New Sony DRM software acts like malware
From the Sysinternals blog:
Sony, Rootkits, and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Apparently, some new Sony CDs contain DRM software that hides files just like a rootkit. The post itself is pretty much the process of digging up the stuff it put on the guy’s computer, and the process of eliminating it. It’s not mentioned in the CD’s EULA. Also, unless you remove it the exact right way, you’ll cripple your computer, yay.
The point is, this behavior is the sort of thing usually only done by spyware and viruses, and even ignoring anything the DRM itself does, the rootkit could easily be exploited by other malware writers - hey, just start your filenames with a “$sys$” and no one who’s played Sony CDs on their computer will see them!
All the more reason to download music from the internet. And I’m even one of the people who usually does buy my CDs.
(Thanks to the News section at SpywareInfo.com.)
10 Responses to “New Sony DRM software acts like malware”
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Please keep comments civil, rational, reasonably on-topic, and in something tangential to standard written English. Comments that display a reckless disregard for civilized discourse will be moderated.
November 1st, 2005 at 11:46 am
“All the more reason to download music from the internet”
I decided a while ago not to put any music cd made after around 1996 into my computer any more, when the craze of putting extras into cd’s started. I purchased a Prong cd (that’s the band, kiddies), popped it in my computer, and it began installin real audio.
Haven’t looked back since.
November 1st, 2005 at 1:04 pm
I pretty much only buy CDs direct from artist.
November 1st, 2005 at 1:04 pm
Also, I would just like to take this opportunity to say:
The Hermit is old.
November 1st, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Well, isn’t that kind of the point?
November 1st, 2005 at 4:21 pm
You kids get off my lawn!
November 2nd, 2005 at 9:43 am
“I pretty much only buy CDs direct from artist.”
eh?
November 2nd, 2005 at 10:34 am
A lot of indep. small-time artists produce and sell their own CDs. I sometims buy those. I do not buy retail music CDs.
November 4th, 2005 at 9:51 am
Bah.. this is mean stuff. I’m only really buying songs through eMusic at this point. I was never a huge CD person, but even less so now…
December 18th, 2005 at 12:09 am
I dont care for retail or original,
evreything i have it is wares,
shareware, pirate software,
copied dvds etc, even my OS
it is not the original, and guess
what? i love it that way.
you fools keep sony and MS
stinky rich.Just learn to search
and find evrything for free, the
way it was meant to be.
Remember that. Dont be a
HYPOCRIT.
December 18th, 2005 at 12:32 am
So other than telling us how cool you are, and how you don’t understand the concept of word wrap, what the hell are you trying to say?