EyeTV 500’s and simply wait for the HDCP “black box” to appear to record HDCP encrypted content.
There will be Apple DRM from the HDCP DRMed Intel processors to Apple Monitors, ditto on Vista.
Welcome to the dungeon, we got fun and games.
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There are other perfect ways of obtaining the music without sony’s shit. Direct Connect works like a charm
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terry…terry…How come no matter how often I come here I’m always the 1000,000th visitor and always win a cruise that I can’t claim even if I tried?
GET RID OF THAT POP UP SHITE.
NO popup stuff..get pithhelmet
http://culater.net/software/PithHelmet/PithHelmet.php
Awww. I wanted a PS3. Please can I have just that one teeny Sony product.
Play the CD on your normal stereo, it won’t affect that, and record it through a griffin iMic or some other line in device. It takes a bit of tweaking to get the quality and sound levels right. Actually if you have a DVD recorder (stand alone, not a DVD Burner for computers) and you still have a VCR kicking around, you could probably do this.
Play CD on stereo which is plugged into the audio in jacks (red/white) on VCR. Record the CD to video which I’m told gives an as good as CD quality. Record that to a DVD in your stand alone DVD Recorder, then rip the DVD as normal to your HD and extract the audio mp2 ac3? files and convert them in iTunes or re record them with WireTap and reconvert them.
I think this is doable but yeah, who the hell wants to go through all that.
So does anyone have any idea as to what the .kext files ACTUALLY do? Suncomm’s site is deplorable and I can’t tell what exactly they do.
Are they useless or do they do something?
Uh – Danny –
There are better ways to cirumvent DRM than that mess you just proposed…..
It sounds like some kind of “copy nanny” software…not good
Andrew Hamilton
Videographers in Las Vegas
http://www.hiproductions.com
I have sent the following email throughout my company and suggest that you do the same immediately. Especially thos in the IT field:
Hi all,
As you may have read in tech news (or not), Sony Music CDs (possibly even movie DVDs) are being shipped with an application that installs itself and is hidden from Windows. This software is not secure. A virus exploiting this insecurity has been found on the net, called Stinx-E. This is a copy-protection scheme gone awry, and could damage our network.
The CDs (or DVDs) are also affecting Macintoshes by installing extensions into OS X System directory (but the virus does not affect Macs).
Please refrain from putting ANY Sony music CD/DVD into your computers, as they are now outlawed on our network. This includes laptops that are taken off site, since it could spread the virus once it is plugged back into the Matrix.
From the article:
“Running this app brings up a long legal agreement, clicking Continue prompts you for your username/password (uh-oh!), and then promptly exits. Digging around a bit, I find that Start.app actually installs 2 files:”
Shame on Sony for trying such a stunt. They should be above trojan wares, and they should be called to answer for this.
And shame on anyone who blindly authenticates their system. Would you give your house address & keys to anyone on the street? Then why authenticate whatever app asks for it? Apple should do a UI change to reflect which app is requesting authentication, and why.
there’s nothing wrong with sony. it’s just their music part that’s bad. their consumer electronics/av stuff is great.
I’ve had no problems with Windows XP and my Sony CDROMS. You folks are making way to big a deal out of this. Sony is just trying to protect their investment.
I am in also. Don’t buy Sony product. I am piss after all the CD players and Walkman Cassette player I bought all these years. Good thing I have iPod now, so I do not need Sony. I am going to buy Sony mini dvd camcorder, but no more I am go with Panasonic that $700 up your A$$. Everybody do not support BD-DVD and that is include PS3. I am go with Toshiba for next HD-DVD. I think Job having a second thought too about BD-DVD.
Yum, fudge…
That’s hot!
I’m gonna buy the Sony PS3 for it’s the lesser of the two evils named Sony & Microsoft with their XBox360. I used to buy CDs from Sony but now I don’t wish to. I’ll download it for free instead if they try to mess with Tori Amos’s CDs and other bands CDs that I like.
Other than the PS3, I’m not touching Sony product until they befriend iPod-using consumers.
Sony’s consumer electronics/av stuff used to be great at one time.. now it just doesnt work as well as it did, has gone down on quality and has way too much propriety goods. I was planning on buying a Sony video cam mainly because of the touch screen LCD control feature.. but I have boycotted Sony. I will never in my life buy anything that has Sony on it.
anyhow, ive found a much better video camera, the JVC Everio G series, uses a hard drive, so no messing around with tapes or discs which is a much better feature then Sonys touchscreen lcd’s (especially when you have dirty/wet fingers)
Fuck you Sony!!!
You never were a software company, and never will be. Stick to TV’s and overhyped game systems that can display framerates 3X detectable by the human eye.
Don’t ever try to infect Macs with this shit.
You’ll burn in court for this..
Mac users – remember, Sony audio CDs work fine on Macs. They cannot install any software without your administrator password, and iTunes will rip the songs as usual…
This is still a Windows-only issue.
ATTENTION: SONY BMG Artists
You could probably get out of your SONY contract.
Call your lawyer.
SOME ONE SHOLD MAKE A BANNER AND WE SHOULD ADVERTISE THE BOYCOT, SO IT SPREADS ON ALL SITES THAT CONDEM MODIFICATION OF OUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS. INCLUDE A LINK TO THE PETITION
————-
I Have several freinds there should be a text around the banner so it can be measured, by a search in google, and the news should spread faster
(sorry for the english, and the capps, not yelling, emphatizing)
ups, some text got deleted
I have friends that have blogs and I will tell them to spread the word.