Sony recalls copy-protected CDs

[C-Mac]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4441928.stm


Sony BMG is recalling music CDs that use controversial anti-piracy software. The software was widely criticised because it used virus-like techniques to stop illegal copies being made.
Widespread pressure has made the music giant remove CDs bearing the software from stores. It will also swap bought CDs for copies free of the XCP anti-piracy software.
Sony is also providing software to make it easy to remove the controversial program from Windows computers.
Sony's music arm could be recalling millions of CDs because at least 20 discs are known to use XCP some by best-selling artists such as Celine Dion, Natasha Bedingfield, and Amerie.
One of the discs, Neil Diamond's 12 Songs, was the top seller on Amazon.com for several days.

XCP PROTECTED CDS
Trey Anastasio - Shine
Celine Dion - On ne Change Pas
Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
Chris Botti - To Love Again
Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound
The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
Acceptance - Phantoms
Susie Suh - Susie Suh
Amerie - Touch
Life of Agony - Broken Valley
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver's Blue
Gerry Mulligan - Jeru
Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie
The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
Dion - The Essential Dion
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
Ricky Martin - Life

No detailed figures have been given by Sony for how many CDs are protected with XCP or how many have been sold.
However, work by respected net expert Dan Kaminsky found that more than 500,000 networks have at least one machine on them using XCP.
Although the CDs containing XCP were only released in the US, Mr Kaminsky found that 44,000 copies were installed on machines in the UK.
In its statement announcing the recall Sony BMG said: "We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers and we are committed to making this situation right."
Security exploit
The alarm about XCP was raised by Windows programming expert Mark Russinovich who discovered that it used a "root kit" to install itself deep inside the operating system.
Subsequent to his discovery virus writers started exploiting XCP's stealthy abilities to hide their own creations.
In the same statement about the recall Sony BMG said it would make it much easier to uninstall the XCP system from Windows PCs on which is has been installed.
Before now any customer wanting to rid their PC of XCP had to go through a several stage process of telling Sony what they wanted to do and then waiting for it to respond. As well as being criticised for its inconvenience security researchers found that the uninstaller left Windows machines vulnerable to several exploits. The XCP copy protection system only installed on machines running Windows.
Writing on the Freedom to Tinker blog, researchers J Alex Halderman and Ed Felten found that cleverly written webpages could exploit the programming code used to remove XCP to install their own potentially malicious programs.
The pair also provided tools that help people work out if their Windows machines have been left vulnerable in this way.
The news about the uninstaller came as anti-virus firms and Microsoft announced tools to find and remove the "root kit".
The row about XCP has also led to Sony BMG facing several class-action lawsuits over the potential security problems that the software causes.

[shakesthecat]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It will be interesting to see if this has any effect on the Sony vs. Toshiba battle surrounding HD-DVD...

I honestly doubt it will have much, if any.
99% of the general public has never heard of this issue, and Sony has almost cult-like brand loyalty.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by KcKing

^^ Most Def...

Anyone attempting to share these...

Celine Dion - On ne Change Pas
Neil Diamond - 12 Songs

SHOULD have a computer destroying virus destroy their respective systems before the evil is spread.

Haven't heard it yet, but read somewhere the Neil Diamond release was The Balls. Rick Ruben produced and gave him the ol' Johnny Cash/American Recordings treatment. That is, getting the best out him there is.

[Garcia Bronco]

Trey Anastasio - Shine


Trey is probably one of the badass guitar players out there, but I doubt you'd hear it on this album.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by shakesthecat

I honestly doubt it will have much, if any.
99% of the general public has never heard of this issue, and Sony has almost cult-like brand loyalty.

Probably true. But it certainly comes at an inopportune time, as Microsoft gets ready to launch the XBox 360, which will by this summer include Toshiba's HD-DVD technology...

[htismaqe]

Well, the XBox 360 may have an HD-DVD capable drive in it come summer, but the games will never support it.

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News...x?NewsId=15429

[Pitt Gorilla]

At first glance, I thought this thread said "Sony recalls crappy CDS." There's an idea I could get behind.

[Dallas Chief]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Probably true. But it certainly comes at an inopportune time, as Microsoft gets ready to launch the XBox 360, which will by this summer include Toshiba's HD-DVD technology...

There's never a good time for bad news. Keep in mind that this is a pre-recorded software issue and has nothing to do with Sony hardware. The residual effects should be negligible. From what I hear, Blu-ray has it all but sealed up, much more software support. Toshiba was in such a rush to get their product to market that they have stumbled repeatedly and have quite a bit of egg on their face. Microsoft's only reason for supporting HD-DVD instead is a political play to posture the 360 against the onslaught that the PS3 is going to have on them. Being first to market with the 360 guarantees them absolutely nothing. I'm, not saying that the PS3 will outsell the 360, but the odds are good. Especially when MS is only shipping 1M this holiday season. The PSP sold 1M units in 14 days or so, during the spring. But that iPod thing is a different story...

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Dallas Chief

There's never a good time for bad news. Keep in mind that this is a pre-recorded software issue and has nothing to do with Sony hardware. The residual effects should be negligible. From what I hear, Blu-ray has it all but sealed up, much more software support. Toshiba was in such a rush to get their product to market that they have stumbled repeatedly and have quite a bit of egg on their face. Microsoft's only reason for supporting HD-DVD instead is a political play to posture the 360 against the onslaught that the PS3 is going to have on them. Being first to market with the 360 guarantees them absolutely nothing. I'm, not saying that the PS3 will outsell the 360, but the odds are good. Especially when MS is only shipping 1M this holiday season. The PSP sold 1M units in 14 days or so, during the spring. But that iPod thing is a different story...

Well, Bill Gates says that the XBox 360 will eventually contain a Toshiba HD-DVD drive, but it will only be used for movies, and never for games.

Sony may have won this battle already.

[Dallas Chief]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Well, Bill Gates says that the XBox 360 will eventually contain a Toshiba HD-DVD drive, but it will only be used for movies, and never for games.

Sony may have won this battle already.

Imagine the amount of gameplay data that could be stored on a 50GB Blu-ray disc. Couple that with the cell processor (something that I am admittedly still trying to get my head around) and you have the ability to reproduce graphic images like never before. Not to mention the options you will have for gaming altogether. Myself, being a homer, will wait for the PS3. I could never force myself to buy, let alone play, an Xbox device (props to them on their current graphics quality). MS just owns way too much of my daily life as it is with XP, Office, etc. Not that every piece of CE in my house doesn't say SONY on it...