avoid Sony DRM-protected CDs

[acroyear]

Someone with the knowledge and tools discovered their software for permitting you to make backup copies (and in doing so, theoretically limit you to three, max) is a major root-kit that abuses your system and does somewhat nasty things.  They also work rather hard to hide the fact that the software exists and in no point of the EULA of the software does it say that you as the consumer agree to having this software daemon installed on your box.

(note: to avoid DRM-protection on import cds from the EU, particularly Spain and France, look for cds from the same label's canadian division at amazon.ca -- Mike Oldfield's TB 2003 was "protected" in its Time-Warner-Spain release, but its Time-Warner-Canada release had no protections at all.)

Keep reading the followup articles linked at the bottom -- the story gets worse...

Comments

[mshelby.livejournal.com]

that article was too long for me to finish during lunch, but i had read some other things about this at the register... 1) simply deleting the files of sony's rootkit will break windows so bad that you have to reformat and reinstall (read here)... 2) anyone can use sony's drm to hide their own malware by appending "$sys$" to the names of their files (read here)...

very problematic...

[kowari.livejournal.com]

I am disgusted by this. I read about this a few days maybe back. tomble (my partner) and I are so disgusted that Sony would PUNISH people doing the right thing, that tomble is considering writing some letters about it. That is pretty huge, he doesn't generally get to letter writing status unless he is really incensed and thinks it might actually do some good.

Thanks for the link, I didn't know where that article was. I am posting this on my LJ. I hope someone can cure your PC....