Those pesky Sony/BMG CDs

[vansmack]

Originally posted by ggw�?�:
  4:1 odds that vansmack owns this infected disc:
 
   

Oh no! Please don't tell my wife or I will certainly be an owner by the end of the weekend.

[vansmack]

Ouch.
 
  Texas is seeking $100K per violation in their State from Sony.

[kosmo vinyl]

Now that the XPC brand of DRM protection has been shown to be problematic and resulted in a product replacement offer. More attention has been focused on the MediaMax software, that comes on lots  more CDs.  It will in fact load it's software on a computer even if you decline the EULA when inserting the disk.  I smell even more trouble for the execs over at Sony/BMG...
 
 http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=936

[kosmo vinyl]

Even more problems with the other copy protection software SonyBMG uses... This time at least Sony admitted to the problem up front, there is also a new "fix" for those who installed the XCP crapola on their PCs, although I would wait a day or two before running it, let the experts test it.
 
  SunnConn Crapola story at Cnet
 Brian Krebs WaPo Blog entry
 Sony hearts Mediamax
 The CDs with the MediaMax "copy" protection sw include
 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club     "Howl"
 My Morning Jacket     "Z"
 David Gray     "Life In Slow Motion"
 Full List
 
 If you have ever put one these CDs into a computer running Windows you may want to update the software.  It has been shown that even if you decline the End User Agreement that appears when loading the CD, the software can still be installed without your consent down the line.  
 
 This copy protection SW affect six million sold CD, Sony must be shitting themselves at the thought of having to replace all of those.
 
 
 New fix info for XCP (i.e. Dead 60's, The Coral)
 
 WaPo Blog
 Sony XCP uninstaller

[kosmo vinyl]

Well it didn't take long... stay away from the latest "fix" for those MediaMax "protected" CDs.
 
  http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=942
 
 my recommendation is stay the hell away from the XCP "fix" as well for a bit...

[kosmo vinyl]

funny stuff
 
  How to make  your own copy protected CD for holiday giving

[kosmo vinyl]

the artists strike back...
 
  Sony Artists offering home-burned CDs to replace spyware-infected discs
 
 Sony refuses to recall CDs infected with Sunncomm's MediaMax spyware, so some artists are running their own recall programs, offering home-burned CDs to fans who complain that the software prevents them from ripping their CDs.
 
 Artist managers have been vocal in their opposition to the use of copy-protection software. "I just don't think that this is the answer to the problem that they think exists," says the manager of one veteran artist affected by the XCP software. Mike Martinovich, manager for My Morning Jacket, says that even before the revelation of MediaMax's security problems, his company had been mailing burned, unprotected copies of MMJ's new album Z to fans who complained that MediaMax prevented them from transferring songs to their iPods. "It should have been enough that fans are annoyed," he says. "But this should be the final reason."
 
  Rolling Stone Story

[vansmack]

Interesting read:
 
 http://www.emailbattles.com/archive/battles/security_aacejifdhf_ic/
 
 Smart computer users know that once a computer is infected by a rootkit, it's changed forever. And as Windows rootkits go, Hacker Defender is among the most dangerous. The author of Hacker Defender, holy_father, explains why he does what he does, and what you can do to detect his rootkit.
 
 
 Don't know that I agree with him, but it was definitely intriguing.

[kosmo vinyl]

Sony settles lawsuit over the copy protected CDs... Does cover everyone who bought those disks or only in states where Sony was sued.  Regardless, I for one am looking forward to getting my $15 back, can't say I could ever find 6 titles to download.
 
 http://news.ft.com/cms/s/963aaecc-7bb1-11da-ab8e-0000779e2340.html
 
 Sony BMG settles suits over �??flawed�?? music CDs
 By Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson in London
 Published: January 2 2006 17:11 | Last updated: January 2 2006 17:11
 
 Sony and BMGSony BMG has put the biggest of its legal challenges behind it.
 
 The music company has settled a series of class-action lawsuits stemming from its use of software that was intended to prevent illegal copying of its CDs but left customers�?? computers vulnerable to viruses and other attacks.
 
 Ending a year in which it has been shaken by bad publicity surrounding the digital rights management software, the music company offered free music downloads and agreed to stop making CDs with the offending XCP or MediaMax software.
 
 The company also agreed to bring in an independent auditor to confirm to customers it has not and will not use their personal data.
 
 Sony BMG produced 4.7m CDs containing the software, of which nearly 3m were sold. It will pay an undisclosed amount for the recall of affected discs, and will also bear the cost of compensating members of the class-action suits.
 
 Consumers who bought any of the 52 titles with XCP software will receive replacement copies and the choice of two compensation packages: a cash payment of $7.50 and one free album download; or three free album downloads. Users of the MediaMax software will receive a free download.
 
 Lawyers for the plaintiffs welcomed the settlement, which the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital free-speech advocacy group, said would �??provide significant benefits for consumers who bought the flawed CDs�?�.
 
 The copy protection problem emerged after a security researcher revealed on his blog that a Sony BMG CD had installed a �??rootkit�?� �?? tools used by hackers to disguise their presence �?? on his computer.

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Where do we sign up to get our $7.50?

[kosmo vinyl]

shrug

[kosmo vinyl]

Some analysis of the Sony BMG Rootkit lawsuit settlement, but no mention of how to get in.  Includes a list of 175 titles one will be able to download for free, with very little of interest but including oddly enough the only Rockpile CD released.  Those owning the MediaMax copy protected CD, i.e. BRMC, get one non-DRMed download.
 
 http://sonysuit.com/
  Is this the "best" 175 they have to offer?

[kosmo vinyl]

anyone get thier replacement discs yet? mine arrived today without copy protection and just for giggles and grins i even ripped them into iTunes on a Windoze machine.  To bad it cost Sony millions of dollars in order to prevent me from listening to the cd on my puter.

[ggw]

http://www.eff.org/sony/
 
 The settlement process has begun in EFF's class action lawsuit against Sony BMG for the flawed digital rights management (DRM) that Sony BMG released in millions of CDs over the last several years.
 
 Music fans who bought the affected CDs can submit claims for clean music.
 
 Many customers are also eligible for extra downloads or a small cash settlement.

[kosmo vinyl]

Having already replaced my rootkit inflected CDs, I got my settlement paperwork for those.  The list of DRMed downloadable CDs on offer is pretty dismal...