if you buy their music CDs.
In their absolute paranoia, Sony has surreptitiously included a hidden piece of code into their music CDs, in addition to their copy-protection, that when inserted for the first time into a computer (Windows) and getting your “license” agreement under the pretence of installing the music player, will install what is called a “rootkit“, a code that allows Sony to come into your computer and basically as it will have “root access” can wipe out and spy on your computer’s contents.
It doesn’t end there. This rootkit could very readily be used by “real” malicious hackers to do untold damage to not only your computer, but the network it resides in.
After some furore, Sony continues to be unapologetic about this fiasco, but have agreed to “temporarily” remove the rootkit code from their CDs sold in the States (which one would buy from any only retailer, hence it is not limited only to the States).
Thankfully, the US authorities came out and told Sony that it might be their music, but it is not their computer, so they should either warn users of exactly what they are doing and carry a warning that such a process will take place, or not do it at all.
I think Sony and the majority of the music and film industries are thieves for maintaining very high prices on something that is extremely cheap to make. This is outright monopoly and daylight robbery. Other industries are not allowed to “synchronize” their prices, so why should the music industry?
But in any case, with this happening now, would you trust CD media you buy from “reputable” music companies any more?
Comments
Sony wants to take over your computer
It’s funny how they price music cds soo high when each unit costs like 25p or 25c, and then they wonder why aren’t people buyin. Sony’s current situation or stance in the market isn’t that great and I think this rootkit is sometin illegal, to be used to help them, if you wanna put it this way, levitate themselves in the market. Honestly, it’s just a sign of desperation and if they don’t shape up, their new welsh president is goin to have his hands in a lot of pies. They’re already losin market share and have many obsolete products which they need to get rid off.
Khalid
Sony wants to take over your computer
From this page at EFF, a list of CDs that contain the
evil XCP/rootkit technology:
Trey Anastasio, Shine (Columbia)
Celine Dion, On ne Change Pas (Epic)
Neil Diamond, 12 Songs (Columbia)
Our Lady Peace, Healthy in Paranoid Times (Columbia)
Chris Botti, To Love Again (Columbia)
Van Zant, Get Right with the Man (Columbia)
Switchfoot, Nothing is Sound (Columbia)
The Coral, The Invisible Invasion (Columbia)
Acceptance, Phantoms (Columbia)
Susie Suh, Susie Suh (Epic)
Amerie, Touch (Columbia)
Life of Agony, Broken Valley (Epic)
Horace Silver Quintet, Silver’s Blue (Epic Legacy)
Gerry Mulligan, Jeru (Columbia Legacy)
Dexter Gordon, Manhattan Symphonie (Columbia Legacy)
The Bad Plus, Suspicious Activity (Columbia)
The Dead 60s, The Dead 60s (Epic)
Dion, The Essential Dion (Columbia Legacy)
Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten (Epic)
Ricky Martin, Life (Columbia) (EFF notes: “labeled as
XCP, but, oddly, our disc had no protection”)
Several other Sony-BMG CDs are protected with a different copy-protection technology, sourced from SunnComm, including:
My Morning Jacket, Z
Santana, All That I Am
Sarah McLachlan, Bloom Remix Album
This is not a complete list. So how do you recognize other XCP-laden CDs in the wild?
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004144.php
Don’t buy them
go to the link to see how to recognize XCP Cd’s
Sony wants to take over your computer
I’m a little surprised that there’s not much interest here on this topic – maybe only a few other folks on this site are technical types like Mahmood? What Sony has done here, essentially installing a secret trojan, is not only dastardly, but highly illegal in many countries.
Jared in NYC