Sony: Rootkits Are Okay, Because No One Knows What They Are
from the did-he-actually-say-that? dept
Sony's response to the whole rootkit fiasco has been anything but reassuring -- which is probably why they're facing a series of lawsuits about the matter. However, the folks over at Digg have highlighted what might be the single most ridiculous statement on the matter from a Sony executive during an NPR interview about the matter. After taking issue with anyone using the terms "spyware, malware or rootkit," Thomas Hesse, President of Sony's Global Digital Business, literally says: "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?" Ah, right. Because people don't know about this technology that was installed without proper notification, which hides things on their computers, which can be misused by those with malicious intent to hide more software on their computers potentially causing all sorts of damage... they have nothing at all to worry about. This goes beyond the "trust us" response they were originally stating to the unfathomable rationale that what you don't know about can't possibly hurt you.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
Tons of crap we have no clue about.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
what the....?
a) didnt think this issue was important enough to come up with a real escuse
or
b) in their rush to release a statement to try and nip this in the bud that was the best they could come up with.
"Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
riiiggghhttt....
If I didnt know what a full frontal lobotomy was and someone decided to give me one without bothering to tell me about it before hand I am pretty sure I would care about it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Its their own fault...
Who is stupid enough to:
1. Buy a "music disk" from Sony
2. Insert it into their computer.
Servers them right.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
whiskey tango foxtrot!
The best part would be when all DRM are implemented as rootkit SONY wuldnt work with TIMES :P no sir you cant play BRitney(from TIME) after Eminem from (SONY) :))
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: whiskey tango foxtrot!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It's a Sony
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's a Sony
Oh man... tell me you're kidding?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's a Sony
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
He was stroking a white cat
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hope I Am Not The Only One
If you want to help alert some lawyers search on keywords like "class action practice" and "consumer rights". Hunt around until you find the email addresses and then send them a note like this boilerplate:
I recently became aware of the use of rootkit technologies, technologies typically used by system crackers and malfeasants, by Sony BMG to install user PCs with antipiracy software. Doing this introduces an almost undetectable but very serious security flaw on users PCs. This flaw is serious enough to make antivirus software and most security software unable to detect this system compromise. Further, it is done at such a low level within the Windows operating system that any defect in the construction of the software will translate to system instability on the part of the end user.
While I am not directly affected nor have any standing in this matter I thought this might be of interest to a lawyer experienced in class action litigation. The highly probable outcome of system instability and security vulnerability to the very sizeable population of Sony BMG CD purchasers seems a textbook example where class action law should come into play. While a group in Italy has filed suit against Sony BMG no one in the US has, to the best of my knowledge.
For further information on what is known of the Sony BMG compromise:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4413856.stm
http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/security fix/2005/11/sony_raids_hack.html
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/79450/sony-drm-burrows-into-rootkit-code .html
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/02/1421250&tid=233&tid=17
For a very basic audio discussion on the cracker rootkit technology used:
http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-009.mp3
Additional technical information on rootkit technology can be linked to from:
http://www.grc.com/sn/notes-009.htm
http://www.rootkit.com/
http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005 /10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html
Italian lawsuit press release:
http://www.alcei.org/index.php/archives/106
Cordially Yours,
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Improve the situation Stop buying Sony CDs and p
Stop buying Sony products and they will get the message that custumers do care.
Now I see that Samsung MP3 players seem to be
liked better than Sony.
i.e. Samsung have now started producing better (quality and value) products. WATCH OUT SONY.
See also mercola.com - he also mentioned Samsung
Sony protection scheme is like a virus.
I think that if people will stop buying Sony
music - as the effects of the rootkid messes there PC ans cost the user time.
This will have the proper market effect.
Sony can keep doing what they are doing and
musicians who issue material under the Sony label will
have lower sales.
Remember the magic of the internet
it allows costomers to make better decision (with better inforamtion) and
use their(converting the information to action) money to tell the companies who are doing it better by buying their products.
The value of this blog is that is read by knowledgable people.
It helpts good ideas propogate quickly so that
a good new idea spreads fast, rewarding those businesses who satisify the customers.
It also allows bad idea to be stopped.
br>How about that for democracy in action
-
vote with your wallet -
quickly using your money
to improve the world.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why is Amazon still selling this product?
It's clearly defective merchandise... I mean, hell, it can blow up your computer real good- Amazon clearly knows about the scandal here- what are they thinking?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Why is Amazon still selling this product?
The message is clear: Sony is trying to commit harikiri in the market place.
Help them accomplish their goal by boycotting all Sony products.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
omfg sony
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Turning the Rootkit against Sony
Posted by Brad Green on Mark's SYsinternals Blog
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Turning the Rootkit against Sony
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sony's S*&t
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
$B%=%K!I,;`$@$J(B
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sad. Sad. Sad.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
music
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
rootkits
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]