Did Someone Not Pay Attention? Rootkits Found On New DVDs

from the whoops dept

You would think, given all of the negative publicity surrounding the Sony BMG rootkit fiasco, that any company releasing content with copy protection would be careful to make sure that copy protection didn't use rootkit-like functionality. If you thought so, unfortunately, you'd be wrong. Digg points us to an F-Secure blog post claiming that the German version of the DVD Mr. & Mrs. Smith has some new copy protection that at least has "rootkit-like cloaking technology." The Digg post incorrectly blames Sony BMG, who appear to have nothing to do with this DVD (it's a 20th Century Fox offering). It's also not clear from the description how bad the rootkit is. Either way, it seems a bit shortsighted of any company to take such a risk these days.
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  • identicon
    Adam, 14 Feb 2006 @ 12:50pm

    Is it worth it?

    Is it even worth the time and money developing and placing such malicious content on their DVD?

    Last I recall I seen thousands of copies of this movie floating around the net for a long time now.

    The only benifit to copying the actual released DVD is for the extra content and surround sound. But honestly now... any damage that could have been done by allowing others to see the movie without purchasing it has already been done 10 times over. Way before their 'official' DVD version of the movie with their copy prevention technology ever came to be.

    All that does is raise the cost of the DVD for sale to consumers who do not deal with Pirate movies, and in that case, once again it is only their core consumers that get hurt, not the ones stealing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Feb 2006 @ 2:33pm

    oy

    Why am I not surprised?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SmallTwig, 14 Feb 2006 @ 3:33pm

    farenheight 1984

    Which will be our downfall, our greed, or our natural instinct for self preservation?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rickler, 14 Feb 2006 @ 5:09pm

    No Subject Given

    It's amazing how effective the rootkit is at preventing piracy http://isohunt.com/torrents.php?ihq=Mr.+Mrs.+Smith+german&ext=&op=and

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Feb 2006 @ 10:05pm

    No Subject Given

    Either way, it seems a bit shortsighted of any company to take such a risk these days.
    What risk? Did you see the FBI arresting any Sony execs for their root kits? Me neither.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jason, 14 Feb 2006 @ 11:38pm

    whos the pirates?

    okay so i think we should ask ourselfs this question...who r the pirates and criminals here??? keep in mind that the vast majority of end users do NOT engage in any illegal activities re. digital media, so why do the content providers think they need to punish us and infect our systems with this crap???
    and they call us the problem...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous of Course, 15 Feb 2006 @ 6:38am

      Re: whos the pirates?

      It's an interesting conflict. The media
      executives need a scapegoat for their bad
      decisions and lack of performance. So they
      blame the very people they depend on for
      their success. You didn't buy their crap,
      but it's not crap, it's gold! So if you're
      not buying it, you must be stealing it. The
      notion that it's crap never enters their
      greedy little minds.

      They loath the public because they are media
      moguls, and elite class that rules the lives
      of the mega-stars but it truth if it doesn't
      play in Peoria they sunk.

      This also explains the propensity for people
      in the media for taking extreme stances on
      issues they believe lends them some sense of
      moral superiority. They're not pandering to
      the public as they grub for money, no, they're
      leading the great unwashed masses into the
      light.

      Note to the media executives; stop foisting
      crap on the public and your sales will increase.
      It's not pirates that are the problem, it's the
      product.

      Note to the performers; You're entertainers,
      nothing more. Your success depends on the
      public. I know, it's a bitter pill to swallow.
      The fact that you're successful does not imbue
      you with special insight, greater intelligence,
      or a mandate to express your views on any issue.
      Shut up and dance/act/sing then pick up your
      money from the stage and leave.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Joey, 15 Feb 2006 @ 6:55am

    It isnt about crap

    Once everybody realizes this, it will all make sense: the MONEY people have NOTHING to do with the quality of a movie. that is like Yelling at the Restraunt owner about a lousy meal.

    If the restaunt owner has a consistently full restraunt and is making money, he isnt going to give a crap about complaints of food quality (ex. McDonalds)

    So, the people that are in charge of the MONEY wouldnt care if they were given BLANK DISKS! their JOB is to make as much money with the CRAP they are given! They don't even realize WHY it is easier to sell movies like Million-Dollar-Baby and harder to sell Stealth or Riddick.

    As far as they are concerned, there should be ONE sure-fire way to make 150 million dollars with EVERY DVD they sell.

    Yep. Uh-huh.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous of course, 15 Feb 2006 @ 9:27am

      Re: It isnt about crap

      They are responsible. A bad investment is
      a bad investment.

      If the people with money decide to bankroll
      a movie that is crap and it's a bomb at the
      box office, then they don't make money.

      It is about crap. Sure, they don't care if
      it's crap or not but the consumers do.

      The reason for poor sales is this, the
      product stinks. Not because of pirates.
      Sure pirates cut into sales but that is
      a minor factor.

      No one will buy a DVD for 150 million
      dollars. Reduction to an absurdity is
      not a compelling argument.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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