Security firm: Sony CDs secretly install spyware

Ravi

Sony is spying on thousands of listeners who buy and play its music CDs on their computers, a leading computer security firm said yesterday.

Computer Associates International Inc. said that new anticopying software Sony is using to discourage pirating of its music also secretly collects information from any computer that plays the discs.

One of the world's largest software and information technology companies, Computer Associates is the latest to wade into the growing controversy over Sony's efforts to curb theft and illegal pirating of its music.

The software works only on computers running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system. It limits listeners' ability to copy the music onto their computers, and locks copied files so they cannot be freely distributed over the Internet.

Source : Here

rossyboy8

Yeah i read about that, Seems like it installs a rootkit on your pc (a trick used my many trojans) and if you try to remove it, it gives you problems locating your cd drive. They're banning it soon (or already done). Big boost for piracy Very Happy

SunburnedCactus

And now they're being sued.

The system works!!

Dancing

seanooi

My personal opinion is of course piracy is bad, but what sony is doing is kinda overboard, doesn't give listeners the privacy they should have. Smile

justinrs32

I read about this. Although spyware is NOT illegal in anyway, this, in my opinion, is somewhat different. Anything that you do to someone elses machine that is detramental to it's health without their permission, is illegal. The whole thing about if you try to remove it, it gives you problems with your CD drive, that is illegal. If the computer user wants spyware to be removed from their mchine, they have that right. But what sony has done with this, affects their computers. Now they are being sued, and they have recalled all of the cd's that have this protection on them. If anyone comes across one, you can contact sony and get a new one.

-Justin

ocalhoun

That wouldn't stop me anyway, just plug a cd-player's output into the computer's microphone jack and record it, then you can do whatever you want.

asmiller08

I'm not sure where, but I heard that the software actually opens doors that could let other viruses and trojans install themselves on your computer without you knowing. Sony recalled all of the cds with the piracy protection on them and gave back cds that did not have the software.

I don't see why the music industry bothers with copy protection- people will always be able to find a way around it. It seems like a waste of money to me.