“The state of Texas sued Sony BMG, alleging that the company ‘surreptitiously’ installed spyware on personal computers through music CDs with a copy protection program,” Agence France-Presse reports.
‘Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak and dagger deceit against consumers by hiding secret files on their computers,” said Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in a statement after suing under the state’s anti-spyware law,” Agence France-Presse reports. “‘Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instead, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime.'”
Full article here.
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Check this out!!!!!! The EVIL RIAA!!!!
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2146389/riaa-head-praises-sony-root-kit
RIAA praises Sony over rootkit debacle
Sony BMG has ‘behaved responsibly’ throughout, claims Cary Sherman
Iain Thomson, vnunet.com 21 Nov 2005
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In an address to American students Cary Sherman, president of the Recording Industry Association of America, has praised Sony BMG for its decision to install controversial rootkit technology in audio CDs as an anti-piracy measure.
Sherman declared that he was satisfied that Sony BMG had behaved responsibly over the DRM software.
“The problem with the Sony BMG situation is that the technology it used contained a security vulnerability of which it was unaware,” he said.
“Sony BMG has apologised for its mistake, ceased manufacture of CDs with that technology, and pulled CDs with that technology from store shelves. It seems very responsible to me.”
Sherman claimed that the music industry is “more permissive” than most when it comes to enabling people to copy its products, arguing that film makers and software manufacturers never allow copies to be made of their code.
After a huge consumer backlash Sony BMG was forced to recall the 52 artist CDs it had issued containing DRM software which included an exploitable flaw.
Sherman also defended the high price of CDs, maintaining that the cost allowed record companies to invest in up-and-coming bands and better staff.
He suggested that very little of the purchase price goes to the record companies, as the retailer and support staff get the bulk of the funds.
The RIAA hasn’t got a clue!!!!
I want to hear more about the Mac version of the root kit that was reported by MDN previously. How can you tell if you have it and how can you get rid of it and what exactly does it do?
It’s illegal to subject people to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime?!?!?!?
There is a Microsoft joke here somewhere, I just can’t think of one right now.
Nice link, winmacguy.
1) Microsoft classified it as spyware.
2) Computer Associates classified it as a Trojan.
3) Sony’s utility to remove the rootkit component of Extended Copy Protection from affected Microsoft Windows computers only exacerbated the privacy and security concerns. <i>In addition to removing the rootkit, this program was reported to install additional software that cannot be uninstalled. In order to download the uninstaller, it is neccessary to provide an e-mail address, and to install an ActiveX control containing backdoor methods (marked as “safe for scripting”, and thus prone to exploits).</i>
So Sherman approves of spyware and backdoor methods. Go figure. Maybe he’d like to donate some of his earnings to paying Sony’s fine too, which could be up to “$100,000 per violation.”
A Slashdot story notes that the rootkit includes code and comments (such as “copyright (c) Apple Computer, Inc. All Rights Reserved.”) illegally copied from an iTunes DRM circumvention program by Jon Lech Johansen, best known for being prosecuted in connection with DeCSS (which circumvents the digital rights management mechanism used on movie DVDs).
So Apple could also sue Sony BMG, and Sony could sue First 4 Internet. My, my … the “suits” should be happy.
Sony BMG expects that by year’s end a substantial number of its U.S. releases will employ either Sunncomm’s newly enhanced MediaMax or First4Internet’s XCP to address piracy concerns….
“What matters the most to us is the consumer experience,” Sony BMG Sales Enterprise co-president Jordan Katz says. “Both technologies offer playability across all standard players, including CD players, boomboxes, DVD players, PCs, Macs, car stereos, video games and clock radios.”
Katz says the company wants to alert the industry that it is implementing the content-protection technology, because extensive consumer research indicates widespread customer acceptance of it.
BMG has used MediaMax on a number of titles, including Velvet Revolver’s “Contraband” and Anthony Hamilton’s solo album. In all, it has shipped more than 5.5 million content-enhanced and protected discs, which have been met with positive consumer reactions, according to Katz.
After testing XCP on promos, Sony BMG is using it for commercial releases. Katz notes that XCP and MediaMax are constantly being improved, and that Sony BMG will test each upgrade on promos before employing it commercially.
[Reuters, Feb 26, 2005]
Any guinea pigs out there with Sony BMG promos be warned.
Jack A: it installs two kernel extensions, PhoenixNub1.kext and PhoenixNub12.kext.
Other links:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/11/17/sony_rootkit_roundup.html
Windows travails [good [MW]]:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Blog/
They’ve been doing it since 2002.
Celine Dion ate my iMac [SONY 2002].
Sony was just trying to protect their content from being stolen. This whole thing is so overblown.