Computer security firm: ‘Stinx’ virus hides within Sony’s copy protection scheme
Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 03:41 PM EDT"A computer security firm said Thursday it had discovered the first virus that uses music publisher Sony BMG's controversial CD copy-protection software to hide on PCs and wreak havoc," Reuters reports. "Under a subject line containing the words 'Photo approval,' a hacker has mass-mailed the so-called Stinx-E trojan virus to British e-mail addresses, said British anti-virus firm Sophos. When recipients click on an attachment, they install malware, which may tear down the firewall and gives hackers access to a PC. The malware hides by using Sony software that is also hidden -- the software would have been installed on a computer when consumers played Sony's copy-protected music CDs."
Reuters reports, "'This leaves Sony in a real tangle. It was already getting bad press about its copy-protection software, and this new hack exploit will make it even worse,' said Sophos's Graham Cluley. Sony BMG's spokesman John McKay, in New York, was not immediately available to comment."
Full article here.
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MacDailyNews Take: Karma's a bitch, huh, Sony?
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Beauty, eh?
EMI, are you watching?