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Topic: Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior (Read 67917 times) previous topic - next topic
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Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #50
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They are beautiful. Nothing related to the music, but just to the DRM issue.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=music&n=507846
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=music&n=507846
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=340809"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The solution to this big abuse is clear:
DON'T BUY ANY PROTECT CD's!! from Sony or any disc label.
We, the consumers, don't deserve to be mistreated this way.
In the moment that more and more people reject these criminals and arrogant actions from these big corporations (as Sony), then, and only in that moment the problem will begin to have solution.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #51
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Quote
They are beautiful. Nothing related to the music, but just to the DRM issue.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=music&n=507846
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=music&n=507846
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The solution to this big abuse is clear:
DON'T BUY ANY PROTECT CD's!! from Sony or any disc label.
We, the consumers, don't deserve to be mistreated this way.
In the moment that more and more people reject these criminals and arrogant actions from these big corporations (as Sony), then, and only in that moment the problem will begin to have solution.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=341160"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Sony has "temporarily" decided to stop making cds with this technology (I wonder what they'll come up with next that they won't tell us about): [a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mymod/hdln/vm/sty/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051111/music_nm/sony_copyprotection_dc]http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mymod/hdln/vm/sty/*...pyprotection_dc[/url]

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #52
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three vulnerabilities in the Windows graphics rendering engine
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=341144"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

So is that report referring to GDI, most notibly GDI.exe and/or the already patched for vulnerabilities gdiplus.dll?

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #53
That's it - I'm not buying any CDs any more. I've had my doubts before due to all the previous DRM methods, loudness race etc. but this was the final straw. Don't know how I'll get my music from now on, but certainly not the old CD way.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #54
The paranoia of the music industry is getting ridicules...somehow they don't understand that people that buy CD's are not the enemy and not the ones that share music...how else can it be that many releases are available on the internet even before they hit stores...maybe cleaning out in their own rows would be just as efficient  How can they fight against someone that supports them?!

Anyway, Sony is the one that gets punished heavily for this…hopefully it teaches the other labels a lesson here so they don't even think about implementing something similar…
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #55
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That's it - I'm not buying any CDs any more. I've had my doubts before due to all the previous DRM methods, loudness race etc. but this was the final straw. Don't know how I'll get my music from now on, but certainly not the old CD way.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=341399"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

There is no life outside of hollywood - we're all doomed!

Hint: more than 90% of albums released worldwide do not come from major labels. However, most of the albums sold worldwide do come from major labels.
I am arrogant and I can afford it because I deliver.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #56
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... how else can it be that many releases are available on the internet even before they hit stores ... maybe cleaning out in their own rows would be just as efficient


A little conspiracy theory here ... this could as well be free advertising for them.
The name was Plex The Ripper, not Jack The Ripper

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #57
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... how else can it be that many releases are available on the internet even before they hit stores ... maybe cleaning out in their own rows would be just as efficient


A little conspiracy theory here ... this could as well be free advertising for them.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=341496"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Naah. 99% of the time I believe it's the music press or friends the music press have passed the CDs onto.
daefeatures.co.uk

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #58
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3. Can I get a copy of the disc without the content protected technology?

No. We manufacture only one commercial version of each new release, a content protected version.

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1. I have an Apple Macintosh computer. Will the disc work on my MAC?

Yes. This disc will behave like a traditional CD in a Mac.


oh the hypocricy! that cracks me up 

we won't even touch the other points...

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/faq.html

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #59
Just a little note to all HA users, that there have been trojans and viruses found out in the wild that uses this exploit to propagate itself and hide from view. Currently the risk is low as it is slow spreading. Can't remember the source but I am sure I read it from CNet news. Just update your virus scanners to get new definitions or check whether the virus scanner can detect the DRM rootkit.

Regards
-=MusePack... Living Audio Compression=-

Honda - The Power of Dreams

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #60
We're nearing the final chapter of this horror story 

Sony recalls the CDs with this version of the XCP protection from the shops and offers customers to exchange bought disc with a non XCPed one.

Meanwhile it has turned out that the ActiveX plugin (from first4Internet), that was used to remove the 'rootkit'  upon request of the user (through Sony support), was more dangerous than the rootkit itself! 
It stays on the computer (in Internet Explorer) and leaves the computer with a wide open backdoor   

[span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%']Full story on many places on the Internet like [/span]here

At the very least, this has created a healthy mistrust towards what in the name of DRM can be done.
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.



Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #63
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http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html
A list of cds with this garbage.[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Strange. I've got this CD from the list:
8. Bob Brookmeyer Bob Brookmeyer & Friends CK94292 827969429228
and there is no copy protection. It's pretty new and it's purchased 3 weeks ago. ???

And what more: the list is missing Santana new CD [a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097DXZS/103-0213833-1699024?v=glance&n=5174&s=music&v=glance]All That I Am[/url], which is even announced as [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] ???
Is there a difference between yes and no?

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #64
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Quote
http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html
A list of cds with this garbage.[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Strange. I've got this CD from the list:
8. Bob Brookmeyer Bob Brookmeyer & Friends CK94292 827969429228
and there is no copy protection. It's pretty new and it's purchased 3 weeks ago. ???

And what more: the list is missing Santana new CD [a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097DXZS/103-0213833-1699024?v=glance&n=5174&s=music&v=glance]All That I Am[/url], which is even announced as [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] ???
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=342569"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


I think only US releases had this DRM stuff, UK didn't, and as your from "universe" i guess yours is unaffectd

Kristian

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #65
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The solution to this big abuse is clear:
DON'T BUY ANY PROTECT CD's!! from Sony or any disc label.
We, the consumers, don't deserve to be mistreated this way.
In the moment that more and more people reject these criminals and arrogant actions from these big corporations (as Sony), then, and only in that moment the problem will begin to have solution.
Yeah! 
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That's it - I'm not buying any CDs any more. I've had my doubts before due to all the previous DRM methods, loudness race etc. but this was the final straw. Don't know how I'll get my music from now on, but certainly not the old CD way.
Well you can always borrow some CD'S from your friends. Anyway for me this is also a final straw I'll never buy a copy protected CD anymore! 
Quote
The paranoia of the music industry is getting ridicules... somehow they don't understand that people that buy CD's are not the enemy and not the ones that share music... how else can it be that many releases are available on the internet even before they hit stores... maybe cleaning out in their own rows would be just as efficient  How can they fight against someone that supports them?!
Yep, it seems that the music industry managers don't have at least a little piece of brain in their heads... 
Quote
Anyway, Sony is the one that gets punished heavily for this… hopefully it teaches the other labels a lesson here so they don't even think about implementing something similar…
I really doubt about it, the end is nowhere IMO...
Sorry for my poor English, I'm trying to get better... ;)
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #66
DRM's concept makes sense to a very small point.  But adding DRM to CD's is just plain dumb.  They want to stop piracy, so what do they do?  They punish the people who are actuall still buying the music like a bunch of idiots.  The "pirates" don't care about copy protection because they are rarely the ones buying the discs in the first place.  Sony has no brains.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #67
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Matti Nikki at lame-dev mailing list bought the Van Zant CD, and noticed one of the files (\Contents\GO.EXE) Contains the following string:

"http://www.mp3dev.org  0.90    LAME3.95"

So, besides breaking several costumer rights with that CD, they are also probably breaking the LGPL.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=338998"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I also heard about this in a Podcast today.  Any new information on how it could affect Sony or LAME devs?

It's just sooo sleazy.
"The way we see our world is better than yours."

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #68
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http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html
14. The Coral . . The Invisible Invasion

This title gave away what they were doing
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #69
This situation has actually helped me a bit.

I was dithering back and forth about getting my son an X Box 360 for Christmas or waiting for a PS3.

X Box it is.

The decision to get a Blue Ray or HD-DVD player is now equally easy.

I hope they are roundly censured for this,and that ultimately new laws protecting our rights will result.

It will be interesting to see how Sony's lawyers explain how collecting and transmitting info on listening habits without the users permission helps them protect their content.

 


Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #72
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If you avoid installing the rootkit, has anyone tried ripping from one of these CDs?  Does it work?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=340559"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, it does work if you use EAC.  Real Player (ugh) and probably most other low-end Windows CD rippers (AKA WMP, iTunes, etc.) saw absolutely nothing.

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #73
You sure about that?  I just bought a used copy of the Sarah McLachlan - Bloom Remix Album tonight and I couldn't do anything with it really.  The minute you don't accept the disclaimer that pops up it will eject the CD.  And when I tried running EAC on it with the pop-up just sitting there I kept getting sync errors on both of my drives.  I have  JLMS & a Lite-On (which are both made by the evil empire).
The other thing I noticed is that right after inserting the disc a window popped up that said it was scanning and updating my component library...WTF?
I haven't noticed anything unusual since then, but I'm still a bit uneasy about this.  I have been able to insert other discs and copy them with EAC to FLAC and then convert the FLAC to mp3 using foobar.  And the resulting files sound and seem to be completely normal...
Is there anything I should be worried about here?
JXL <---Seriously pissed off consumer 

Sony BMG's copy protection shows rootkit-behavior

Reply #74
Have you tried disabling Autorun (temporarily)?
Just hold the Shift key when inserting the CD 'til the LED on your drive stops blinking.

Most copy protection b0rks out when Autorun is disabled.