SonyBMG Using Virus Writer Technique to Improve CD Copy-Protection

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 1, 2005 - 4:45am.

San Francisco - Major record label SonyBMG has adopted a technique used by virus writers to hide their tracks, in an effort to ramp up its CD copy-protection technology, CNET News.com reported. The "rootkit," used by malware writers to cloak their code deep within an operating system -- making it more difficult for a user to delete -- is part of U.K.-based anti-piracy firm First4Internet's CD copy-protection technology, which
has been employed on SonyBMG CDs released over the past eight months. Although the technique has elicited some concern from computer security firms, First4Internet told News.com it has worked with several security firms to ensure the rootkit is not a risk for end users trying to play a CD on their computers. The use of a rootkit in CD copy-protection was first reported by programmer Mark Russinovich on his blog. "We're still trying to find a line between fair use and digital rights management, and it is going to take issues like this, with discussions between lawmakers and industry, to come up with what's fair and honest," Russinovich told News.com. "But I think this has gone too far." Russinovich discovered the rootkit was installed along with copy-protected tracks when he played a CD in his computer from Van Zant, a band featuring members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and 38 Special.
http://tinyurl.com/alunt (CNET)
http://tinyurl.com/auyjl (Russinovich blog post)
http://www.first4internet.com