f13.net

 This  (http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html) is kind of an interesting read if you are inclined to read this sort of thing.  I'm still reading it and haven't followed all the links and read them yet, however.   

That's some fucked up shit.

Is there a EULA or anything that comes up when you put in the CD and try to play it or make a copy of it? I couldn't tell if there was from the linked site.

There is an EULA, but it does not address the installation of the type of software.  Its addressed in the comments somewhere.

Lame, thats some sloppy crap on there.  The best way they could come up with to determine if thier music was being copied was to look and see if any running program had one of thier special music files open every few seconds?  Fugly.

It is fugly and it's clumsy and rather stupid... but is it illegal?

As much so as WoW's spyware.

Ahh, I don't think so. WoW's "spyware" is covered in their EULA, it seems.

Which was my point - I'm sure buried deep somewhere in the packaging is something that Sony inserted as well.  WoW retrofits their EULA while always keeping the same date on it, making it debatable its customers really know there has been a change.

EULA was modified.

http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html#113081176281037052

Doesn't stuff like this just make you want to give someone such a big pinch?

It makes me feel very justified in my policy of never accepting the installation of any software that comes as part of a music CD or video DVD.

Unless it's that one where Shakira is paddling in the mud.

More like a donkey punch and a Cleveland steamer.

Ha!  You've never been on the tushie end of my pinch!

Here's a funny little story of Sony helping WoW cheaters. (http://www.wowsharp.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7251)

The irony!  It's entertaining to watch these companies give ideas and tools to hackers and pirates as they try to keep an eye on exactly what we do with their product on our computers.  I'm no supporter of hackers, but this is exactly what these companies get for being so invasive.

http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/34
(I don't really reccommend this site for anything useful, actually)

Oh sweet sweet irony... and the arms race continues.

Since the original article was published, Sony has reacted by first updating their EULA (which shouldn't matter for all the prior releases, IMO), and by providing a tool to reveal the hidden files and processes, as well as removal tools, although you have to register to get the tool.

Not that it matters, I'm sure that there is already software out there to break this scheme, since the scheme itself was protected by its obscurity, which, as we see once again, is no protection at all.

On the bright side, know I know that I have to scan my system for rootkits.  Thank goodness for tech geeks.

The best part is that apparently their copy protection can be defeated by holding the shift key down while you insert the disc.

That goes for all music copy-protection schemes that rely on installing shit on your PC. That, or turning off the CD-ROM autostart "feature".

Summary piece by coherent journo:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4406178.stm

Well, motherfucker.

So I went out this weekend to the used CD store and bought a CD, the Velvet Revolver album. And after reading that BBC article, I looked on the case, seeing it was a BMG CD. Placing the CD into my drive at work, I get the nasty little popup telling me to install their fucking music player software. I give it a firm "No," since I already have at least two other pieces of music player software on my machine, I don't need another, thank you very fucking much. It ejects the CD from the drive. Fuckers. So then I go into Windows Media Player (after holding down the Shift key to keep the CD from trying to install their shitware) and just add the files from my CD into my media library. It's my goddamn CD, I bought it.

That works well until I try to play them. Thank you very fucking much, Microsoft, which now tells me for each one of the songs, that I have to go to the company's web site in order to get a license to play the songs. You know, the songs on the CD that I fucking bought with my own fucking money. Those songs. Not wanting to do so, since my purchase of the CD IS MY GODDAMN LICENSE TO PLAY THE SONGS ON MY OWN GODDAMN HARDWARE, I told it "No" firmly.

And it doesn't play the songs. At all. Cocksmokers.

It's my fucking CD. I'm not copying it for all in the world to download, I just want to listen to it on my computer at work or home. I don't need your fucking spyware rootkit media player, I have a media player of choice. I'm tempted to take the motherfucking CD back to the store and tell him why I'm returning it. There is no good goddam reason for that kind of shit. IT'S MY FUCKING CD, AND I HAVE THE LICENSE TO USE IT.

Pussyweasels.

Not installing their protection software is supporting terrorism.  You are a patriot, are you not?

I am a patriot missle of hate at the misuse of copyright law.

Well... stop buying their product.  Every purchase is a vote of confidence for every policy they have.  Quit it.

Note that I bought a USED CD. Which means I'm not paying the company, someone else did that. I haven't bought a new CD in over a year because of stupid shit like this.

From a store that sells new CDs?

No, from a store that sells used CD's. And used DVD's. Hence the name "used CD store" that I put in the original post.

Essentially, some other idiot bought BMG's product and got rid of it. I bought it from a middleman, not realizing that in order to fully use the product, I would have to bend over and spread my cheeks for my new daddy.

Haem:

If the actual music files on the disc are visible to Windows Explorer, just rip them to MP3 using another application, like DMC (http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm) or FreeRip (http://www.mgshareware.com/frmmain.shtml).

Some copy-protected discs will also render the files invisible to Windows, but I've found that Easy CD Creator 5 (and likely other CD burining apps) can still read the files if you select the drive the CD is in as your source, and will allow you to copy them as .wav files to your HDD.  At that point you can then convert 'em to MP3 (and then play them using WMP) without any (additional) hassle.  I'm pretty sure that with DMC, that may not be necessary (just turn off Table of Contents detection)

Some good idears, Mr N. I should get a Sony disc and check it on my OSX Mac. Failing that, rip it on a Unix box. There are still ways. I wish game devs would support OSX so I could ditch goddamned windows.

No you don't because then you would get multi-os rootkits and would have the same problem with OS X. I like the mac having the marketshare it has, and not having to worry about viruses or worms or this kind of crap designed for windows.

Yeah, the original wrap has a big warning sticker that says "This cd contains copy protection software" Doesn't do you any good since you bought a used CD.   I was able to rip the CD by using Music Match Jukebox to rip the files straight to MP3 with my laptop at home, so what Mr. Noisy suggests will work for you.

When Apple and Intel become butt buddies, though, maybe we'll get some of the cool viruses, too.  Maybe we can even get Sony's popular new rootkit!  I only ever use a PC because I hate people having stuff I can't have. 

(edited to add the word "get" between "even" and "Sony")

Microsoft is porting VBScript to OSX?

Maybe if the virus writers learned ANSI C they could find something more interesting to do than write virii?  There you go, all the worlds ills saved by proper education.

Just out of interest is Sony helping to break other co's games.......WoW anyone? (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/04/secfocus_wow_bot/)

(edit)
...oops, sorry you are already there..missed the previous...(at least it was a different link)...

I promise never to post again

Whoa, I've never seen anyone reprimand themselves on the net before.

Wha?! I do that shit all the time.  :wink:

You're apologetic. Big difference between that and the forum equivilent of seppuku. Actually, that's not true. I have seen someone delete their own user account before.  :roll:

All of us on f13 should be ashamed.  We don't deserve the internet.

First Sony virus found; lawsuit filed (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9991596/)

Here is the gist:



Do I really need to comment?  Just insert the profanities of your choice here.

Crotchpheasants.

Smaller Companies Face Bigger Problems (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9995214/)


Sony can probably argue it did not intend to deliver spyware.  Which doesn't change the fact that it did.

Of course, there is no way that a multi-national like Sony could be shutdown as the smaller companies in this article have been.  But I think Sony should face some sanctions over this.

If by 'sanctions' you mean the violent anal rape of the programmers who wrote this and the executives who okayed it, then yes. They should face heavy sanctions.

Or to quote the Pope Larry Stenchek, they SHOULD PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR CRIMES!

Sony to Stop Controversial CD Software (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051111/ap_on_hi_te/sony_copy_protection)

Bunch of cockthieving cum dumpsters. I see they didn't offer to replace the CD's that had this bullshit on them with unfucked versions, or pay for any damages someone might get from catching a virus that uses this shit. Yeah, way to cowboy up, you anal-raping midget molesting tits.

In this case, not so much beating a dead horse, as it is beating a supine customer:

Fallout from Sony CD flap getting worse
Researchers says software removal scheme aggravates security hole (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10053831/)


Not many people introduce security flaws so bad that people immediately begin writing a post-graduate thesis on it.  The only blessing is that there are only about 20 titles with the software 'protection' scheme on it, and Sony has recalled those.

Baby, the hits just keep on coming.


Added:  From Yahoo News