Thinking of Buying a CD with DRM?

[xoas]

From the Dept. for Verifying That Things are Probably Worse Than You Think comes this missive regarding Sony's CD DRM measures:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2092&tag=nl.e589

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

Actually, the title is a little misleading for that article. Its not really a Trojan, but a rootkit. For the unaware, a rootkit is a program that isn't detected by the OS or programs by normal means. Detecting them normally means you format to make sure all of its traces are gone.
As for Sony using this, it just goes to show they care more about their pocketbook than our fair-use rights.
My opinion on DRM has remained the same: If you want me to buy it, you'll let me rip it as I wish and use it on both my computers and my mp3 player without any fancy loops to jump through. I rip my CDs to Monkey's and archive them, then rip them to Ogg for my computer listening and my mp3 player usage (its a Karma).
In my opinion, DRM just ticks people off, so they download it so they can do with it what they want to. In other words, you LOSE.

[Spoon]

Yes ironic Sony driving paying customers to filesharing networks, they are their own worst enemy. I feel sorry for the artists, I bet the artists with this rootkit on THEIR cd didn't know a thing about it.

[gameplaya15143]

yup.. i read about it on doom9

http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html

^^ tells how to remove it too :D

i've been boycotting sony for years, you should too!!

[LtData]

Hmm, apparently Sony is starting to regret this: http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=31296&category=main

[neilthecellist]

That's possibly the worst plan a company like Sony could come up with. I have no respect for Sony now (not that I ever did :-D )

[Bill41]

Anyone buying Sony CDs should listen to this : Episode # 12 - Sony's "Rootkit Technology" DRM
It can be found here : http://grc.com/securitynow.htm

Bill

[xoas]

Further update:
Virus writers already seeking to take advantage of Sony's malware,
Sony pulling rootkit DRM cd's from market, and advice if you have exposed your computer to one of these didcs:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5946760.html?tag=nl.e589

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

Ok, what Sony did is totally despicable.

However it has unveiled a major flaw in operating systems that actually allowed this to happen which also opens the floodgates for all manner of viruses and trojans to slither in and attach themselves to the rootkit.

It seems to me a secure system should absolutely not permit any rootkit from taking hold. Period. Obviously it's a flaw. It could as well have been intiated by any other means. If Sony could do it, so can the virus makers. Just wondering what took them so long. As it is they only have to take advanatage of the door opened by Sony. Well, at least we know who opened it and how. We don't know how to close it, but it's bound to come out shortly.

[xoas]

Well things seem to be looking worse today. Independent sources are advising against trying to use Sony's on-line fix to remove the rootkit material (also list of cds released with this particular "security" feature):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10053831/

Best wishes,
Bill

[MrVideo]

For more on this developing story, as well as all their postings so far, visit:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/23/sony_drm_questions/

The sad story about all of this is that I do not think that the music industry will learn anything from this fiasco. They have their heads so far up their asses that they cannot see what is going on, or understand the issue.

They are totally ignoring the first-sale-doctrine and current copyright law. They are going to continue attempting to circumvent both at all costs.

[Spoon]

Hopefully it has cost them a big pile of cash, that is the only bottom line they think of.

[ophielx]

the security implications of sony DRM are more far-reaching than most people can know.

there are now cheating programs, trojans, worms, and other malware that "latch" onto existing sony DRM on your computer. this allows even the most inexperienced programmers to add rootkit capabilities to their software.

all you have to do is name is name your files or registry keys so that they start with $sys$ and voila, instant rootkit.

we had to expect this from the brains that brought us atrac ;)