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#150966 - 2005-11-04 12:57 AM OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html November 2, 2005 - This Service Pack removes the cloaking technology component that has been recently discussed in a number of articles published regarding the XCP Technology used on SONY BMG content protected CDs http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html World of Warcraft hackers using Sony BMG rootkit http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/34 F-Secure: Sony releases update for DRM software http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/archive-112005.html
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#150967 - 2005-11-04 12:42 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
masken masken MM club member Registered: 2000-11-27 Posts: 1222 Loc: Gothenburg, Sweden	yeah, read about this a few days ago. Way to go Sony! :/ Even BBC commented on this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4400148.stm Sony has put up a "fix" for this, but all it really does is unhiding the hidden installation: http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html _________________________ The tart is out there
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#150968 - 2005-11-04 06:40 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	Well as I see it the bigger issue here is that Sony has already let the cat out of the bag so to speak. Now script kiddies and other wanne-bes will take the Sony code (cause they don't know enough to write driver files) and mix in their own spyware/adware crap that can now use the SAFE-MODE hiding as well. Long term it just makes it more difficult for an average Joe to remove spyware from his/her system. I don't think Sony was purposefully doing anything wrong, just a bad idea overall that will probably come back to haunt many users that never even bought a Sony CD, but because some dork decided it would be a good idea to mix in their spyware with it.
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#150969 - 2005-11-04 07:02 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	I think it sucks. Not only did they write malware - they wrote BAD malware - how would like installing some peice of crap that scanned every process on your machine, 8 times a second, looking for sh*t. Whether your playing a DVD or not. Idiots !
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#150970 - 2005-11-04 10:49 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
masken masken MM club member Registered: 2000-11-27 Posts: 1222 Loc: Gothenburg, Sweden	rootkits is nothing new in itself actually, although maybe it hasn't been known to all script kiddies out there before. But the effect was immediate, already used for a World of Warcraft hack that you've linked to above... _________________________ The tart is out there
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#150971 - 2005-11-10 11:16 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Allen Allen KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-04-19 Posts: 4572 Loc: USA	And so it begins... Backdoor.Ryknos First Sony virus found; lawsuit filed _________________________ (... better days ahead)
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#150972 - 2005-11-11 01:08 AM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	Yep, that's just what I said would happen. Surprised it took a week to get going.
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#150973 - 2005-11-15 12:51 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Co Co MM club member Registered: 2000-11-20 Posts: 1342 Loc: NL	http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/uninstall.html "...UNINSTALL REQUESTS If at some point you wish to remove the software from your machine simply contact customer service through this link. The only safe and proper way to uninstall the components is to follow these instructions exactly. You will, though, be unable to use the disc on your computer once you uninstall the components..." _________________________ Co
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#150974 - 2005-11-15 02:06 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Sony announced to halt production of XCP enabled cd's. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4430608.stm Quote: .... Sony has said it will suspend the production of music CDs with anti-piracy technology which can leave computers vulnerable to viruses. The move came after security firms said hackers were exploiting the software to hide their creations. .... Quote: .... Sony said it had a right to stop people illegally copying music, but added that the halt was precautionary. .... Edited by Mart (2005-11-15 02:07 PM) _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#150975 - 2005-11-15 06:18 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	Quote: Sony said it had a right to stop people illegally copying music, but added that the halt was precautionary. Yeah... precautionary to prevent huge drop in music sales due to BAD PUBLICITY of the Company.
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#150976 - 2005-11-18 12:59 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Co Co MM club member Registered: 2000-11-20 Posts: 1342 Loc: NL	Two new F4I license infringements found: http://www.the-interweb.com/serendipity/...ents-found.html _________________________ Co
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#150977 - 2005-11-19 03:42 AM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Allen Allen KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-04-19 Posts: 4572 Loc: USA	Well it looks like Sony is finally fessing up and offering to swap out the CDs and is going to have an uninstallation program to remove the software. Quote: Sony BMG, after announcing a recall of some 4.7 million CDs with the software on Wednesday, said on Friday consumers could mail their CDs to the company, and they would receive a new unprotected CD in return. Pending the processing of the exchange program, consumers would also receive an e-mail with details of a Web site where they could download the music tracks as unprotected MP3 files. Details of the swap program can be found on http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/. Music CDs with the copy-protection software can be identified by a web address containing the letters XCP printed on the back of the box. Last week the music publisher said it would do anything possible make amends with its customers who were outraged when the first viruses were discovered. Full Story _________________________ (... better days ahead)
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#150978 - 2005-11-20 04:42 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Yeah well I think it still sucks that they did put these kinds of CD's on the market. Maybe they should think things over once more before using it in the wild. Nice to hear that they will swap the bad disks but they still poured a shitload of complaints and bad publicity on themselves. _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#150979 - 2005-12-01 10:05 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4402 Loc: New Jersey	Released by our help desk today, related to the Sony Root Kit issue. This is just a snippet of the announcement, but it seems like they are they treating this like a virus! Quote: A group of more than 50 titles of Music CDs produced by Sony BMG Entertainment contains hidden files that make PCs susceptible to viruses. These files are downloaded when these CDs are played on PCs... A few *** employees have inadvertently downloaded this software by playing one of the affected CDs on their PCs and now must have their PCs re-imaged. Please help keep your PC free from viruses by not playing Sony music CDs on your PC. And remember, it is a violation of * policy to install or download unauthorized software. ... They have decided on the laptop reimage method as no reliable removal process exists (that is automated & repeatable). Glenn _________________________ Actually** I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#150980 - 2005-12-01 10:08 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	hmmm, think they prolly should have left out this line ... And remember, it is a violation of ***** policy to install or download unauthorized software. for this particular special case, eh ? Implying (indirectly) that they downloaded unauthorized software might be a little unfair.
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#150981 - 2005-12-01 10:46 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4402 Loc: New Jersey	Er, no.. we sign a document every year about installing/downloading unauthorized software. Nobody's losing their job over this one - that was a reminder of the policy, and an heads-up that "software" can come from unexpected places (like music CDs). Glenn _________________________ Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#150982 - 2005-12-01 11:00 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	What a joy eh! Actually lucky that this was detected early on so that not a lot of systems had that Sony software installed.
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#150983 - 2005-12-03 03:59 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	My problem with this root-kit issue is how the heck it can embed itself soo deeply inside the OS without the user having local admin privileges. At that point the kit must take advantage of some kind of vulnerability or weak security in the OS. The next question is, if the kit indeed requires local admin privs, why did the corporate users have such rights? _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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#150984 - 2005-12-04 08:07 AM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
NTDOC NTDOC Administrator Registered: 2000-07-28 Posts: 11634 Loc: Space	The kit does require Admin priv to get on in the first place, but don't forget Jens that there are many Companies out there from small mom and pop shops to large enterprise size that do allow at least some users to have Admin rights on their system. Some even allow all users to have Admin rights good/bad or otherwise.
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#150985 - 2005-12-04 01:51 PM Re: OT: - Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	Oh, I know, I'm guilty as well. I'm still one of the few non-IT users who have retained their rights to be a local admin on my work-computers due to the sheer number of Helpdesk request I would have to submit otherwise. However, this incident shows that security best practices are here for a reason and I'm sure eventually insurance companies will for example require proof of following best practices before insuring business continuity policies. Anyway, this whole case is also interesting from a legal point-of-view. What restrictions can be placed on a user to enforce e.g. DRM? A person still has the right to commmit a crime (e.g. copyright infringement). Where do we draw the line? Next step is to ask for ID if you want to buy food that is unhealthy for some, undeer the auspices to preserve public health and decreasing health insurance costs. Maybe flag recovering alcoholics to prevent them from buying alcohol? _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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