Ok, so this story starts out with me listening to my new podcast of NPR's Technology. I heard this story about Sony BMG, and how they are putting some copy protection software on their new CDs. That was enough, I thought, but it gets better...
So, basically, what happens is Sony puts this software on it's CDs that only allow you to listen to that audio CD on a computer with their program installed on it, and that program doesn't let you copy the CD. Great thinking, huh (except for those of us that just do a bit-wise rip of it and re-burn it bit by bit...). HOWEVER, the software is installed down in the root of the system, I'm guessing, because I really don't know, but I would guess that it appends itself to the kernal somewhere and somehow. So, it would be "stupid" of you to even try to uninstall it, and it's hidden from sight. Well, NPR does this story on Nov 4, 2005, in which they say that it would be pretty easy for someone to go in and hack this out and use it as a port for a pretty cool virus. Sony BMG comes back and says that the software doesn't do anything harmful for your comptuer (which is true, but like NPR said, it can be used to do soething harmful).
Well today, while surfing around CNN I find a similar story, but low and behold, the darn hakers were listening to NPR! Oh-my-gosh... Who would have figured it. Well, way to go Sony BMG, you've done it again. Way to go!