Sony quits making XCP protected CDs

Sony quits making XCP protected CDs
One of the worlds largest music labels, Sony BMG, has stopped producing CDs that contain XCP copy protection following criticism. It emerged that the XCP DRM used similar cloaking techniques to rootkits, which are often used by virus writers to hide malicious software in the Windows operating system to avoid detection. Sony still defended its right to ensure that consumers cannot make illegal copies of their music CDs but said it will stop making XCP protected CDs as a precautionary measure.

"We also intend to re-examine all aspects of our content protection initiative to be sure that it continues to meet our goals of security and ease of consumer use," the company said in a statement. Anti-virus companies have since blacklisted the XCP copy protection and it has been labeled by many as spyware due to the complications in detecting and removing it. To make matters worse, a trojan that takes advantage of the file hiding techniques surfaced last week in an email attachment, and at least one variant has also been reported.



About 20 popular music titles, such as a release by Van Zant, are protected with the XCP technology. However, Mark Russinovich who originally exposed the methods used by XCP, is unimpressed with Sony's timing. "This is a step they should have taken immediately," he commented. He pointed out that Sony did not admit to any wrong doing and didn't promise not to use similar techniques in future.

Source:
USA Today


Thanks to borhan9, dkbaked, Gerrard and jimmymac for News Submissions.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 14 Nov 2005 17:28
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  • 7 comments
  • DVDRipGuy

    DIE SONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    14.11.2005 17:50 #1

  • limelight

    So what if i put this in my stand-alone dual tray cd recorder? would it copy fine since there's no OS?

    15.11.2005 02:04 #2

  • mystic

    http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/79806/digital-rights-body-calls-for-sony-to-recall-xcp-cds.html
    this is the artical that said it all Sony must recall end of story.....

    15.11.2005 03:48 #3

  • DaOsT

    is this the encryption that put something in your pc also ....illegally!!!???

    ::LivE ForeveR OR DiE TryiN!!::....::DonT FinD US WE WilL FinD YoU::..
    ChecK OuT ThE PenguiN GamE AnD PosT YouR HighesT DistancE ON ThE ForuM
    http://www.gazholland.co.uk

    15.11.2005 04:14 #4

  • mystic

    yes and as a tech for a school department it was something of a chore to go to all our systems and labs and clean this out.... Sony has to answer for my time and all the trouble they have caused... and Im only one of thousands of techs at difrent schools it took me 2 hours on the phone to get the removil tool because of the way they listed the website first you had to know what cd was played ? makes you wonder how many veriations there are?

    15.11.2005 06:11 #5

  • flipsterz

    hoo raah!!! for all those that got this evil removed.

    18.11.2005 12:36 #6

  • ireland

    mystic and all

    hows this for a starter,all sory info is posted on this board by me
    all ye have to is look at the title of each thread

    Sony BMG last week was targeted in a class action lawsuit complaining that it had not disclosed the true nature of its copy-protection software.
    http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69590,00.html?tw=rss.TOP


    The list I have cobbled together, includes a whopping 474445 new releases. Thats right, 45. And to be honest, there could be more. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the list, other than the fact that they were all released within the last 6 months. There are a few names, but to be honest the most are artists that I’ve never heard of.

    Foo Fighters - In Your Honour
    Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
    Ricky Martin - Life
    Sarah McLachlan - Bloom Remix Album
    Celine Dion - On Ne Change Pas
    Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
    Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
    Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
    Santana - All That I Am
    Chris Botti - To Love Again
    Switchfoot - Nothing Is Sound
    Patty Loveless - Dreamin’ My Dreams
    Montgomery Gentry - Something To Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005
    Mary Mary - Mary Mary
    My Morning Jacket - Z
    David Gray - Life In Slow Motion
    Bob Brookmeyer - Bob Brookmeyer & Friends
    Shelly Fairchild - Ride
    Kasabian - Kasbian
    Pete Seeger - The Essential Pete Seeger
    The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
    Elkland - Golden
    Susie Suh - Susie Suh
    Buddy Jewel - Times Like These
    Chayanne - Cautivo
    A Static Lullaby - Faso Latido
    Our Lady Peace - Healthy In Paranoid Times
    The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
    Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie
    Acceptance - Phantoms
    Dion - The Essential Dion
    The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
    Goapele - Change It All
    Los Lonely Boys - TBD
    Life of Agony - Broken Valley
    George Jones - My Very Special Guests
    Horace Silver - Silver’s Blue
    Amici Forever - Defined
    Ahmed Jamal - The Legendary Okeh and Epic Recordings
    Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day
    Hitch - Soundtrack
    Charlotte Martin - On Your Shore
    Vivian Green - Vivian
    Raheem DeVaughn - The Love Experience
    Amerie - Touch
    Nivea - Complicated
    Mario - Turning Point
    G3 - Live In Tokyo
    http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/258028

    also read this..
    Sory Viruc Rootkit,Corp. offers new CDs, MP3s for recalled discs
    http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/259010

    18.11.2005 12:48 #7

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