I've been looking around for a list of all the CDs issued with the crazy software on them but have had no luck finding one. HAs anyone seen anything like this?

Also, used one of these CDs and installed the software on your system? What did it do? Any luck removing?

endorphin74 said:

Yep, I have had those problems over 4 times and it's just ridiculous. I really think Sony and the artist agrees to put this 'protection key' on their CD's because with their last album's commerical sales, the artist or band might've became sorely disappointed and they come to the final conclusion that people have been coping their stuff. Well, my question is with these copy-protected CD's, how many people are going to buy a CD now, not knowing if there is some crazy software on the CD that is destroying our computers? Do you really think it's going to sell with all of this controversy going around them?
[Edited 11/19/05 8:11am]

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
Trey Anastasio - Shine
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver's Blue
Gerry Mulligan - Jeru


Obviously older versions of these albums would not have the problem. Check for the XCP security thing on the cd.
[Edited 11/19/05 9:21am]

Security exploit

The alarm about XCP was raised by Windows programming expert Mark Russinovich who discovered that it used a "root kit" to install itself deep inside the operating system.

Subsequent to his discovery virus writers started exploiting XCP's stealthy abilities to hide their own creations.

In the same statement about the recall Sony BMG said it would make it much easier to uninstall the XCP system from Windows PCs on which is has been installed.

Before now any customer wanting to rid their PC of XCP had to go through a several stage process of telling Sony what they wanted to do and then waiting for it to respond. As well as being criticised for its inconvenience security researchers found that the uninstaller left Windows machines vulnerable to several exploits. The XCP copy protection system only installed on machines running Windows.

Writing on the Freedom to Tinker blog, researchers J Alex Halderman and Ed Felten found that cleverly written webpages could exploit the programming code used to remove XCP to install their own potentially malicious programs.

The pair also provided tools that help people work out if their Windows machines have been left vulnerable in this way.

thanks dean!

endorphin74 said:

I just added in the post but if you have older versions of the catalogued releases of these you are safe.

I have one of the cds on the list but I don't see anything on the cd or case that tells me it has this program on the cd.

RaspberryWoman said:

yes they did it in secret plus the program is almost invisible can only be detected by the most geeky of the geekist ppl

I bet u can get money from sony for having to restore ur hacked system

RaspberryWoman said:

your avatar is TOO much!!!!

I have the special edition of Neil Diamond's disc...apparently it's been pulled off store sheleves (both verisons). Amazon doesn't sell it anymore and it was selling well. I wonder what they are going to do now. If I were Neil and going to have my first hit album in many years, I'd fucking sue Sony for sabotage!

endorphin74 said:

You don't like my new glasses?

asg said:

In secret? The cd itself informs you if it has XCP security in question and they only sold 2.1 million of them total among the 48 cd's that included it. It was the geekiest who discovered what the XCP was doing and the hole that it put in your security.

In regards to several posts above:

- no the labels do not need (or usually get) consent from the artists to put copy protection on the cds

- the Sony cds with XCP or SunComm copy protection are marked on the package.

Eileen


Are You Infected by the Sony Rootkit?

XCP pulled, not SunComm

War With Apple. Artists Consent?

Sony Rootkit Code Infringes Copyrights

Close examination of Sony's audio cd rootkit has revealed that their malicious software is built on code that infringes on copyright.

CNET Editor says "DRM this, Sony!"

I'm truly sorry that there are, out there in the world, mass-production piracy operations that are digging into your bottom line, but you know what? I'm not one of them. Neither are most of the people who will be laboring under the nasty little flags, Trojan horses, and FairPlay/Plays For Sure doublespeak that you see fit to slap on the stuff we legitimately purchased.

And you know who's not going to labor under those restrictions? You know who's not even going to notice? The mass-production piracy operations, that's who. You know it, and I know it. So why are you engaged in this nickel-and-dime, small-time thrust-and-parry with me and my friends?

Sony Uninstaller Creates Security Hole

Sony Pulls Dangerous Uninstaller
We currently are working on a new tool to uninstall First4Internet XCP software. In the meantime, we have temporarily suspended distribution of the existing uninstall tool for this software. We encourage you to return to this site over the next few days. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
(update: new software update now posted)

Timeline of Sony Debacle

Sony BMG's EULA ----- Your digital world according to Sony-BMG:

If your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your laptop when you get home. That's because the EULA says that your rights to any copies terminate as soon as you no longer possess the original CD.

You can't keep your music on any computers at work. The EULA only gives you the right to put copies on a "personal home computer system owned by you."

If you move out of the country, you have to delete all your music. The EULA specifically forbids "export" outside the country where you reside.

You must install any and all updates, or else lose the music on your computer. The EULA immediately terminates if you fail to install any update. No more holding out on those hobble-ware downgrades masquerading as updates.

Sony-BMG can install and use backdoors in the copy protection software or media player to "enforce their rights" against you, at any time, without notice. And Sony-BMG disclaims any liability if this "self help" crashes your computer, exposes you to security risks, or any other harm.

The EULA says Sony-BMG will never be liable to you for more than $5.00. That's right, no matter what happens, you can't even get back what you paid for the CD.

If you file for bankruptcy, you have to delete all the music on your computer. Seriously.

You have no right to transfer the music on your computer, even along with the original CD.

Forget about using the music as a soundtrack for your latest family photo slideshow, or mash-ups, or sampling. The EULA forbids changing, altering, or make derivative works from the music on your computer.