MORE Sony DRM B.S.

[Jammrock]

The fun never ends (blatantly ripped from /.):

With some help from Sabre Security, Sebastian Porst and Matti Nikki have identified some stolen GPL'd code in Sony's rootkit. Ironically the code in question seems to be VLC's demux/mp4/drms.c -- the de-DRMS code which circumvents Apple's DRM, written by 'DVD' Jon Lech Johansen and Sam Hocevar.

[Sasq]

http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=997

interesting take on it all

[Umfriend]

The amazing thing is that they may have thought they wouldn't get cought.
Or that no one would care.

I doubt this has been a decision made at top level. I assume some programmer got an easy fix for his job and simply did not tell.

One of the commentators to the Dutch article says he even has a usenet-post from the programmer asking for help : http://groups.google.com/group/micro...b5c4ad49fa206e

[DGhost]

People keep forgetting that Sony liscenced the software from First 4 Internet. There is a very good chance they never knew what went into making the software. It definately gives them a black eye though.

[UtwigMU]

Would you not consider it to be an OS flaw to be able to install malicious software without your consent by merely inserting a CD. Think of DOS days boot sector virii.

[Jessterw]

If you don't take the time to understand a technology you are licensing and using in such a way that it impacts your customers, then you are the one at fault when something goes wrong. To say Sony didn't know or anything along those lines is simply a way to excuse Sony for something they either did know about or didn't care to know about. Either way it amounts to a high level of incompetence.

The fact that Sony attempted to lie about the issue initially and continued to do so (example being the infection of Mac ystems) just further demonstrates this.

Consumers have already protested against DRM implementations like this that they did have knowledge of, for Sony to think that they could slip this one by and consumers be none the wiser... well, what does that say about how Sony views the consumer?

[Jon P. Inghram]

Would you not consider it to be an OS flaw to be able to install malicious software without your consent by merely inserting a CD. Think of DOS days boot sector virii.

Windows, flawed?!? NEVER!

[Umfriend]

If you [snip] the consumer?

Just to be sure, I am not arguing about this at all. Just about the fact whether copyrights or licenses or whatever were breached knowingly and on purpose at top level.

[Jessterw]

On that I can agree. It is unlikely that Sony was directly involved in that aspect of this... scandal. However, I don't think that this was the work of a lone programmer who was short on time and, in effect, cheated to finish his project. The development company should be facing the criticism for that part of it. Hopefully Sony has learned a lesson and will become more involved in reviewing any software of this nature in the future. Rather doubt it, as I honestly don't believe they see any wrong doing on their part.

[DGhost]

Would you not consider it to be an OS flaw to be able to install malicious software without your consent by merely inserting a CD. Think of DOS days boot sector virii.

actually... that's not how it works... you do actually have to agree to install the software...

as far as the actual problem... all I can say is Vista has taken steps to prevent this from happening, even if you are running as an Administrator.

[DGhost]

If you don't take the time to understand a technology you are licensing and using in such a way that it impacts your customers, then you are the one at fault when something goes wrong. To say Sony didn't know or anything along those lines is simply a way to excuse Sony for something they either did know about or didn't care to know about. Either way it amounts to a high level of incompetence.

The fact that Sony attempted to lie about the issue initially and continued to do so (example being the infection of Mac ystems) just further demonstrates this.

Consumers have already protested against DRM implementations like this that they did have knowledge of, for Sony to think that they could slip this one by and consumers be none the wiser... well, what does that say about how Sony views the consumer?

exactly. i'm only saying that the fact the software they use is violating GPL is not exactly their fault. yes, they should have reviewed it better. every company that buys a software package should do their own internal audit on it. there is no way in hell that XCP should have ever passed any QA check. and there is no way that a company should have ever shipped it to millions of people without their knowledge, not only for the control aspects but also for the technical aspects.

First 4 Internet should be nailed to the wall for that. seriously. they deserve it for marketing a DRM/Copyright enforcement program that violates other peoples copyrights.

Sony should be nailed to the wall as a lesson to them and every other business not to **** with consumer rights. it will never happen, but it should.

[Jessterw]

actually... that's not how it works... you do actually have to agree to install the software...

It just doesn't tell you to what lengths it is infecting your system and that even after uninstallling it, you truly haven't.


And I totally agree that the software developer should be catching just as much flack from this as Sony is.

[Dr Mordrid]

Given the way the US tort system works I'm certain that everyone who had anything to do with that code, or its inclusion on the CD's, will end up with a whole collection of subpoenas

Dr. Mordrid

[Nowhere]

Excerps of EULA from these CD's:

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004145.php

[Helevitia]

My god, Sony = Satan. Microsoft must not have sold enough souls this year to take the top spot in hell!