Warning - Inept Sony recalls copy-protected music CDs

Warning - Inept Sony recalls copy-protected music CDs. Security on PC's compromised.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10069563/

I can't believe the fellow geeks here have not been all over this.

Folks, the one thing you need to know above all else is that they just put a g@ddamn rootkit in there. I can NOT believe a major corporation felt they had carte blanche to do that - and was on their way to getting away with it until, oops, their program was revealed to open giant dangerous security holes on your PC. If you don't know what a rootkit is, you'd better get familiar with it FAST.

Folks, PLEASE do the following:

1) Boycott content-protected music CD's.

2) Never install software that comes with music CD's.

3) Turn off Autoplay in Windows.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10053831/
http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html

 

A rootkit, by the way, replaces your core operating system (Windows) functionality, such that the files that it installs on your machine become invisible to you. Opening up Explorer or a DOS window will reveal no trace of their little malware.

Big Brother likes.

Virus writers are already on the case, writing malware that will make use of the fact that some traditional virus-detection tools are unable to detect the files.

The concept of a rootkit is nothing new of course, but Sony-BMG has just given all the evil folk out there a nice new convenient delivery system of compromising your PC's. Thanks!

I can't think of a more intrusive invasion of your PC, yet the companies involved are lying their @ss off, about it being non-intrusive, safe, no cause for alarm, etc.

And by the way, their "fix" for this mess still offers no way of uninstalling their crap. And the "fix" has been shown to open up new security vulnerabilities. Way to treat your customers who are trying to be good people and pay for your CD's, Sony-BMG!

 

It's people like you who can do the most good though.

If you send word along to them that you will not tolerate this appalling behavior, and refuse to give them their business anymore, you will be an agent of change for customer rights, and we all will be the better for it.

If you do stick with them, that's cool, but first make sure you are not afflicted with the rootkit, then make sure you don't run (or Autorun) their programs on the CD ever again. Then just use your ripping program and put the original CD safely away, never to see the light of day again. I think I am hearing that should work fine.