Oh my god (or should i say Sony)...

psyXonova · Post by **psyXonova** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:03 pm

I decided to start this thread in order to inform MM users of yet another one of Sony's copyright protection tricks.
It is well known in this community (proved by various posts in this forum) that Sony makes a huge stragle to force copyright restictions in every product they made available (from Audio CDs and Minidisks to SACD and mp3 players) and that almost all the times the results are succefull for Sony but unsuccefull for the user. I am not talking for the concerpt of DRM here. I agree with the fact that companies and artist must protect their rights and stop illegal copying of their material. But this must be done in a way that they would also protect user rights (not to mention that they must be user friendly).
Most of Sonys copyright restriction technics are not user friendly at all and also create a lot of problems to the user's system once installed. I am telling this because i was a NetMd user and had to live with the SonicStage software.
But nevertheless SonicStage informed you what was about to do and so installing it was your responsibility.
But Sony made its miracle again. It has included a small player in their copy protected audio CDs that is compromising system security.
Its meaningless of trying to explain what Sony made since Mark Russinovish, key developer of Sysinternals software, who made the discovery has written a very good analysis and I suggest everyone to read this post as long as the follow ups...
What are we going to see next?? Infrared satelite cameras watching if we are copying Sony CDs????

trixmoto · Post by **trixmoto** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 5:25 pm

This is VERY concerning!!!

Pablo · Post by **Pablo** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 6:10 pm

I object to the principle of DMR because it naturally leads to abuses like this. There's no easy solution to the problem of piracy (which IS a problem) but DMR isn't, it just bothers everyone and takes away our fair usage rights. And it opens the door to abusive behavior like this.

Post by **Peke** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:22 pm

I have had one CD with that protection.
I'll never repeat that anymore.

Steegy · Post by **Steegy** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 2:52 am

The only thing I want is pure music.
When they add to much "necessary extras" or even fraudulent software, I'm tempted to get my music from places where they *are* clean.
So for me, these copy-protection measures are totally counterproductive.

psyXonova · Post by **psyXonova** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:06 am

What is worst off all is that companies have started using classic "hacker" technics to force DRM even against simple users. As a matter of fact, if i was a hacker i would love to see this specific protection method available for every Audio CD out there since it opens the door for the compromisation of the user's system. I mean, all i have to do is find a way to add a file named $sys$anyfilenamehere into the user's system. After that, Sony does all the job for me hiding this file from all Antivirus, AntiSpyware etc software and allowing me to run every type of malicius code i want to, including patching the system call table!!!!!!!!
I mean.... those people are unbelievable!!!!

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:48 am

so how many of you are dumb enough to install a player from a music cdrom when it is to be able to just play by inserting in your cdrom player?

as i have said in other messages the way around this crap is to just rip to wav format

edit in wav editor save as a new wav file under new name.

convert to your format you want.

then renam to the orginal name.

just dont use mp3 format as that is more then likely the one their code will look for thus making it reclaim your song again.

you bought the cdrom you have a legal right to make a backup copy of it with out the hacker stuff being put on your system. or with out it going away.

this does explain why some songs got online have just disapeard from the computer though, even though it was paid for.

recently i got a cdrom of a christmas album that was done in wma's and would not play in wmp i checked the cdrom by exploreing in windows.

found it had its own setup. looked in its folders did not know what in the h..ll it needed with its own drivers. and i did not want its speical player so i copied the wma files to the hard drive. tried to play them. they would not play.

i had to rip them with out playing them, to a wav file then i was able to do as i said with the wav editor.

i now have my legal copy of the cdrom and i tossed the cdrom in the pile on the table which will not be played ever since i use my files on the computer.

i keep the cdroms just to be in compliance with the drm laws as of having to own the factory cdrom to have a copy of it on your computer, which is just making every one have piles of cdroms as room dividers.

but that is the only way i know around this crap they are doing.

they can't block it from ever being played. so you will always beable to get around it.

incase you are wondering about me by now? i come from the town/ city of pittsburgh Pa. guess what pro sports teams are called there.

psyXonova · Post by **psyXonova** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:14 am

Well cowboy that is the point you know....
this software installs by it self without a notice!!!!
Most propably, since you bought such an Audio CD you also have this rootkit, but sony never asked you to install it!!!!!

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 3:35 pm

yep i could have but i don't

i did not play the cdrom before i explored it. i am an untrusting type of guy in some things.

but i don't think every one would have explored it first. which is why a say that just to get others to think before they click on play. or have it auto start?

trixmoto · Post by **trixmoto** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:40 pm

I always have my autoplay set on "prompt" so that I can easily stop it before it does anything i don't want it to.

Plazma · Post by **Plazma** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:09 pm

I heard about this today on the radio. What a dumb move on Sony's part - and whoever else has done this. I thought they were trying to get people to buy CDs. This really makes me think twice about even putting a cd in my drive.

Maybe I'll just rip CDs from a player using an RCA cable

drichm · Post by **drichm** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:04 am

For those who are interested

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/down ... rtoys.mspx

contains an application called 'TweakUI' which has many useful options, one being the ability to disable autoplay on any drive, including CDs.

When TweakUI is installed go to the section 'My Computer' -> AutoPlay -> Drives

If, after doing this, you want to run auto play, press the right-mouse button on the drive in File Explorer and choose the 'Auto Play' option.

Dave

P.S. The link above is for Windows XP, there are versions for other Windows versions, but I do not know if they are still available online. Try searching Microsofts site.

MarineBrat · Post by **MarineBrat** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:41 pm

rovingcowboy wrote:incase you are wondering about me by now? i come from the town/ city of pittsburgh Pa. guess what pro sports teams are called there.

Hey Roving, I grew up in Brookline, just a little south of The Burgh! What part are you from?

Post by **Lowlander** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:57 pm

And the first virusses using the sony rootkit have been discovered too.

psyXonova · Post by **psyXonova** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:17 am

It was only a matter of time.....
Next thing we will see is Microsoft patching all windows systems against Sony Rootkit.....

Oh my god (or should i say Sony)...

Oh my god (or should i say Sony)...

Disable Autoplay