Various links to the whole Sony rootkit thing.
If you use a Windows PC to play music, this might well apply to you. You can test if you've been affected by creating a file like $sys$test.txt (with notepad or something). If the file vanishes - becomes invisible - you're affected...
- BBC News: Sony slated over anti-piracy CD Although resembling a virus, Mr Russinovich found the hidden files had come from an anti-copying system called Extended Copy Protection (XCP)
- Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far Not only had Sony put software on my system that uses techniques commonly used by malware to mask its presence, the software is poorly written and provides no means for uninstall.
- More on Sony: Dangerous Decloaking Patch, EULAs and Phoning Home I doubt Sony is doing anything with the data, but with this type of connection their servers could record each time a copy-protected CD is played and the IP address of the computer playing it.
- Sony: You don’t reeeeaaaally want to uninstall, do you? Without exaggeration I can say that I’ve analyzed virulent forms of spyware/adware that provide more straightforward means of uninstall.
- List of affected CDs (in the US, I guess) and what to look for on the packaging:
Are You Infected by Sony-BMG's Rootkit? It turns out Sony-BMG has deployed XCP on a number of titles, in variety of musical genres, on several of its wholly-owned labels.
- (added 11.11.2005)
- ABC News: Hackers use Sony BMG software to hide in PCs The malware hides by using Sony BMG software that is also hidden - the software would have been installed on a computer when consumers played Sony's copy-protected music CDs.
- (12.11.2005)
- Sony will stop shipping infectious CDs -- too little, too late Sony is no longer putting malicious rootkit software on its CDs. Of course, the stores are still filled with infectious CDs, and untold millions of computer users have had their PCs compromised by the rootkit.
- Groklaw: Blogs, Customers & Sony's Rootkit The real problem is corporations that have lost touch with their customers. They seem to have no concept of user rights, no understanding that messing with a customer's computer is wrong.
- (13.11.2005)
- Sony's *other* malicious audio CD trojan Sony not only uses the now-infamous First4Internet rootkit, but also uses a second piece of malicious software from Suncomm, the less-well-known but still-dangerous MediaMax.
- (14.11.2005)
- Sony's malware uninstaller leaves your computer vulnerable ... it leaves methods such as 'InstallUpdate' and 'ExecuteCode' on the system, again scriptable by anyone and everyone. Virus writers will love this stuff.
- Sony's rootkit infringes on software copyrights Close examination of the rootkit that Sony's audio CDs attack their customers' PCs with has revealed that their malicious software is built on code that infringes on copyright.
- (15.11.2005)
- EFF: An Open Letter to Sony-BMG But if you truly intend to undo the harm you have caused, your company should immediately and publicly commit to the following additional measures: ...
- BB: Sony anti-customer technology roundup and time-line an omnibus post, summing up all the posts to date
- Sony to pull controversial CDs, offer swap Sony BMG Music Entertainment said Monday it will pull some of its most popular CDs from stores in response to backlash over copy-protection software on the discs.
- Groklaw: More Sony DRM Hijinks - Now It's MediaMax These entertainment dudes have run amok, and they are endangering the rest of us.
- (16.11.2005)
- Sony's spyware "remover" creates huge security hole The consequences of the flaw are severe. It allows any web page you visit to download, install, and run any code it likes on your computer.
- Sony infects more than 500k networks, including military and govt More than half a million networks, including military and government sites, were likely infected by copy restriction software distributed by Sony on a handful of its CDs ...
Sory Electronics - DRM has got to go
DRM is bad for people. DRM stops users from enjoying their content and frustrates consumers while doing nothing to stop pirates from stealing and selling their digital wares.
- Latest Sony news: 100% of CDs with rootkits, mainstream condemnation, retailers angry Here's a roundup of the Sony Music DRM news that's come in over the past few hours.
- Sony issues non-apology for compromising your PC We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers and we are committed to making this situation right.
- (17.11.2005) I'm giving up on updating this any more.
The story just keeps going and going...
In any case, while the earlier links were from a variety of sources, lately I'm just pasting Boing Boing links, and you might as well search there yourself directly.
(previous posts: on Sony's EULA; on "DRM of adhesion"; and a light-hearted "business plan")
(subsequent posts: summary, feature comparison chart, mistakes vs intentions, the recall, I heart rootkit, who do they
serve and who can we trust? and bloggers vs Sony)
⇦ random Sony link | ⇨ Link: funny firefox ad |
