Whats the Sony BMG rootkit (First 4 Internet XCP)?
(2005/11/29) A “rootkit” is a bit of software that changes the way your system works, usually for malicious purposes. Sony BMG included one with some audio CDs released in late 2005. The software in question is “XCP Content Management” from First 4 Internet Ltd (http://www.first4internet.com/). It uses a combined audio CD and CD-ROM format. When placed in a CD-ROM drive on a Windows system, it uses the autorun feature to install itself. XCP includes anti-piracy technology that acts to prevent you from copying it, and cloaking technology to prevent you from seeing it. If you manage to find it, and try to remove it, it disables your CD-ROM drive. (As with other technologies of this type, disabling autorun or holding down the shift key while loading a CD will prevent the copy protection from loading. Because this protection is difficult to remove you must be very careful when handling Sony music CDs on your computer.) This produced a tremendous backlash against Sony BMG. Besides the usual
A “rootkit” is a bit of software that changes the way your system works, usually for malicious purposes. Sony BMG included one with some audio CDs released in late 2005. The software in question is “XCP Content Management” from First 4 Internet Ltd (http://www.first4internet.com/). It uses a combined audio CD and CD-ROM format. When placed in a CD-ROM drive on a Windows system, it uses the autorun feature to install itself. XCP includes anti-piracy technology that acts to prevent you from copying it, and cloaking technology to prevent you from seeing it. If you manage to find it, and try to remove it, it disables your CD-ROM drive. (As with other technologies of this type, disabling autorun or holding down the shift key while loading a CD will prevent the copy protection from loading. Because this protection is difficult to remove you must be very careful when handling Sony music CDs on your computer.) This produced a tremendous backlash against Sony BMG. Besides the usual objections t
