November 29th, 2005
Sony BMG’s MediaMax Software Installs Even If You Decline
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
MediaMax is a different copy protection system that Sony BMG uses in addition to the “rootkit” XCP DRM that has been drawing all the media (and legal) attention. However, MediaMax doesn’t seem to understand the word “No.”
Previously, Princeton researchers revealed that the MediaMax software installed itself even if you declined the EULA (the pop-up license agreement). However, the researchers concluded that if you declined the EULA, the software was only active until you restarted Windows.
Now Princeton’s Alex Halderman reports that if you insert another MediaMax-infected CD (or the same CD again) and decline the EULA a second time, the software can activate itself permanently. Source: Boing Boing
We Say: Sony? No means no. Abort, Cancel, Quit, whatever. It seems like there’s no way to eliminate Sony BMG from the news. Not only did this news break today, but Eliot Spitzer, New York Attorney General is taking a look at the “rootkit” issue, as investigators he sent to a number of retail music outlets were able to purchase the “infected” CDs more than a week after they were supposedly recalled. Finally, a Business Week article states that security company F-Secure informed Sony BMG about the problems with its software as early as Oct. 4 but, as we all know, Sony didn’t react until Mark Rossinovich highlighted the issue for all of us. It just keeps getting worse and worse for Sony.
Calvin says:
Until DRM enabled media interface with public services, much like ssl root certs, companies will continue to breed guarded -read: borderline fraudulent- solutions. As bad as the Sony situation is, I’m more concerned that injunctions or fines they may receive, IF they’re ruled against, don’t severly impact the profitability of this business unit… well, why would they care? Would Sony flinch at a slap on the wrist, change of EULA, and a $250K fine? Not likely, and it sets a baaaad precedent.
November 29th, 2005 at 7:46 pm
Robert Sharl says:
You’re right Calvin. If we’re to prevent this sort of corporate abuse simply becoming standard practice then we have to treat it at least as harshly as we would treat an individual miscreant who constructs and knowingly propagates a software trojan or virus. That probably means a prison sentence for the executive(s) who approved the release.
November 30th, 2005 at 4:15 am
Triumph the Insult Dog says:
Sony I poop on you!!!!
November 30th, 2005 at 8:31 am
Bill M says:
Robert — I agree with your premise that we have to make Sony feel the pain. However, jail time for an expendable vice president won’t do that. A global boycott of all Sony products will do it, even if we can only drop sales by 1%. That means ALL PRODUCTS, even the PSP and PS3 (when it ships) will sit on the shelves for a while. Money talks, but only as long as you keep it in your wallet.
The basic lesson has to be that DRM cannot ever work on entertainment media. If it can be played, it can be copied. Sony was going after additional revenue, not IP protection, with MediaMax and XCP.
November 30th, 2005 at 9:32 am
Calvin says:
Robert - Prison is a bit harsh, particularly considering something like this was likely presented to a VP as a little bullet on a presentation. Judging by the ignorant response from the executive level, someone doesn’t know what is happening here.
Bill - DRM can work on entertainment media. Licensing and activation keys, employed by such companies as Microsoft and various PC gaming developers, use it with few problems for those who follow instructions. The problem is extensibility, portability, and standardization, not DRM.
November 30th, 2005 at 10:29 am
Robert Sharl says:
I agree prison would be harsh, though my tongue was only slightly in my cheek when I wrote that. I do believe though that Sony have employed ‘the tactics and ethics of a (black hat) hacker’ (to borrow somewhat loosely from Steve Jobs’ comments about Real). If what this article alleges is really the case then Sony have produced a trojan (it says one thing and does another). I’m also pretty sure they’d be pushing for a jail sentence if someone wrote something that screwed around with their hardware, and in most cases executive ignorance isn’t usually considered a credible excuse.
I do agree that we need to think very carefully about purchasing Sony products, though they’re such a diversified corporation that I’m not certain boycotting one division would directly influence another. I haven’t bought anything Sony recently anyway, though I do admire some of their electronics products (particularly their HD mini DV cams). I absolutely won’t buy a copy-protected CD (and I buy a fair few cds). How can people most clearly communicate their abhorrence of such tactics to Sony? I’m still undecided on that.
November 30th, 2005 at 12:49 pm
Larry says:
I have never liked or bought Sony anything.. I just never liked their different ideas about the media stick that is Sony only also their audio “used” to be a sony format. If it was Sony it plays well with other Sony thingys, but not so lucky trying to get it to cross the border into UN-Sony land. NOW with this Sony/BMG thing I know I’ll never buy/ use anything Sony/BMG!! IMHO they sunk their own ship!!!!
December 1st, 2005 at 10:10 am
» Sony BMG Sues Over MediaMax Copy Protection » Blog Archive Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech says:
[…] 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. […]
July 12th, 2007 at 7:23 am
0c2bef85ee9f says:
0c2bef85ee9f…
0c2bef85ee9f7837cebe…
May 12th, 2008 at 12:31 am