FORUMS
Did you all hear about the Sony/BMG CDs that install hidden files on your computer, without telling you that they are there, and of course not mentioning this in the end user license agreement?
I'm not kidding- see:
[url=http://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/xcp_drm.shtmlfirst link[/url]
As mentioned in an earlier post, Wes Phillips reports on this issue at our News Desk.
Wow.
Great links. Thanks!
I guess now there is a niche for some sort of self-defense proramming for our computers to make these discs "play only."
Maybe it's time for laws making our computers into "private property" and start treating these trespassers as criminals.
The government's take will probably be something about "protecting" Sony's rights and we'll see attacks on our computers come from private industry rather than government.
That really makes my blood boil.
Sincere thanks to you and to Wes Phillips for the warning. Users of Mac OSX 10.4 have a built in safeguard against this sort of intrusion. Any disc containing programming is greeted with a warning to the user. This has always seemed cumbersome to me when it warned me about a disc which had only one purpose - that of installing some software. Now I'm glad it's there. Just in case, however, I'm adding an additional safeguard - no more Sony/BMG CD's for me.
Quote:
Sincere thanks to you and to Wes Phillips for the warning.
My pleasure, Clay. I just posted some links over in my blog with some late breaking news on this one, including an EFF post that identifies the discs with the rootkit infection. We're really concerned about the way the record companies -- and now Hollywood -- are working at reducing our fair use rights.
This was on CNN today:
Sony/BMG Virus
Quote:
This was on CNN today:Sony/BMG Virus
The most charitable summation of Sony's actions here would be incompetence. I disagree with their entire approach on ethical grounds as well.
An easy fix to avoid installing the program...
http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?doc_cd=136331
What I find humorous in this fiasco is that somewhere out there was some teenager who actually turned the disc over and looked at the data side.
He saw the band that was the one that was the problem and solved it in the most classic way: He put a piece of tape over the offending part of the disc and the rest of the disc played just fine...no download and and he could rip all the copies he wanted.
I'm not advocating piracy, I'm just amazed that once again, teenagers can find the Acchilles heel of a billion dollar endeavor and foil it. 
I still want the heinous program off my discs, but this gave me a chuckle and glimmer of hope against the monolithic music barons.
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