Sony Says It Will Patch The Rootkit... Sort Of
from the too-little-too-late? dept
Sony BMG and First 4 Internet, the makers of the rootkit copy protection that's getting so much attention these days, have announced that they'll be releasing a patch to fix the problem, while also delivering a fix to various anti-virus firms to put into their tools as well. Note that this patch doesn't actually remove the copy protection or even make it that easy to uninstall. It just reveals the part that was hidden deeply in the computer. This isn't quite the response that folks like Ed Felten suggested they take. Also, no word on whether or not other labels that use the same tools, like Universal Music, will also be releasing the patch.
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The big question is by Anonymous on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 1:15pm
Why hasn't this been on any of the major (no offense) news sites?
Sony gets a pass for a couple of days, until they have a response, because they're a big advertiser?
Sad.
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No Subject Given by SV on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 2:53pm
What a silly afterthought. So how the hell am I supposed to patch a damn CD?
Oh wait I'll just burn a copy of the patch on a CD and bring it everywhere I want to play the CD so I can "fix" every "infected" PC I want to play the CD on?
What is this, a cruel joke?
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Re: No Subject Given by Happy user on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 3:26pm
When I purchase a MUSIC Compact Disc, I had intended to just be able to play it in any CD player i wanted to play it in. Now I am limited to being able to bring it to work and play it on my office computer while coding a spreadsheet -- in fear that the IS department will find out that "foreign software" was installed without prior authorization.
Thanks to Sony, you are now making it easier for people at work who listen to MUSIC CDs, to easily get fired.
...
Though, I am guessing that my MUSIC CD should not even be placed into a computer's CD-ROM drive at all. So why doesn't Sony just state on their packaging, "Not intended for computer CD-Rom drives." and let those who do use the disc against that warning, get punished by being fired or having their computer system's security compromised -- but that sounds like too harsh of a punishment, doesn't it? This is exactly what Sony is doing though.
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Re: No Subject Given by amazon10x on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 4:04pm
Actually, happy user, if you purchased one of the discs with this copy protection garbage on it, you did not purchase a MUSIC Compact Disc.
The discs that sony releases with music on them do not comply with Philips Red Book standards.
So before anyone asks; yes, it would be possible to sue Sony for marketing these 'round things' as CDs
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Re: No Subject Given by Happy user on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 6:04pm
Thanks amazon10x! I wonder if the music artist have any say in this matter at all -- thier music being placed on non-standard cds, market as standard cds. (or am I still confussed in this matter?)
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Re: No Subject Given by crystalattice on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 7:51pm
Good call! I was about to say the same thing. One thing I haven't heard though. Can these protected CD's be copied via a set-top CD copier, like the ones amateur DJ's use? Or is the protection strictly for PC's?
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Re: No Subject Given by zcat on Nov 2nd, 2005 @ 11:08pm
Yes they are..
While the original 'corrupt audio' CD's messed with error correction and were not standard compliant, it's my understanding that the latest protected CD's are a completely standard data session followed by a completely standard redbook CDDA session.
Also this is truly a virus; you're allowed to make up to three copies via the special player on the original CD, and each of those copies will include the same autorun rootkit which will infect any computer they're used on.
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No Subject Given by thecaptain on Nov 3rd, 2005 @ 4:55am
screw this, should I ever be dumb enough to purchase one of these CDs, I'll find a way to rip it faster than one can say Bit torrent.
I don't usually buy CDs, and my downloading days are quite gone. I've ripped my CD collection and replaced my old tapes with MP3s. Just when I start getting interested in a few new CDs I read about this.
No way in hell am I buying another CD until this shit stops. My downloading days are back and no longer limitted to music I've already "licensed".
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