A letter posted online yesterday by Sony BMG Music Entertainment reads as follows:
November 16, 2005
To Our Valued Customers:
You may be aware of the recent attention given to the XCP content protection software included on some SONY BMG CDs. This software was provided to us by a third-party vendor, First4Internet. Discussion has centered on security concerns raised about the use of CDs containing this software.
We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are instituting a program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection. We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory. We will make further details of this program available shortly.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers and we are committed to making this situation right. It is important to note that the issues regarding these discs exist only when they are played on computers, not on conventional, non-computer-based CD and/or DVD players.
Our new initiatives follow the measures we have already taken, including last week’s voluntary suspension of the manufacture of CDs with the XCP software. In addition, to address security concerns, we provided to major software and anti-virus companies a software update, which also may be downloaded at http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html . We will shortly provide a simplified and secure procedure to uninstall the XCP software if it resides on your computer.
Ultimately, the experience of consumers is our primary concern, and our goal is to help bring our artists’ music to as broad an audience as possible. Going forward, we will continue to identify new ways to meet demands for flexibility in how you and other consumers listen to music.
Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s letter here: http://blog.sonymusic.com/sonybmg/archives/111505.html
Sony-BMG also offers a FAQ page here: http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/faq.html
Bloomberg reports, “Sony BMG, a joint venture created last year by Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG, produced about 4.7 million discs of artists including Celine Dion and sold 2.1 million of them. The recall comes as record companies are entering their strongest sales period ahead of the Christmas holiday. ‘It’s a big mistake. They shouldn’t have done it,’ said Leigh, an analyst at Inside Digital Media Inc. in Tampa, Florida. ‘They were so concerned about piracy that they were not careful about how they would control it. They shot themselves in the foot.’ Installed on about 50 recordings distributed by Sony BMG, XCP was designed to prevent illegal duplication by limiting the number of copies that could be made once a title has been installed on a personal computer. However, the technology could also be used to monitor the users’ online activity and made PCs vulnerable to computer viruses… ‘The continued chasing of copyright protection technology is like chasing the white whale,’ Leigh said. ‘It’s an obsession that destroys the people obsessed by it.'”
Full article here.
Related information: Red Book audio CD standard.
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We see Sony addressing the XCP malware-style ‘root kit’ issue for Windows users, but we see no mention of Sony’s other SunnComm-laced CDs that can install kernel extensions on Mac OS X which is what prompted our boycott of all Sony products in the first place. This is highly troubling, to put it mildly. Therefore, based on a strong consensus of our readership, MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews are continuing to boycott 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.
For some more information, Larry Loeb writes for Security IT Hub, “Sony says it will discontinue distribution of its DRM software, which could pose a “rootkit” security threat to users. But does that include the OS X version? Sony is reportedly pulling its digital rights management “rootkit” from the market. But it isn’t reporting everything. ‘The Sony copy-protection software does not install itself on Macintosh computers or ordinary CD and DVD players,’ Reuters reported today [Nov. 11]. There’s just one problem with that statement: it happens to be flat-out wrong. While the XCP version of copy protection is for Windows, there is another Mac-only version of copy protection installed by Sony/BMG CDs.”
Loeb writes that the Sony SunnComm CDs contain a Mac OS X application in the “enhanced” section of the CD called, start.app, that presents a EULA and upon the users’ agreement, “actually installs two kernel extensions, PhoenixNub1.kext and PhoenixNub12.kext, in the OS X system files. These turn out to be part of a DRM codebase developed by SunnComm. According to the SunComm Web site, their MediaMax DRM allows for a limited amount of CD burns from the source material, and then will block further copying. The DRM also can make time-expiring (or number-of-play-expiring) copies of the tracks… So, while Sony may be backing down from its acts regarding Windows modification, it is yet to be seen whether the recent firestorms will cause it to pull the DRM installed on Macs.”
Related articles:
Sony BMG infected music CDs could be good for consumer rights – November 16, 2005
Microsoft to remove Sony BMG malware – November 15, 2005
Sony BMG infected music CDs could lead Sony into ‘big-league legal trouble’ – November 15, 2005
EFF publishes open letter to Sony-BMG calling for recall of all infected Sony-BMG CDs – November 15, 2005
Boycott Sony – November 14, 2005
Sony BMG ‘temporarily suspends’ production of music CDs with copy-protection scheme – November 11, 2005
Boycott Sony products: Sony music CDs can install kernel extensions on Mac OS X – November 10, 2005
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
MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews are no longer boycotting Sony products
Your choice; I know what I’m gonna do. This could only be the tip of the gigantic iceberg of spyware that SONY is building underwater for a range of hardware. Nothing but a thorough change in their philosophy and Privacy Policy would move me. I hope someone better qualified than meself takes a look at the self-destructing code for Blu-ray drives or any such crap.
MW: “future” as in: NOT YET.
screw them. they need to be punicshed for pulling that crap to the point where they will not do it again.
They’ll not get a dime from me, nor will i buy music of Sony artists.
The SunnComm DRM will be on ALL Sony-BMG titles released in 2006. This malware affects Macintosh OS as well as Windoze PCs. If the public does not keep the pressure on they will simply replace one onerous DRM scheme with an even worse one.
During our weekly family conference call, six siblings, we all decided not to purchase any Sony products this Christmas. All because of DRM Sony pulled Sony will loose about $20,000 worth of sales within our six familys alone. Plus we are informing our friends and other relatives as well.
This is going to be a heavy tech christmas for our families because we all need to upgrade so many things; we were going to purchase Sony but not now. Anymore we just don’t trust Sony.
Continue the boycott. This a chance for we the consumers to let the record companies know that we will not tolerate copy-protected music discs no matter who issues them.
CONTINUE THE BAN!!
Even if they do issue proper software to remove XCP from ALL systems, there should still be a grace period till we lift the ban.
NewType…
Screw the Xbox 360. I can’t afford both. But you are right and I am in no hurry to get the PS3, I’ll spend a bit of time playing around with the display models in the shops while waiting for the price to drop. It’s the same with the iPods, better to wait a few months (or eight weeks if it sounds quicker) to see if any problems arise with the product.
And yes I will be boycoting SONY products from now on. Sanyo, Sharp, Panasonic, Hitachi etc etc even cheapie TEAC all have similar products. But the PS3 will be unique and unfortunatley, SONY has us by the balls on that one.
How many of us have crappy old obsolete PCs lying around that we wouldn’t mind having XCP installed on? Just use the old bomby PCs to try and rip these Sony CDs and keep it well isolated from your main system.
And once succesfully ripped and stripped of all DRM. Take the CDs back to the store and demand a refund telling them it farked your PC. And then share it with the rest of us. It only takes one person in the world to start sharing these copy protected discs and the whole Sony DRM idea becomes meaningless.
Don’t but SONY tv’s! They have hidden pinhole cameras in the speakers witch transmit live video feeds of yourself tossing off to porn. I think it gets sent to gay websites.
Kenny, you’ve definitely earned my respect.
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continue the boycott!
George,
It is too complicated what u suggest. The absolutely same result may be achieved if u just rob any Sony retail store. Plus [if lucky] u may get through this not only some CDs but also some other valuable stuff. In the long run boycott means “not buying” and obviously does not cover stealing.
Continue with the ban until all CDs have been pulled and eaten by SONY executives, all consmers with infected machines have been taken care of and all MAC DRM CDs have been also pulled. We sholdn’t pull the plug until they clean up the mess.
Just remember, SONY isn’t the only record company out there using or planning to use DRM schemes to protect their profits, so lets make sure that the others remember this.
MDNW: always Always finish what you start
The rape of Nanking happened and not accidently.
Remember Pearl Harbor!
And the want Okinawa back, too.
Continue the ban!
Forgiveness is a good thing. When Sony has made amends for the damage they have done, it will be time for each individual to determine whether to again accept Sony as a legitimate vendor.
To me, making amends requires:
– Admitting they made a mistake, without attempting to justify it
– Reversing the trouble they caused: recalling the disks, replacing
those in buyers’ hands, making easy-to-use removal tools readily
available (to the point of mailing CDs to those who have no
Internet connection), and reimbursing people for extraordinary
expense
– Explaining what the copy protection mechanisms were supposed to
do on both Windows and Mac systems
Until these happen, I shall consider Sony unrepentant. When all these are accomplished, I will once more consider buying Sony equipment.
jim
what the hell is this ban supposed to achieve? as if anybody cares about this pathetic site’s boycott. MDN is taking itself too seriously
MDN word: fuck
As in ‘fuck MDN’
KEEP THE BOYCOTT ON ALL NON RED BOOK COMPLIANT CDS!!!!
until we get non copy protected cds that can easily be played on our iPods and do not install software on our computers I will not be happy. I buy cds to listen to music and do not expect it to start altering or potentially damaging my private property. Period.
Magic Word: “Feel” as in “can you feel the heat”
Lets wake the sleeping giant
Somebody try put crap on my Mac, BOYCOT THEM FOR EVER.
They allready doing stuff with PlayStation 3.
Cartrige will get married to the first playstation played on.
Read : http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27568
what the hell is this ban supposed to achieve?
Send a strong message to companies that they should respect consumer rights. SONY thinks it can break your private property [PC] or degrade its performance just to protect their rights – some kind of vigilante justice. They did it in a covert, misleading way.
APPLE, in contrast, took great pains to explain its DRM scheme when iTMS was launched, and the iTMS is a success while SONY’s fatally flawed [ATRAC] Connect languishes. So what does SONY do? Screw their artists by denying them space in iTMS!
What do you expect us to do when you screw your customers and your artists? Producing great products is not enough. I will not be swayed by nothing less than a demonstrated turnaround in this company’s philosophy. SONY, you’re screwed.
As Java says, and I’m paraphrasing…
No Compact Disc Audio logo – no sale.
And I apply that simple rule to all releases. It means I haven’t bought a disc in a good long while.
I already have around 800 discs and a collection that could play for over 28 days non-stop, so I still have music, so I’m not really losing out but I know who is.
What boycott? Who listens to MDN????
What a load of crap!
Sony’s initial response to this problem was “What’s the big deal, nobody knew it was there until now anyway?”
This is just PR spin to make them look like it was all First4Internet’s fault. Hey, we just bought copy protection software from them. We didn’t know what it was going to do. Blame them. Start buying our CD’s again.
Let Sony rot!
Dukester
Has anyone yet established what the Suncomm DRM does to a Mac? OK, you need to let it in there by clicking the EULA and using an admin password, so you’ve been socially engineered if you let it in, but what do the two little programs actually do? Do they limit your access to or ability to media shift all the material on the disc, or only the “enhanced” (e.g usually video) tracks? Do they sit as an ordinary app, and can they be trivially (and completely) uninstalled? Do they phone home? Do they start up anytime you start your Mac, or only when you use the CD-drive?
To the extent that they affect non-audio tracks, phone home or start on boot, they are spyware/malware, and need to be rejected just as formly as the other DRM rubbish.
boycott!
until ps3 comes out.