Removing Sony's CD 'rootkit' kills Windows

[muckshifter]

oops ...

Sysinternals' Mark Russinovich has performed an analysis of the copy restriction measures deployed by Sony Music on its latest CDs: which he bluntly calls a 'root kit'. Using conventional tools to remove Sony's digital media malware will leave ordinary users with Windows systems unable to play CDs. While the Sony CDs play fine on Red Book audio devices such as standard consumer electronics CD players, when they're played on a Windows PC the software forces playback through a bundled media player, and restricts how many digital copies can be made from Windows.

What makes Sony's CD digital media software particularly nasty is that using expert tools for removing the parasite risks leaving you with a Windows PC that's useless, and that requires a full reformat and reinstall.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/01/sony_rootkit_drm/



Wonder what happens to Linux.

 

[muckshifter]

More here, just in case, like me, you doubted The Register ...

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

I think Sony's share price is about to hit an all time low ... sell sell sell

... or simply never buy another Sony product again.

 

[Raje]

Hey Mucks.. I have a program that rips by recording a live stream. It will play the song and along side it also records it in the requested format.

So is this how all programs work... or is this my "Loop Hole"
EDIT: After reading both articles fully through I now see the problem. You are forced to intall thier bundled software to play the music, and this program has the virus... thats terrible.

 

[muckshifter]

Haven't a clue Raje ... Sony just install a 'virus' strait onto your system, if you use a Rootkit remover, it breaks Windows ... so you have to do a clean install

I don't care what anybody does or uses ... and I don't want to know ...

Sony is installing viruses via their CDs

I'm just a messenger ... but I won't be buying ANYTHING off Sony ever again

 

[muckshifter]

nice ... bugger you Sony!

AnyDVD tackles Sony DRM Rootkit Virus!
If AnyDVD is installed and active on your PC, the new so-called "Sony DRM Rootkit Virus" has no access to your system and the affected audio CD appears unprotected regardless! Another good reason to get AnyDVD!

Read more information about Sony DRM Rootkit Virus:
Sysinternals.com: Sony gone too far
F-Secure.com: ...security implications

 

[muckshifter]

... and from one AV vendor

http://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/xcp_drm.shtml