Serious Security Breach is Revealed

Sony Suspends Making Antipiracy CDs:

I can’t believe my ears (or in this case my eyes). It took Homeland Security to finally admit what needed to be said.

For too long big business has had it’s way with us. If that conflicts with their copyright protection schemes then tough nuggies. That is part of the risk of doing business.

Stung by continuing criticism, (the world’s second-largest music label), Sony BMG Music Entertainment has promised to “temporarily” suspend making music CDs that have antipiracy technology leaving computers vulnerable to hackers:

A senior Homeland Security official cautioned entertainment companies against discouraging piracy in ways that also make computers vulnerable. Stewart Baker, assistant secretary for policy at DHS, did not cite Sony by name in his remarks Thursday but described industry efforts to install hidden files on consumers’ computers.

The antipiracy technology, which works only on Windows computers, prevents customers from making more than a few copies of the CD and prevents them from loading the CD’s songs onto Apple Computer’s popular iPod portable music players. Some other music players, which recognize Microsoft’s proprietary music format, would work.

Sony’s announcement came one day after leading security companies disclosed that hackers were distributing malicious programs over the Internet that exploited the antipiracy technology’s ability to avoid detection. Hackers discovered they can effectively render their programs invisible by using names for computer files similar to ones cloaked by the Sony technology.

Let’s hope this is a trend that will continue.