Scott Granneman, 2005-11-22
The big story the last few weeks has been the Sony BMG rootkit and in fact, it's the kind of story for which columnists drool: a big company does something unbelievably dumb that violates basic security principles. If you don't know what I'm talking about (and if you really don't, I'm amazed - you need to follow the news more!), you can read excellent coverage on SecurityFocus, plus a good write-up on Wired, or catch up with a timeline of events brought to you by Boing Boing (parts one, two and three).
Colapse all |
Post comment
Point-by-Point
2005-11-22
Matthew Murphy
Matthew Murphy
#1-3: Banning CDs will eventually happen -- businesses started to ban floppies in the day of boot sector viruses. If the CD's capacity to introduce malicious code becomes better-known, we may well see an outright ban on CDs.
However, the technically-versed among us will note that the rootkit onl...
[ more ] [ reply ]
However, the technically-versed among us will note that the rootkit onl...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sony-baloney
2005-11-23
Anonymous Coward (1 replies)
Anonymous Coward (1 replies)
Will sony included a new and improved root-kit with their playstation 3 (ps3)?
...
[ more ] [ reply ]
...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Re: Sony-baloney
2005-11-25
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
This whole thing has brought one thing into clear focus for me, that is to never buy hardware from a company that has a vested interest in content. The temptation appears too great for the content side of the business to steamroll the hardware side into putting "secret stuff" into their hardware (i...
[ more ] [ reply ]
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sony-baloney
2005-11-23
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
National Security Threat From SONY Rootkit.
It looks like the U.S. Military is finally waking up to the security implications of SONY's rootkit. Here is an article from the Stars & Stripes, a military newspaper.
http://stripes.com/article.asp?article=33184
Also on a related note, SecuROM, S...
[ more ] [ reply ]
It looks like the U.S. Military is finally waking up to the security implications of SONY's rootkit. Here is an article from the Stars & Stripes, a military newspaper.
http://stripes.com/article.asp?article=33184
Also on a related note, SecuROM, S...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Re: Sony-baloney
2005-11-25
Anonymous
Anonymous
In all probablity, I would not be surprised if any Sony's subsidaries' PC's have also been infected by this Rootkit.
Hence anyone wanting to steal Sony's secret or to carry out industrial espionage, this is your ticket to ride, you are only using a tool offered by Sony BMG. Not really infecting...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Hence anyone wanting to steal Sony's secret or to carry out industrial espionage, this is your ticket to ride, you are only using a tool offered by Sony BMG. Not really infecting...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Microsoft factor - Maybe not what you think
2005-11-23
JCD
JCD
Everyone's been jumping on Microsoft for their delay in exposing Sony's rootkit/spyware but I can't see the basis for the delay if MS knew about the rootkit. Microsoft would have wanted to be first on the bandwagon to help force clients to jump on board Windows Digital Rights Management. Maybe Mic...
[ more ] [ reply ]
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sony-baloney - know what they are doing?
2005-11-25
Anonymous
Anonymous
"Does anyone at First 4 Internet - a supposed technology company - really have any understanding about security?"
Sadly, in software industry, not too many know what they are doing, including security aspect of their software, but they are all too keen to take money from their customers and then ...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sadly, in software industry, not too many know what they are doing, including security aspect of their software, but they are all too keen to take money from their customers and then ...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Hahahahaha
2005-11-25
Eric
Eric
It's just getting really funny... and sad at the same time. I remember the enthousiasm I had in the beginning of the 80's as a teenager discovering computers. Apple was not born and PC's did not exist. It was exciting to enter this universe. Now it's getting risky ;)
But your article made me laugh ...
[ more ] [ reply ]
But your article made me laugh ...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sony-baloney
2005-11-25
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
"How long until those bans extend to any music CD, period?"
Generally speaking seeing as how music on a CD is considered copyrighted material, and the original purchaser has "fair use" of said content, the original purchaser would not be the one wiht ownership of said server/computer the CD was o...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Generally speaking seeing as how music on a CD is considered copyrighted material, and the original purchaser has "fair use" of said content, the original purchaser would not be the one wiht ownership of said server/computer the CD was o...
[ more ] [ reply ]
Re: Sony-baloney
2005-11-30
Anonymous
Anonymous
If they insall or copy the music to their computers, yes. They shouldn't really be doing so, even though if they are the soul user of the computer they are still under the "fair use" of the CD and the music it contains. It is all up to the Acceptable Use Policy for your organization to determine wha...
[ more ] [ reply ]
[ more ] [ reply ]
Sony-baloney
2005-11-29
Anonymous
Anonymous
Regarding the LGPL and GPL violations, open-sourcing their rootkit code would only get them off the hook for future distribution of the code in question. The copyright owners of the code may accept this as enough not to pursue Sony over their previous copyright infringement in distributing the code...
[ more ] [ reply ]
[ more ] [ reply ]
I'm thinking a full-on S.W.A.T. team would greet them on the front doorstep.
"Are any members of the US Congr...
[ more ] [ reply ]