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Hidden DRM code's legitimacy questioned
Robert Lemos, SecurityFocus 2005-11-02

The latest headache for security professionals has become a secret weapon in the battle between copyright owners and their customers.

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Hidden DRM code's legitimacy questioned 2009-08-06
Brian Smith
This article incorrectly states that Sony provided a patch to "remove the copy-protection software from their [the user's] system."

Actually, the patch was 3.5MB and REINSTALLED the DRM software - only removing the "cloaking."

The software remained ON THE SYSTEM, continued to use system resources even when the CD in question was not inserted, continued to phone home to Sony, AND is to this day dangerous to manually remove without doing harm to your computer...what's more - at the time they released the patch - Sony was very indignant that anyone was even bothered by their spyware being forced on users without proper disclosure (in fact, the EULA actually said that the software could be uninstalled by the user (which was a direct lie))

They didn't just secretly install spyware that acted as a backdoor for hackers once it was (secretly and virtually undetectably) installed on your computer - they also lied about it, covered it up, and dragged their feet when it came to customers asking for a full uninstall.

Today the CDs have been pulled from the shelves and Sony has (sort of) admitted that they were wrong....but I'll never trust them again...

What's WORSE - this whole fiasco practically coincided with the big radio payolla scandal that Sony/BMG was also involved with...

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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/articles/11352/35401#35401







 

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