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Watch out for Sony DRM'ed CDs
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| Solkanar512 |
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. |
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| washout |
| as long as it dont with my right to rip i buy. |
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| Solkanar512 |
| quote: | Originally posted by washout
as long as it dont with my right to rip i buy. |
Oh, I totally agree. I believe this software allows you to rip the files three times, but I could be mistaken. The real problem is that Sony has unwittingly installed a backdoor into a bunch of computers and no one knew about it until now. The worst part is that others are taking advantage of this hole. Not cool at all. |
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| DJ Cinos |
They're welcome to try, I have rootkit removal software. PWND, bitches.
EDIT: Who the heck installs software from music CDs anyway? I just rip them. :p |
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| eRRaTiK |
| quote: | Originally posted by Solkanar512
Ricky Martin |
this deserves to be DRM'ed. |
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| Solkanar512 |
| quote: | Originally posted by eRRaTiK
this deserves to be DRM'ed. |
Never looked at it that way before... |
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| DJ Cinos |
The more I read into this, the more scary it becomes. What right do they have to install unknown MALWARE on your computer?
Luckily it won't affect me, since I don't run unknown software, but it's still ing ridiculous. They HAVE apparently released an uninstaller´, though. (though reaching it is hell)
What if other Sony branches start doing this? What if that new CD/DVD player (like the one I just bought) you buy does it - and it's uninstallable as long as you have the player installed? |
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| PEZ68 |
Have you already tried to remove it with F-Secure Blacklight or Sysinternals RootkitRevealer ?
edit: another one here : http://updates.xcp-aurora.com/ |
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| DRM |
ing DRM is gay .....
erm....
:( |
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| montana |
| quote: | Originally posted by DRM
ing DRM is gay .....
erm....
:( |
:haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: |
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| Ian |
| quote: | Originally posted by DRM
ing DRM is gay .....
erm....
:( |
Maybe now is the time to become "RaveApe" on here mike :p |
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