More Pain for Sony Over CD Code

[Jeremy Charette]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4445550.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4445550.stm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Hackers are exploiting flaws in the software Sony is using to remove its controversial copy protection system. These are just proof of concept hacks, although security firms fear that <b>users ridding themselves of Sony's CD software could soon face other dangers.</b> Other security researchers have released tools that close the loophole opened by Sony's uninstaller...It also came under fire from <b>Dutch electronics giant Philips which said the discs were not true compact discs because XCP was not in the standard that defines such things.</b> Most recently the US Computer Emergency Response Team issued advice about XCP. <b>"Do not install software from sources that you do not expect to contain software, such as an audio CD," it said.</b> Virus writers have even adapted XCP to stop their creations being found by security scanning software...It is also recalling all the remaining XCP CDs from shops and has started an exchange program for customers who want a disc free of the controversial code. Sony has now published a full list of the <b>52 titles </b>that use XCP. Previously it would only say that about 20 titles used it. It is also working on an improved uninstaller that does not leave PCs open to more attacks."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/_41028830_sonywoe-getty203.jpg" /><br /><br />Wow. Just...wow. 8O<br /><br /><b>UPDATE BY JASON:</b> Want to see the 20 CDs that Sony says have XCP on them? <a href="http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html">Here they are.</a> What's that? There are 52 CDs? No, that can't be right, surely an honest company like Sony wouldn't lie about the number of CDs that have XCP. :roll:

[Mike Temporale]

Stupid, truly stupid. Way to go Sony!

So, how long before the artists launch a lawsuit against Sony for dragging their name through the mud?

[Jerry Raia]

It gets even better. Check this (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/80271/sonys-drm-woes-expand-to-include-copyright-infringement.html) out! :lol:

[Jonathon Watkins]

It gets even better. Check this (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/80271/sonys-drm-woes-expand-to-include-copyright-infringement.html) out! :lol:

DVD Jon does it again! :D

:lol: This just does not end. It's gettting beyond stupid. :lol:

[marlof]

On the 52: read the note: Note: Two titles, Ricky Martin’s "Life" and Peter Gallagher’s "7 Days in Memphis" were released with a content protection grid on the back of the CD packaging but XCP content protection software was not actually included on the albums.

[Jason Dunn]

On the 52: read the note: Note: Two titles, Ricky Martin’s "Life" and Peter Gallagher’s "7 Days in Memphis" were released with a content protection grid on the back of the CD packaging but XCP content protection software was not actually included on the albums.

Saw that, but 50 is close to 52 and a heck of a lot more than 20.

[randalllewis]

Thanks for posting this list Jason. This debacle is amazing. Sony is demonstrating such stunning incompetence, you could believe it is being run by the Bush administration.

In earlier posts, I said Sony needed to take specific steps to recover from this disaster. These included apologizing and free music to affected customers as well as a promise to never try anything like this again. So far, I've seen no signs the company plans to recover this way.

[ctmagnus]

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Got Scotch tape? (http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174400748)

[pacemkr]

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Got Scotch tape? (http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174400748)

When are companies going to learn there is no such thing as uncrackable? :lol:

As much as they DON'T want to believe it they DO depend on the honest customers! And by treating them like ___ by introducing headaches like that you are only going to loose those honest customers and your product will still be cracked, and you acomplish nothing. They invest money into stuff like this and nothing good ever comes out of it. All the money thats invested into protecting in such fashion is the money not spent developing better products to attract more honest customers. People who want to crack software, will not buy it anyway!! So stop wasting money on those people and start spending them on pleasing those who really matter, your customers. Why are they so stubborn and insist on providing hackers with expensive challenges. The hackers will always find a way, it what they do. The day that hackers admit they cant crack something no matter what, I'll eat my own head. What can be done, can be undone and thats the nature of technology.

[Jason Dunn]

...I'll eat my own head. What can be done, can be undone and thats the nature of technology.

Except for eating your own head. That can't be undone. :lol:

[pacemkr]

...I'll eat my own head. What can be done, can be undone and thats the nature of technology.

Except for eating your own head. That can't be undone. :lol:

Unless ofcourse the head is made by Sony. 8)