Sony Customer Care

[R.]

This actually is old news, but this could be 2005's hottest story.

Sony has been found to install illegal Trojan-horse-based digital restrictions management (DRM) technology that installs itself as a rootkit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit) on Windows PCs.

People who purchase certain Sony Music CDs are most likely subject to this rootkit - camouflaged as a CD player software - being installed on their machines. According to Sysinternals' Mark Russinovich (http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html) the kit installs itself in hidden directories and attempts to mask its existence as "Essential System Tools". For 2006, Sony is planning to use this software for Windows and MacOS in Europe for "copy protection" purposes too. In the meantime, the first variations of malicious software (http://www.viruslist.com/en/weblog) have been found to utilize the rootkit technology.

Here's more info and details: Microsoft 'Concerned' by Sony DRM (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1884677,00.asp).

Thanks, Sony.

Oh ... just to quote Chris' blog again:
"I wouldn't touch any Sony BMG CD with a six foot barge pole."

[Chris]

As an addendum to R's post:

1. If you do have the DRM kit installed, Sony have a form you can fill out to receive uninstall instructions. Clickety Click (http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/uninstall.html) There is also a patch availble for download however you should USE THIS PATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK Sony have NOT i repeat NOT fully tested this patch. i have just spoken to Microsoft UK and they are refusing outright to certify the patch as safe for use on windows.

2. If you purchase a CD, you own the cd, you do NOT merely license the music. Sony DRM license agreement changes this.
Clickety Click for more on this (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004145.php)

3. To find out what CD's are known to be infected and how to spot dodgy CD's Clickety Click (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004144.php)

And finally, ignore what Sony say about you not being able to play your CD's on the computer if they have this kit and you don't install it. There are ways around this ;)

EDIT> 4. The software that Sony installs also regularly contacts the Sony website (bypassing any firewalls you run) to check for updating info adn send Sony information about what CD you have been playing.

[R.]

EDIT> 4. The software that Sony installs also regularly contacts the Sony website (bypassing any firewalls you run) to check for updating info adn send Sony information about what CD you have been playing.Here's more technical info on the "Phoning Home Feature" and Sony's patch:
More on Sony: Dangerous Decloaking Patch, EULAs and Phoning Home (http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/11/more-on-sony-dangerous-decloaking.html)

[R.]

http://www.userfriendly.org/cartoons/archives/05nov/uf008512.gif (http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20051112)

[R.]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4430608.stm

[Pudding]

Seems Microsoft are going to sort it out Click ME (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1886122,00.asp)

Pud :twisted:

[Chris]

Sony, it would seem, have a lot of DRM enabled CD's to try and shift!

A lass i know is at a Sony party this evening and they are giving the guests goodie bags containing several free DRM CD's.

The plan has backfired as several people haev made a point of opening the case, removing the CD, putting a beer mat in the case and then using the CD as a coaster!! The Sony people are not impressed! :lmao:

[R.]

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/ :))

[Chris]

Well, it looks like those nice people at Sony are up to their necks in brown smelly stuff!!

In America there was a DVD hacker known by the alias of DVD Jon who was prosecuted for breaking the DRM protection on DVD's. He used to write open source software linked to this. It wuld appear Sony's rootkit consists of his code and some Apple code mixed together. both code samples were used without permission and in breach of license terms.

As Sony are so keen on prosecuting people for breaching copyright (file sharing) based on the number of people they have sent the file to, one wonders how big a prosecution they will face for sending thousands adn thousands of people stolen copyrighted material!! :twisted:

[R.]

Looks like the copy protection is using unlicensed code (http://www.the-interweb.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/52-Is-Sony-in-violation-of-the-LGPL-Part-II.html). Honi soit qui mal y pense. :roll:

Usenet (http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsmedia.drm/browse_frm/thread/8270cbc85f8e9cb8/7cb5c4ad49fa206e?lnk=st&q=FIRST4INTERNET&rnum=44&hl=en#7cb5c4ad49fa206e), anybody?

And finally, here's a very interesting viewpoint (http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=997).