DRM - Copy protection, next of kind .......

[stratege]

All of you should be aware of the sony rootkit (crap stuff, like SF) ...

Have a look to that marvellous blog:

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

[Gizzmoe]

It´s a copy protection, not a rootkit! Definition of "rootkit":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_kit

[stratege]

i will NOT start ... i will NOT start ..... arrrrgh, i have start it ...


the wiki say's:
A root kit typically hides logins, processes, files, and logs and may include software to intercept data from terminals, network connections, and the keyboard. In many sources, root kits are counted as trojan horses....

Well, the "something" from the sony disk is actually hidings a process call $sys$crater (and other) in order to manage the drm correctly ....

Moreof that, if you use s dump-sniffer like ethereal, you will see that while you are using the sony-drm-player who comes with the disk, the DRM system connects to connected.sonymusic.com and www.sonymusic.com and tells them an id number, apparently identifying the album. So, sony knows your ip address and what you listen to.

SO, its intercepts data also ...

SO, this is a rootkit...

[jumpy]

Interesting read there, stratege.
It´s a copy protection, not a rootkit!
Whatever... If I want to play a music CD (one I bought for my GF) on her computer with media player or similar- the disk loads some wierd player thing (it's a sony publication by the way) and tries to access the net and all sorts of crap, without my permission. As for a music CD 'installing' hidden drivers/files without authorisation and consent which cannot be easily deleted even in safe mode; that's just getting to be *********g criminal. Its my damn computer; so I should have complete and total control over my property and not have it exploited or hijacked by overly greedy industry safety concerns. What right do they have to get away with that kind of behaviour and expect people to put up and shut up? :hulk: (it's rhetorical, so I don't expect some smartass answer about interllectual property rights or any of the other arguments the industry bandys about to justify installing intrusive software without your direct consent- 'cause they know bloody well most folk would tell them to go to hell).

Time for users to start taking the power back and let these industry monopolies know who is responsible for their existance and continued success as a business venture.

[Gizzmoe]

Sorry, stratege, but you simply don´t seem to know what a rootkit really is. Read the Wiki again. Rootkit=Intentional malware. Gaining root privileges on a protected machine. It´s not enough to simply hide drivers and send anonymous usage data (the latter is also done by Windows Media Player, Winamp and Realplayer if you don´t disable that). Mark was simply wrong to call it a rootkit. It´s not semantics, there´s a huuuuge difference between a copy protection and a rootkit.

Read also this tgdaily article if you don´t believe me:
http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/11/03/sony_bmg_xcp_is_it_a_rootkit/

[Syline]

Actually, Sony's DRM IS mentioned on Wikipedia. Looks like it's a copy protection using root kit technology, so I do not see what's wrong with calling it "rootkit". It might not be malicious, but it's still intrusive.

[Gizzmoe]

Actually, Sony's DRM IS mentioned on Wikipedia. Looks like it's a copy protection using root kit technology, so I do not see what's wrong with calling it "rootkit". It might not be malicious, but it's still intrusive.

I know, and that part should either be removed or rewritten. A real rootkit is one of the most nasty things and cannot be compared to DRM software, no matter how intrusive it is. Sony´s copyprotection doesn´t use "rootkit technology", only "stealth technology". Big difference.

[stratege]

Gizz. you are right.



This should be called more a trojan than a rootkit.

Anyway .... this piece of software sucks ....

Sucks means in that case:
- installing a 3rd software without implicite rights from the computer owners.
- doing uncomented actions.
- mot being easily removable.
- spying.


Hopefully, this is a sh3 forum .... so just to say something interesting:
- nvidia has release v5.11 for his nforce 3 drivers, witch had fixed 75% of my computer problems when playin to sh3 ... HAPPY ME.

But, has i am moving to a new flat with my (new) girlfriend, sh3 is not in my scope righ now .....

[U-214]

Stratege is right.It is a rootkit.My antivirus company says so and i beleive them.Sony was forced to make it visible and more easy to remove (previously it made Windows impossible to use).

http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/

Fortune for me that i listen to oldies and don't care of buying new CDs nowdays,but this is disturbing.

[Gizzmoe]

Stratege is right.It is a rootkit.My antivirus company says so and i beleive them.

Nah, they are misusing this term, as many other people.

Sony was forced to make it visible and more easy to remove (previously it made Windows impossible to use).

Yep! http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html

[Gizzmoe]

- installing a 3rd software without implicite rights from the computer owners.

Well, I know that everybody hates to read the EULA, but:
"[...]Once you have read these terms and conditions, you will be asked whether or not you agree to be bound by them. Click “AGREE” if you agree to be bound. Click “DISAGREE” if you do not agree to be bound. [...] As soon as you have agreed to be bound by the terms and conditions of the EULA, this CD will automatically install a small proprietary software program (the “SOFTWARE”) onto YOUR COMPUTER. The SOFTWARE is intended to protect the audio files embodied on the CD, and it may also facilitate your use of the DIGITAL CONTENT."

- spying.

"However, the SOFTWARE will not be used at any time to collect any personal information from you, whether stored on YOUR COMPUTER or otherwise."

[Gizzmoe]

Moved to "General Topics".

[SUBMAN1]

SImple solution. Turn off autoplay and don't load any nifty software.

-S

[kanderstag]

Anyone work for Sony? :hmm:

[Gizzmoe]

"Sony BMG's DRM provider does not rule out future use of stealth":
http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/11/04/f4i_says_sony_bmg_xcp_is_not_rootkit/

"More on Sony: Dangerous Decloaking Patch, EULAs and Phoning Home":
http://www.sysinternals.com/Blog/

[Wim Libaers]

Definitely a rootkit. Rootkits, by themselves, are just information hiders. They are often used in combination with malware, to hide the nasty stuff, but it's still a rootkit if there is no sabotage of the system going on (of course, what happened to the CD player could be considered sabotage).

Some people are already using it:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/03/187215&tid=158&tid=206