|
Watch out for Sony DRM'ed CDs
EDIT2: Sony has halted the use of this DRM scheme amid complaints from the Department of Homeland Security. I have the full write up here: Fun quotes from DHS
Hey folks, I'm not sure if everyone has heard, but Sony has started to use a rather malicious form of DRM (digital rights management) on several of their new CD albums.
Short Version:
For Windows users, it installs a "rootkit", literally opening a backdoor to your computer to Sony and anyone else that knows about this kit. It should go without saying that if I know about it, folks who can do damage know about it as well.
Such DRM'ed CD's include Sarah McLachlan’s Bloom, Brian Eno's Ambient #1, and others like Ricky Martin and Santana.
Anyways, I've written up a longer version that talks about the details of the kit, and info about the State of California filing a class action lawsuit against Sony: DJ Horus.com
I'm not trying to be alarmist here, I understand the place for reasonable DRM (see iTunes for an example of reasonable DRM) but this software is not mentioned during the install process, has no reasonable method of uninstallation, and literally opens a now well-known door to the less scrupulous.
Be careful, read the labels and if this bothers you let Sony know how you feel.
EDIT: Also, I'd like to point out that this bug hurts anyone connected to a network, like the internet. Yes, even if you aren't infected yourself. For every computer compromised in this manner is another computer that sends spam and other malicious or illegal data (think child porn or DOS attacks here) w/o their owners knowledge.
___________________
Trance, Progressive and House - DJ Horus
Sets are updated every weekend.
Last edited by Solkanar512 on Nov-11-2005 at 08:00
|
