The SONY CD Root Kit System

[John]

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?

 

[mattm]

On Sun, 13 Nov 2005, John wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

Yeah. They're a pack of filthy cunts.

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?

Not yet.

 

[Mark Harriss]

John wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?



It allows files to be invisible on your computer's file system and

also allows programs to be invisible when running. Microsoft will
bring out a fix which will make your SONY/BMG protected disks
unplayable on your computer. I understand the Norah Jones CD even
trashes your hard disk if you try to copy it (seen a laptop that
died this way).

 

[Bazil]

John wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?

No not me, but you could ask me mate who copped one in the neck from the
specially sharpened edge ones we use in CD frisbee wars...

But seriously, it would appear that Sony have a public relations
disaster on their hands and have pulled the DRM rootkit

http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/11/1927225&tid=172&tid=158&tid=233

And now this from their EULA

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/05/11/13/1419206.shtml?tid=233&tid=141&tid=17

'If your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your
laptop when you get home. ... Sony-BMG can install and use backdoors in
the copy protection software or media player to "enforce their rights"
against you, at any time, without notice.'...

My opinion is that I hope public pressure will get rid of all this DRM,
"you have stolen our music, Go to Jail, Do not Pass Go", bullshit.

The music / movie pigopolists cried foul with cassette tapes and videos,
and the solution to that was we all pay a small ? fee every time we buy
a blank one.

Why can't they do the same with PCs, mp3 players, cd / dvd burners and
the like... and piss off all this DRM bullshit.

Baz

 

[Colin Ž]

"Bazil" <nospam@spamzfree.net> wrote in message
news:dl8eia$8ig$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...

John wrote:
Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

But seriously, it would appear that Sony have a public relations disaster
on their hands and have pulled the DRM rootkit

http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/11/1927225&tid=172&tid=158&tid=233

It's more than that now.

There are a groups of viruses out already that use the rootkit to hide their
presence and Sony have at least one court case in California to defend.

The general "hoping" appears to be that a cashed up company will go after
them for damage they let happen to their system by installing undisclosed
software - an illegal act in California. .

 

[Michael C]

"Colin Ž" <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:TwPdf.16707$Hj2.1856@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

It's more than that now.

There are a groups of viruses out already that use the rootkit to hide
their presence and Sony have at least one court case in California to
defend.

The general "hoping" appears to be that a cashed up company will go after
them for damage they let happen to their system by installing undisclosed
software - an illegal act in California.

I just did a job removing hack.tool.root.kit from 4 machines in a financial
firm, is this related to sony somehow? What exactly is it sony are doing?
Installing software from their music CDs?

Michael

 

[Chock]

"Michael C" <me@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:4377f515$0$41145$14726298@news.sunsite.dk...

"Colin Ž" <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:TwPdf.16707$Hj2.1856@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
It's more than that now.

There are a groups of viruses out already that use the rootkit to hide
their presence and Sony have at least one court case in California to
defend.

The general "hoping" appears to be that a cashed up company will go
after
them for damage they let happen to their system by installing
undisclosed
software - an illegal act in California.

I just did a job removing hack.tool.root.kit from 4 machines in a
financial
firm, is this related to sony somehow? What exactly is it sony are doing?
Installing software from their music CDs?

Yes.

Plenty of discussion springing up about it all, here's some places to start:

http://slashdot.org/~xtracto/journal/121088

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2005/11/calif_ny_lawsui.html

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


- Chock

 

[John]

Mark Harriss wrote:

John wrote:
Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?



It allows files to be invisible on your computer's file system and
also allows programs to be invisible when running. Microsoft will
bring out a fix which will make your SONY/BMG protected disks
unplayable on your computer. I understand the Norah Jones CD even
trashes your hard disk if you try to copy it (seen a laptop that
died this way).

Which Norah Jones CD

I have both of her albums and was able to copy it pretty much
as I wanted..

From what I have read it's CDs released only in the last couple
of months. And I purchased my Norah Jones CD a long time before

that.

 

[4wd]

John wrote:

Mark Harriss wrote:

John wrote:
Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?



It allows files to be invisible on your computer's file system and
also allows programs to be invisible when running. Microsoft will
bring out a fix which will make your SONY/BMG protected disks
unplayable on your computer. I understand the Norah Jones CD even
trashes your hard disk if you try to copy it (seen a laptop that
died this way).

Which Norah Jones CD

I have both of her albums and was able to copy it pretty much
as I wanted..

From what I have read it's CDs released only in the last couple
of months. And I purchased my Norah Jones CD a long time before
that.

For the rootkit to be installed you need to have autorun enabled.

If you don't, or held the shift key while inserting the CD then the DRM
measures weren't installed and there's no problem copying.

This kind of DRM is only good for screwing legitimate users.

Dave

 

[Wing]

In aus.electronics John <sittingbythepool@internode.on.net> wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

Just more buggy and badly thought out software.

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?

Little chance of that happening to me, I don't buy CD, you don't get

problems like these from vinyls.

--

Wing.

 

[Wing]

In aus.electronics Bazil <nospam@spamzfree.net> wrote:

'If your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your
laptop when you get home. ... Sony-BMG can install and use backdoors in
the copy protection software or media player to "enforce their rights"
against you, at any time, without notice.'...

Hmmm... thats like being burgled twice in one hit, only one of the

burgulars is more brazen about it.
--

Wing.

 

[The Real Andy]

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 14:08:26 +1100, "Chock" <no@spam.com> wrote:

<snip>

I am fairly sure the guy who found this is from sysinternals, so go
there for the gory part.

Like it or not, Sony is fucked. There is already a class action in
progress.

Like it or not, the DRM issue will not go away.

Personally I dont give a fuck, however if it opens me up to a virus
then I will get upset. They other thing that would annoy me is that
according to the sys internals guy, it is poorly written and consumes
CPU time.

The good thing is that once it is done, someone will discover it. Once
it is discovered, one can deal with it. I have no issue with Sony
trying to protect what they rightly own, however i think they may have
made a bad decision this time.

 

[Mark Harriss]

John wrote:

Mark Harriss wrote:



Which Norah Jones CD

I have both of her albums and was able to copy it pretty much
as I wanted..

From what I have read it's CDs released only in the last couple
of months. And I purchased my Norah Jones CD a long time before
that.

It was well over a year ago and was purchased in
the Northern Territory: imported CD maybe?.

 

[Michael C]

"The Real Andy" <will_get_back_to_you_on_This@> wrote in message
news:3rhgn117oojvaj7beq0h44vnas7unocejg@4ax.com...

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 14:08:26 +1100, "Chock" <no@spam.com> wrote:

snip

I am fairly sure the guy who found this is from sysinternals, so go
there for the gory part.

The link to the sysinternals article was in chock's post.

Like it or not, Sony is fucked. There is already a class action in
progress.

Microsoft are after them too, although by saying Sony are fucked probably
means they might have to fork out 0.01% of their income for year.

http://blogs.technet.com/antimalware/archive/2005/11/12/414299.aspx

Michael

 

[Allan]

"Mark Harriss" <billy@blartco.co.uk> wrote in message
news:43786716$0$23377$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...

John wrote:
Mark Harriss wrote:



Which Norah Jones CD

I have both of her albums and was able to copy it pretty much
as I wanted..
From what I have read it's CDs released only in the last couple
of months. And I purchased my Norah Jones CD a long time before
that.


It was well over a year ago and was purchased in
the Northern Territory: imported CD maybe?.

Maybe the PC just failed at that time.

 

[Caliban]

John wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on what SONY / BMG have done
with CD protection on recently released music CDs?

I have read a hell of a lot of stuff online in various forums.

Anyone actually been hit with one of these CDs?

Sounds like they are beginning to back down:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/12/sony_suspends_rootkit_drm/

 

[Mark Harriss]

Allan wrote:

Maybe the PC just failed at that time.

The description of the problem was that a dialog box
opened saying something along the lines of "CD copy
protection activated" and then the laptop reset and
could not be booted as the FAT tables were corrupted.

 

[John]

Mark Harriss wrote:

Allan wrote:


Maybe the PC just failed at that time.



The description of the problem was that a dialog box
opened saying something along the lines of "CD copy
protection activated" and then the laptop reset and
could not be booted as the FAT tables were corrupted.

Hell if Sony's root kit can do that could not they be liable
for computer damage?

 

[Michael C]

"John" <sittingbythepool@internode.on.net> wrote in message
news:43794EC8.B652D0A6@internode.on.net...

Hell if Sony's root kit can do that could not they be liable
for computer damage?

This is talked about in this thread. They are being sued.

 

[Archades]

there is already 1 virus/nasty taking advantage of the rootkit, all u
need to do is put $sys$ in the filename of a program and it's hidden
from windows, virus scanners, etc, however most virus scanners have
flagged the sony rootkit (xcp, developed by first 4 internet) as a virus
and i think they have removal tools. nasty piece of software, World of
Warcraft's(online game) Warden anti cheating system fails to see
programs that have been named with $sys$ allowing ppl to cheat.

a few states in usa have started legal proceedings against sony bmg, and
reading the eula is quite interesting