Skip to content
BOL Conferences
Learn More - Click Here!

Thread Options
#455513 - 11/10/05 07:30 PM Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
°X° Offline
Power Poster
°X°
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,332
WOOHOO
Register

Sony BMG is facing a class action suit from Californian consumers who claim the music giant's rootkit DRM technology damaged their computers and breaks three separate Californian laws.


The suit asks the court to stop Sony selling any more CDs containing the rootkit and seeks compensation for damage already done. Some Sony audio CDs include software which will secretly load itself if the CD is played on a computer. The suit was filed 1 November in the Los Angeles Superior Court by attorney Alan Himmelfarb, according to Reuters.





A second case has been started in New York on behalf of anyone who's bought one of the CDs.


Sony is also facing possible action from the Electronic Frontier Foundation in Italy - the lobby group has filed papers with the Italian authorities alleging Sony is guilty of "illicit acts".

Snip.....
______

I'm not getting this - apparently if one plays a Sony CD on their PC, secret software is loaded onto that PC?

Return to Top
Chat! - BOL Watercooler
#455514 - 11/10/05 07:38 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
RachelD Offline
Gold Star
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 300
Quote:


I'm not getting this - apparently if one plays a Sony CD on their PC, secret software is loaded onto that PC?




I think that's what it said......

Return to Top
#455515 - 11/10/05 09:00 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
°X° Offline
Power Poster
°X°
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,332
WOOHOO
Now that really isn't legal.

Return to Top
#455516 - 11/10/05 09:02 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Clown Boy Offline
Power Poster
Clown Boy
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,934
here and there
Quote:

Now that really isn't legal.



Like Sony will let anything as small as the law get in the way of what they want...
_________________________
I am the ringmaster of my domain!

Return to Top
#455517 - 11/10/05 09:02 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
RachelD Offline
Gold Star
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 300
Well...you asked

Return to Top
#455518 - 11/10/05 09:05 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Anonymous
Unregistered

Hhhuhhhuh... you said root kit.

Return to Top
#455519 - 11/10/05 09:10 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
GuitarDude Offline
Power Poster
GuitarDude
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,925
So Cal
Quote:

Now that really isn't legal.




Actually, it is. Installing code on a person's computer without knowledge and consent is illegal. This is why there are user agreements.
_________________________
I've just writed a wrong.

Return to Top
#455520 - 11/10/05 09:21 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Pirate Offline
Diamond Poster
Pirate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,495
Florida
There's a rootkit revealer that'll tell you if you have it, but as of now there's no way to yank it without destabilizing some programs in Windows. I understand Sony wanting to protect their content, but malicious software code isn't the way to go. I'll bump this if I come across a remover in the future so if you HAVE gotten the code, you can get rid of it. TTFN
_________________________
Never trust a pirate...

Return to Top
#455521 - 11/10/05 09:22 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Chi Offline
Platinum Poster
Chi
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 606
New England
Quote:

Actually, it is. Installing code on a person's computer without knowledge and consent is illegal. This is why there are user agreements.




Actually, it isn't. There is no EULA (End User License Agreement) that is associated with the rootkits. Furthermore, Sony did not every advertise that these rootkits existed on their CDs. They simply surrepticiously placed the rootkits on the computer without indicating to the user that anything was happening besides playing a CD on the computer.
_________________________
Respect It.

Return to Top
#455522 - 11/10/05 09:27 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
GuitarDude Offline
Power Poster
GuitarDude
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,925
So Cal
Quote:

Quote:

Actually, it is. Installing code on a person's computer without knowledge and consent is illegal. This is why there are user agreements.




Actually, it isn't. There is no EULA (End User License Agreement) that is associated with the rootkits. Furthermore, Sony did not every advertise that these rootkits existed on their CDs. They simply surrepticiously placed the rootkits on the computer without indicating to the user that anything was happening besides playing a CD on the computer.




I think we are essentially saying the same thing but it sounds like we are in disagreement. I stated "actually it is [illegal]." I was indirectly referring to the lack of an EULA on the music CDs. Did I miss something? I was probably just unclear, which has been known to happen on occasion.
_________________________
I've just writed a wrong.

Return to Top
#455523 - 11/10/05 09:32 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Chi Offline
Platinum Poster
Chi
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 606
New England
Oh, and a head's up to all of you end users (I don't think there are many IT Admins around here, I'm a pilgrim in a strange land). If you have purchased a recent Sony CD, you might have a CD that will infect your computer with a rootkit. Recently, a piece of malware has been released that will infect a PC, but conceal itself by utilizing the programming of the rootkit.

The malware arrives attached in an email, which pretends to come from a reputable business magazine,
asking the businessperson to verify his/her "picture" to be used for the December issue.
_________________________
Respect It.

Return to Top
#455524 - 11/10/05 09:34 PM Re: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit
Chi Offline
Platinum Poster
Chi
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 606
New England
Quote:

I think we are essentially saying the same thing but it sounds like we are in disagreement.




Ah, okay. My apologies for misunderstanding.
_________________________
Respect It.

Return to Top