Comments on: Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:42:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Wal-Mart Launches DRM-free Music Downloads | Etixet Tag Cloud Archive 10.000 Web Site Feed http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-452342 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:44:34 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-452342 [...] Still, DRM-free music is much better than music with DRM that acts as a rootkit (ahem, Sony) or makes us jump through hoops to play it on our MP3 players or stereos. Much as I hate to applaud anything Wal-Mart does, I have to applaud this - but more as an industry move than a Wal-Mart move. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...] […] Still, DRM-free music is much better than music with DRM that acts as a rootkit (ahem, Sony) or makes us jump through hoops to play it on our MP3 players or stereos. Much as I hate to applaud anything Wal-Mart does, I have to applaud this - but more as an industry move than a Wal-Mart move. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. […]

]]> by: » Sony Goes “Back to the Rootkit” » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-259993 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:05:10 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-259993 [...] It’s been nearly two years since since Sony got into the rootkit business. Not intentionally, but the DRM installed by Sony BMG CDs when you tried to play them on your PC had rootkit qualities. Not only that, but in a real-life example of the vulnerability, hackers used it to hack World of Warcraft. [...] […] It’s been nearly two years since since Sony got into the rootkit business. Not intentionally, but the DRM installed by Sony BMG CDs when you tried to play them on your PC had rootkit qualities. Not only that, but in a real-life example of the vulnerability, hackers used it to hack World of Warcraft. […]

]]> by: Freeware Download | Download Freeware http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-256212 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:24:29 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-256212 [...] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your ownsite. [...] […] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your ownsite. […]

]]> by: » Sony BMG Sues Over MediaMax Copy Protection » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-227690 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:15:40 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-227690 [...] In 2005 there were quite a few issues over Sony CD copy protection. Although the one that drew the most attention was the rootkit-like XCP copy protection, there was also the MediaMax copy protection, that installed even when declined, for example. Yesterday Sony sued the company that developed this software, saying it was defective and cost Sony millions. Sony BMG filed a summons in a New York state court against The Amergence Group Inc., formerly SunnComm International, which developed the MediaMax CD copy-protection technology. [...] […] In 2005 there were quite a few issues over Sony CD copy protection. Although the one that drew the most attention was the rootkit-like XCP copy protection, there was also the MediaMax copy protection, that installed even when declined, for example. Yesterday Sony sued the company that developed this software, saying it was defective and cost Sony millions. Sony BMG filed a summons in a New York state court against The Amergence Group Inc., formerly SunnComm International, which developed the MediaMax CD copy-protection technology. […]

]]> by: » 67 Year Old Sued by MPAA for iMesh Downloads » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-101169 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 01:52:42 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-101169 [...] $5.4 billion dollars? Where does this figure come from, does anyone know how they figure this total? I’ve tried a couple movies that friends downloaded, cough, and the quality normally isn’t very good, even if you can get it too work properly to start with, and the sound is sometimes off, making it very annoying to watch. Heck, even the real good copies I’ve seen will occasionally have people get up and walk in front of the camera that they used to record it with. Most movies online, that I have seen, are a joke. That’s why I buy mine. I like the packaging and the extras you get with the DVD, and I’ll even sometimes buy the regular DVD and then buy the special edition later on when it comes out, like the true nerd I am. But, stories like this and the one Michael wrote about getting the rootkit from the CD from Sony is why I make sure no one else in my family buys it, I let them watch MY copy. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...] […] $5.4 billion dollars? Where does this figure come from, does anyone know how they figure this total? I’ve tried a couple movies that friends downloaded, cough, and the quality normally isn’t very good, even if you can get it too work properly to start with, and the sound is sometimes off, making it very annoying to watch. Heck, even the real good copies I’ve seen will occasionally have people get up and walk in front of the camera that they used to record it with. Most movies online, that I have seen, are a joke. That’s why I buy mine. I like the packaging and the extras you get with the DVD, and I’ll even sometimes buy the regular DVD and then buy the special edition later on when it comes out, like the true nerd I am. But, stories like this and the one Michael wrote about getting the rootkit from the CD from Sony is why I make sure no one else in my family buys it, I let them watch MY copy. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. […]

]]> by: » Critical Fixes from Microsoft » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-100893 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:16:23 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-100893 [...] Just to make sure everyone knows and updates, Microsoft released some patches, including one that addresses part of the Sony rootkit problem Michael had been covering in previous weeks, making it impossible to run older versions of an ActiveX control that was released by the record label. The software maker released the patch in security bulletin MS05-054, as part of its monthly patching cycle. The update also plugs three other security holes in Internet Explorer, the Web browser component of Windows. One of the other flaws is also deemed critical, but Microsoft said it is not aware of any malicious code that takes advantage of it. [...] […] Just to make sure everyone knows and updates, Microsoft released some patches, including one that addresses part of the Sony rootkit problem Michael had been covering in previous weeks, making it impossible to run older versions of an ActiveX control that was released by the record label. The software maker released the patch in security bulletin MS05-054, as part of its monthly patching cycle. The update also plugs three other security holes in Internet Explorer, the Web browser component of Windows. One of the other flaws is also deemed critical, but Microsoft said it is not aware of any malicious code that takes advantage of it. […]

]]> by: Steve http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-6109 Mon, 05 Dec 2005 16:19:46 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-6109 Actually, the CyberShot DRM story is apparently a fake. Read the original here - http://www.bbspot.com/News/2005/11/sony_photo_sharing.html - it's a hoot. Not that I would put much past Sony at this point, and not that I'll be buying any Sony product in the foreseeable future, due to their evil and incompetent DRM policies... Actually, the CyberShot DRM story is apparently a fake.

Read the original here - http://www.bbspot.com/News/2005/11/sony_photo_sharing.html - it’s a hoot.

Not that I would put much past Sony at this point, and not that I’ll be buying any Sony product in the foreseeable future, due to their evil and incompetent DRM policies…

]]> by: Dario http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4886 Tue, 15 Nov 2005 08:19:01 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4886 It gets worse… New Sony Digital Camera Installs Rootkit to Stop Photo Sharing Los Angeles, CA - Many consumers are complaining about Sony's new Cybershot DSCP515 camera that installs digital rights management (DRM) software on the person's computer so they are unable to share their digital pictures with anyone. A Sony representative said it was part of its "increased vigilance in combating copyright and trademark infringement." The DRM is similar to the one which Sony recently came under fire for on its music CDs. That software installed rootkits on consumer's computers making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. "Picture sharing flies under the radar when it comes to piracy," said Wilkerson. "People know about the dangers of music and movie piracy, but not about the dangers of sharing personal photos. What happens if a person takes a picture of Mariah Carey's latest CD? Think of the children." The system which also makes it difficult to print out pictures has prompted complaints from consumers. "I tried to send a picture of my daughter to her Uncle Tim, but this window popped up saying it was blocked. I decided to print it out and mail it to him. There was a 14-page license agreement that printed out first that I had to fill out and fax to Sony so they could send me an authorization code to print out the picture." It gets worse… New Sony Digital Camera Installs Rootkit to Stop Photo Sharing

Los Angeles, CA - Many consumers are complaining about Sony’s new Cybershot DSCP515 camera that installs digital rights management (DRM) software on the person’s computer so they are unable to share their digital pictures with anyone.
A Sony representative said it was part of its “increased vigilance in combating copyright and trademark infringement.”
The DRM is similar to the one which Sony recently came under fire for on its music CDs. That software installed rootkits on consumer’s computers making them vulnerable to cyberattacks.
“Picture sharing flies under the radar when it comes to piracy,” said Wilkerson. “People know about the dangers of music and movie piracy, but not about the dangers of sharing personal photos. What happens if a person takes a picture of Mariah Carey’s latest CD? Think of the children.”
The system which also makes it difficult to print out pictures has prompted complaints from consumers. “I tried to send a picture of my daughter to her Uncle Tim, but this window popped up saying it was blocked. I decided to print it out and mail it to him. There was a 14-page license agreement that printed out first that I had to fill out and fax to Sony so they could send me an authorization code to print out the picture.”

]]> by: Nunya Bizniss http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4469 Thu, 03 Nov 2005 17:02:54 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4469 The best (pro-active?) response. Disseminate the information as widely as possible. I think SONY will quietly let this vulture die away... The best (pro-active?) response. Disseminate the information as widely as possible. I think SONY will quietly let this vulture die away…

]]> by: Mikey http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4467 Thu, 03 Nov 2005 16:15:23 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2053#comment-4467 Where did Sony go wrong? If I remember correctly, Sony was the VCR manufacturer that was taken to task by Disney. The end result of that fiasco was that Sony got market share: The Betamax was the first inexpensive commercially available home VCR that we mere mortals could afford. They were steep in price for a while (about three years) then as more models became available, the price slid downward to the levels they are now (low-bucks model VHS-types are still available for under $75 USD) So Sony intros the things, fights the battle against the corporation, wins after a lengthy SCOTUS debate, and then 20 years later tries to take all that away. Does anyone else feel that fishook in the small of their back? Where did Sony go wrong? If I remember correctly, Sony was the VCR manufacturer that was taken to task by Disney. The end result of that fiasco was that Sony got market share: The Betamax was the first inexpensive commercially available home VCR that we mere mortals could afford. They were steep in price for a while (about three years) then as more models became available, the price slid downward to the levels they are now (low-bucks model VHS-types are still available for under $75 USD)

So Sony intros the things, fights the battle against the corporation, wins after a lengthy SCOTUS debate, and then 20 years later tries to take all that away.
Does anyone else feel that fishook in the small of their back?

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