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Old 11-11-2005, 01:48 AM   #1
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Default Celine Dion could seriously screw up your PC



I never did like her much in the first place.

Viruses Exploit Sony CD Copy-Protection | Yahoo News, Thu Nov 10, 5:54 PM ET

Quote:
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A controversial copy-protection program that automatically installs when some Sony BMG audio CDs are played on personal computers is now being exploited by malicious software that takes advantage of the antipiracy technology's ability to hide files.

The Trojan horse programs — three have so far been identified by antivirus companies — are named so as to trigger the cloaking feature of Sony's XCP2 antipiracy technology. By piggybacking on that function, the malicious programs can enter undetected, security experts said Thursday.

...Manual attempts to remove the software can disable the PC's CD drive. Sony offers an uninstallation program, but consumers must request it by filling out two forms on the Internet.

...The viruses also only target Windows-based machines.

...Sony also is facing legal headaches. On Nov. 1, Alexander Guevara filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeking class action staus. He claims Sony's actions constituted fraud, false advertising, trespass and violated state and federal laws barring malware and computer tampering.

"You can't uninstall it, you can't find it, and it's vastly more invasive in terms of privacy and personal property than any other (digital rights management) program to date"....
A similar story runs on BBC News.

Evidently Sony are being spineless wimps and not returning phone calls from press about this at the moment. They did release a patch that can show the files cloaked by the software, but that patch cannot remove it.

Reminds me a bit of Starforce. I seriously believe Starforce permanently f#&ked up both my cd and DVD drives.
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Old 11-11-2005, 01:58 AM   #2
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Sorry, if you already own a Celine Dion CD you are already screwed up.
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Old 11-11-2005, 02:08 AM   #3
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Quote:
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Sorry, if you already own a Celine Dion CD you are already screwed up.
She's not the only 'artist' signed up to Sony's label(s).

Sony's uninstaller isn't foolproof either, after you jump through the hoops to get it. There are safe manual uninstallation instructions available to fix what the uninstaller wont.

The trouble lies with Sony never once telling users the effects/uses of the software that is installed.

There where some funny articles a few weeks ago about World of Warcraft hacks being quickly enabled to take advantage of the same exploits the viri above use. Blizzards sniffer program warden, which checks for running hacks can't find those hidden by Sony's DRM software.

There's just something poetic about stringent DRM software enabling hackers rather than discouraging them
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Old 11-11-2005, 02:09 AM   #4
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Damn. That bad, eh?
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Old 11-11-2005, 02:58 AM   #5
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I read on Gamespot that Sony is putting this software in the PS3.

It means that used games will not run on the PS3. So there goes the 2nd hand market or even borrowing a game from you mates won't work.

If true i'm not buying a PS3.
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Old 11-11-2005, 03:13 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucien21
I read on Gamespot that Sony is putting this software in the PS3.
There is talk of a patent application by some guys at Sony for that sort of thing, but if it where akin to the above program it would require every ps3 to have internet access to enforce. You put your disc in and the ps3 would send off your machine id and the disc's id to a remote server and never the two shall part... and you could never play a game without getting an online tick of approval (Bioware's premium modules work the same way).

That's not likely. Especially given their stance on no central/organised online service the likes of Xbox Live for the PS3. Online play is strictly up to developers once again (as with the PS2). You may see ps3's able to write data to the blue ray discs but as you say, its a bold (crazy?) move and you'd want to have a monopoly on the entertainment market before doing it. But Sony have been stupid in the past when it comes to DRM (see above and their 60 day 'loan' that costs you full retail for their eBooks). So even if it is pure speculation/rumor its not wholly unbelievable from Sony. Because they're Sony.
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Old 11-11-2005, 05:50 AM   #7
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Don't just just love the word "piggybacking"?
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Old 11-11-2005, 05:58 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wormsie
Don't just just love the word "piggybacking"?

Is this another pork joke
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Old 11-11-2005, 06:18 AM   #9
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Sony has a bad reputation when it comes to anti-piracy protection. CD's you can't play on your computer, or in your car, anyone? And why the hell can't I make one copy for myself anyway? I don't want to haul my CD's to my car all the time.

Anyway, Sony is only giving people a reason to turn to piracy. After all, you won't f00k up your system when you download Celine Dion. Only your ears

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Old 11-11-2005, 06:45 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erwin_Br
Anyway, Sony is only giving people a reason to turn to piracy.
You know, that's the bit that always pisses me off. I mean, honestly. Do they not realise they're making people do the shrugging thing and then simply go down the alley of illegality? How blind can one be?

They pull this shit all the time - when the RIAA shut down Audiogalaxy, all I could do is shake my head, because frankly put, the other one million and twenty three thousand fourhundred and sixty two mp3 sharing programs out there () still let people share the chart songs, and those people looking for out-of-prints and rarities are the ones that were ****ed up the arse. Exactly the group they don't care much for, the group that wasn't doing the financial damage. Way to go.

Grnnnph... maybe there's some hope and Stealth Sonic Recordings might unmerge from Sony again... okay... wishful thinking, I suppose...
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Old 11-11-2005, 10:04 AM   #11
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Oh well, we all know that Sony is Satan incarnated after all.





And Celine Dion is perfect!
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Old 11-11-2005, 01:48 PM   #12
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Heeeey... c_c I like Sony. Sure, they're dumb sometimes, sometimes really, really dumb, and someone should pan them... in fact, before I go on, let me...

Sony


...but they can still be lovable. Sometimes.

Right?

...

RIGHT?
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Old 11-11-2005, 04:26 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pinkgothic
Heeeey... c_c I like Sony. Sure, they're dumb sometimes, sometimes really, really dumb, and someone should pan them... in fact, before I go on, let me...

Sony


...but they can still be lovable. Sometimes.

Right?

...

RIGHT?
NO! *grabs torchs and a horde of peasants and stomps off in the rain to Sony Headquarters*

I really hate what they're doing here. I mean, I have no problems whatsoever with trying to protect their content from piracy, but this is like blowing up your house to get rid of an ant problem. I'm sure it's at least twenty-seven flavors of illegal, too.

It'd be pointless to put this kind of protection into the PS3. Companies like Blockbuster and Gamefly wouldn't be able to carry any PlayStation 3 software, places like EB and GameStop would no longer make a profit off of buying and reselling used games, and if your PlayStation 3 happens to break, guess what? You have to buy every game all over again. You can't even sell your old library to make up some of the cost of repurchasing, because they wouldn't work anywhere else. It's a ridiculous notion, and if Sony pulls something like that, I'll be going for a Revolution/360 combo this coming generation.
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Old 11-11-2005, 07:30 PM   #14
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When I read the thread title, I thought Celine Dion had a habit of going to people's computers and breaking them.

On a somewhat similar note, I remember my dad putting a Gloria Estefan CD into the computer because it had some extras on it. The first that popped up was a video of her telling people not to copy her head from pictures onto naked bodies of other people. I found that an incredibly funny and dumb thing to say.
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Old 11-11-2005, 07:36 PM   #15
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As soon as people hear that they're going to want to do it. Maybe she wanted it because I can't see many people doing it otherwise.
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Old 11-11-2005, 07:43 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aj_
As soon as people hear that they're going to want to do it. Maybe she wanted it because I can't see many people doing it otherwise.
Are you kidding? There are thousands of these kinds of sites that do nothing but photoshop stars' pics onto models' naked bodies.

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Old 11-11-2005, 07:53 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fairygdmther
Are you kidding? There are thousands of these kinds of sites that do nothing but photoshop stars' pics onto models' naked bodies.
I know people do them, just not on Gloria Estefan.
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Old 11-11-2005, 08:44 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fairygdmther
Are you kidding? There are thousands of these kinds of sites that do nothing but photoshop stars' pics onto models' naked bodies.

Lynsie
Ugh, I know. You'd be appalled at one I saw the other day. I just can't BELIEVE they expected people to buy into it:

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Old 11-11-2005, 08:49 PM   #19
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Old 11-11-2005, 10:37 PM   #20
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What?? Someone put Mr. Bean's head over my picture?! How dare they!!
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