Texas Sues Sony BMG Under Spyware Law; Additional Security Risk Found

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 21, 2005 - 3:08am.

Austin - The Attorney General for the state of Texas has sued major record label Sony BMG under the state's spyware law, in connection with the release of millions of CDs containing technology that hid anti-piracy software that opened users' PCs to virus attacks. "Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak and dagger deceit against consumers by hiding secret files on their computers, said Attorney General Greg Abbott. "Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instead, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime." The state of Texas is seeking civil penalties of $100,000 per violation of the state's anti-spyware law. Meanwhile, another security risk related to the Sony BMG copy-protection technology has been identified, this time in connection with software from Arizona-based SunnComm Technologies. Computer researchers Ed Felten and Alex Halderman identified a security risk in the uninstall program for SunnComm's anti-piracy application, which the company said had been downloaded by just 223 consumers before it was removed from the Web. SunnComm's CD copy-protection software is different than the offending application from U.K.-based First 4 Internet at the heart of the controversy -- although SunnComm's software has likely been included on a greater number of releases, from both Sony BMG and other record labels.
http://tinyurl.com/a28sl (Texas AG press release)
http://tinyurl.com/cm6sy (CNET)
http://www.sunncomm.com