Don't run copy protected CDs from SONY!!!

[Mithrandir]

No, I'm not advocating piracy; I just ran across this recently. It's kinda technical, but the meat of it is this: Apparently the copy-protection software that SONY is installing has some real problems - it installs a rootkit! For those of you who don't know what that means, you may want to look it up. Essentially, though, it means that someone else can take over your computer just because you clicked "I Agree."

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

On the other hand, if you trust that NO ONE on the internet will EVER use this back door (I certainly wouldn't) then you should have no problem with this.


Anyway, let's keep the ANTI-RIAA mantra out of this thread, alrigtht? I know it's implicit in the article, but I'm trying to spread knowledge - not give you a platform to campaign. Also of note, I have NOT tried this out, but apparently other people have noticed something similar; as always, YMMV.

Zilch does a little detective work later down, since I forget to mention what a rootkit is. >.< Here's his post (elevated for good measure).

From me good friend Google...

Rootkit: A hacker security tool that captures passwords and message traffic to and from a computer. A collection of tools that allows a hacker to provide a backdoor into a system, collect information on other systems on the network, mask the fact that the system is compromised, and much more. Rootkit is a classic example of Trojan Horse software. Rootkit is available for a wide range of operating systems.

For all the lazy people...

[Slater]

dang, that's like the ultimate spyware... and it's coming from a trusted brand name. SjuxØrZ

btw why is this not in Computer forum?

[Link Antilles]

Whoa. Whoa. It installs a rootkit? You mean basically hacking tools? I have a question then, Mith, why? I'm sure Sony is fully aware of what they can do with it, but why a thing like this on a copy protected CD? Does this make it easier for them to disable functions for copying in Windows? -Or help them sneak in spyware for "market research"? I'm really curious.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up.

[Scribs]

That is somewhat disconcerting...

[Arnobius]

That is rather disturbing... I'll have to be careful in the future. Having recently replaced my hard drive I've been reinstalling my CDs. I'll watch for Sony albums.

[glitch1501]

i was reading this earlier today, very bad idea on sonys part

[Mr. SmartyPants]

what if you have no internet connection? O.o

[Locke]

Just great....

[Zilch]

From me good friend Google...

Rootkit: A hacker security tool that captures passwords and message traffic to and from a computer. A collection of tools that allows a hacker to provide a backdoor into a system, collect information on other systems on the network, mask the fact that the system is compromised, and much more. Rootkit is a classic example of Trojan Horse software. Rootkit is available for a wide range of operating systems.

For all the lazy people...

[Mithrandir]

Thanks Zilch! I've quoted your post into my initial post to help clarify that for other users. Oh, and I couldn't figure out which forum to put it in. It's music, and computers, and Sony, and... yeah, you know.

[uc pseudonym]

I assumed you placed it in General because you thought it was important enough that everyone should hear about it.

Good to know. Thankfully, I don't really use Sony products, so this shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience.

[Tenshi no Ai]

2 questions... when you say "don't PLAY copy-protected", does that mean if you copy the whole CD onto another one, add them to say WMP, or just simply PLAY ING them?!

Secondly... I added onto my WMP my Switchfoot, Beautiful Letdown, which is a rather oldish CD... so does the rules still apply for these as well?

[Mithrandir]

In theory, you *can't* copy them. The idea here is that the only way you can play them on your computer is to use th built-in player. I'm not sure how it works, though. As I said, I haven't verified it.

[Yeshua-Knight]

well that's just plain old silly, has anyone tried playing a sony disc on the old original cd player program that's comes with windows, btw, i saw something about this also on g4's attack of the show on their "the feed" segment, so you might also be able to get some info about it on the attack of the show's website

[Mithrandir]

From what I understand, you cannot play it in that program. What I'm wondering is how Sony thinks this will keep people from pirating. I mean, why wouldn't you be able to just plug a jumper between the line out and line in ports on you box? Then you can just use any old recorder, and you're done. Why go to all this trouble? They CAN'T actually believe this will PREVENT piracy, right? All things considered, I'd be surprised if they believed it would even slow it down - although stranger things have happened, I guess.

[Kaligraphic]

Hopefully, it would have a redbook audio session so that ordinary cd players could play it.

From what I've heard, though, Sony's DRM system so entrenches itself that if you try to remove it, you won't be able to play any cds at all! Not cool, Sony, not cool.

[shooraijin]

That's what I would hope as well. Let this be a lesson to turn AutoPlay off.

'Course, we in the Mac world just smile at this kind of monkey business.
For that matter, if they devised an OS X thingy, I'd just rip it on my OS 9 machine.

[Arnobius]

Of course maybe that just means the Mac users are too few to worry about

[glitch1501]

i recommend every broadband user read this, and the dialup should read it

http://www.grc.com/sn/SN-012.htm

well maybe not read all of it but the important stuff


(btw its a security chat with leo laporte ) talking about root kit scanners and stuff

[Arnobius]

I'm glad they're getting the word out. Maybe Sony will be forced to get rid of it if the backlash is bad enough.

[shooraijin]

[quote="AnimeHeretic"]Of course maybe that just means the Mac users are too few to worry about ]

I never said that being a marginalized platform was disadvantageous.

[Arnobius]

[quote="shooraijin"]I never said that being a marginalized platform was disadvantageous. ]
Touche!

[Mithrandir]

*Grins and watches Gnostically*

[agasfas]

It's actually good to know...

So in essence as long as I don't install Sony cd's or programs I'm okay?

[TurkishMonky]

could someone give a few helpful links, or explain why it is uncopyable? is is an autoplay memory thing or purposeful bad sectors on the disc? if so, it's really no use to even put the copy protection on it, as both of those methods are easily circumventable... (but still i'll probably order and download any sony cds online from now on, since i practically always buy cds online anyway)

EDIT: it sounds like just autoplay. i was hoping somthing more devious...

[Locke]

Patched!

http://www.shortnews.com/shownews.cfm?id=51078

One for thw WOW crowd,

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/04/secfocus_wow_bot/

[Yeshua-Knight]

here again, the kind folks at attack of the show also brought up on their "the feed" segment that the company that made the rootkit for sony also made a patch for it, there's also an article with a link in it to where you can go to get the patch, if you'd like to do that, the link is..

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/79491/sony-drm-company-declares-the-issue-old-news.html

happy interneting

[Arnobius]

here again, the kind folks at attack of the show also brought up on their "the feed" segment that the company that made the rootkit for sony also made a patch for it, there's also an article with a link in it to where you can go to get the patch, if you'd like to do that, the link is..

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/79491/sony-drm-company-declares-the-issue-old-news.html

happy interneting

That site links to an article with a link that doesn't go to the download.

[Yeshua-Knight]

oh, sorry, i thought it did

[Arnobius]

oh, sorry, i thought it did

No problem--- I wouldn't be suprised if they yanked the link