Sony BMG tries to minimise scandal
p2p news / p2pnet: Caught red-handed flagrantly abusing the rights of its customers by hiding dangerous DRM spyware on CDs, Sony BMG is now "re-evaluating" its current methods, Thomas Hesse, the head of Sony BMG’s global digital business, has told the BBC.
Apart from the fact the rootkit spyware is installed on the computers without the knowledge or permission of people who’ve bought Sony BMG ‘product,’ it also leaves them open to hackers who could use it to gain control of their systems.
"This whole story has led us to look at the approach we have to take going forward," says Hesse blandly.
Speaking to the BBC News website, he said all the bad publicity had made it think hard about its approach to stopping people making illegal copies.
"Even if the issue is only a slight one, at Sony BMG we are very clear that any software security issues are taken with the utmost seriousness," he said.
The issue is hardly "slight" and for Hesse - infamously quoted as saying, "Most people don’t even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?" - to try to off-handedly dismiss it amply proves the company still holds ‘consumers’ in extreme contempt.
Hesse should be fired.
The company is already being sued.
Also read:-
BBC - Sony BMG repents over CD debacl, December 9, 2005
open to hackers - SunnComm DRM on 140 CDs, December 8, 2005
December 10th, 2005 at 6:54 pm
Meanwhile, these “recalled” cds are still abundantly available for purchase at my local Wal-mart and Hastings stores. If I knew that I wouldn’t get into trouble, I’d put a “Contains Spyware” sticker on all the cases.
December 10th, 2005 at 8:45 pm
I think we should all stand outside of cd stores handing out pamplets informing people about sony’s DRM cd’s. Would be interesting to see the fallout from that.
December 11th, 2005 at 6:58 am
According to Sony’s latest responces, it would be a “slight problem”.
December 11th, 2005 at 12:43 pm
If they call this a “slight” problem, then I would hate to see what they would consider a “major” problem.
December 11th, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Ha Hahaha Hahaha What a farce. re-evaluating my ass. All they are doing is trying to figure out how not to get caught the next time that they pull this shit, and beleive me, they will try again.
“Most people don’t even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?” Well Hesse, everybody certainly knows what a rootkit is now after this fiasco that your company created. In other words, you just shot your own self in the foot, and you only have your own self to blame.
Remember folks, this is the same company that was caught in a payola scandel reminicent of 1920’s era gangsters. What they were doing was “donating” money and equipment to radio stations, and in return those stations would play more of sony’s catalog.
They were also involved in a CD price fixing sceme with other record companies and were caught and forced to pay a fine.
There’s so much dirt that these companies have, the skeletons in their closets have been buried.
December 11th, 2005 at 2:02 pm
Just in case you did notknow, my family has sued Sony for making at least 16 records that have sold at least five million records all without any legal license.
When I personally detected this I tried to negotiate royalty payments with Sony. After lying to me several times, what Sony did is to go to a music publisher that had previously and illegally claimed to own the songs used by Sony. The bogus publisher then issued bogus licenses to Sony (for illegal recordings many years in production), who evidently preferred to deal with a bogus publisher than with me, who represented my family, the rightful owners of the songs.
Now, if all records 16+ records made by Sony that has our songs are all unlicensed and unlawful, that surely points to one fact: It is a common practice of Sony to make and sell records with unlawful content. Sony may be the biggest pirate of all !!!
I am sure that at the end Sony will claim that the use of unlicensed songs was due to employee error and that management did not support infringement. A bogus argument, because after our lawsuit Sony has continued the production of the records, perhaps to show their arrogance and power (in the court system?).
While Sony has not stopped producing the records, what they have been able to do is miraculously stopped is the judicial process. The lawsuit was filed five years ago and the judge is sitting on the case.
Sony (or someone) has also stopped the press, who has never mentioned the case, here or elsewhere, to my knowledge.
Details can be found here:
Venegas v. Sony Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
http://rafa_venegas.web.prdigital.com/venegas_v_sony_lawsuit.htm
Can anyone figure this out? I can, but If I say what is going on I will be shortly visited by the FBI.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
December 11th, 2005 at 10:30 pm
Just stop bying Sony stuff, will educate them
December 11th, 2005 at 10:33 pm
A major problem is when we the customers decide to stop buying Sony goods.
December 12th, 2005 at 3:43 am
Provisions of Section 225 (“The Cyber Security Enhancement Act”)
of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002, H.R. 5710
That Amend Title 18 of the United States Code
sentencing guidelines
SEC. 225. CYBER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2002.
http://www.cybercrime.gov/homeland_CSEA.htm
I hope Sony does not get past Federal law.
December 12th, 2005 at 6:23 am
I am certainly delighted to find that this Sony “mistake” is not being swept under the rug and that Jon will keep on reporting about Sony’s debacle.
I didn’t start out to become interested in P2P, I just wanted to surf the net. I’ve stated before and I’ll say it again - I’ve had quite an education this past year. I’m only one small voice, but there are a multitude of others out there. It’s depressing to think that just maybe Sony will come out of this smelling like a rose, but then there are things like the lawsuit in Texas and the slap by Homeland Security that just might get their attention. If not, I can only say I will not buy Sony products nor be in their music club, and I try to keep an eye locally on what is being said about this ( http://p2pnet.net/story/7228 and http://p2pnet.net/story/7025 ) and just maybe if enough people would do the same, Sony might get the message.
The ticket is not only to let them know that we know, but also to hit them where it hurts - the wallet which rests somewhat close to their b____s.
December 12th, 2005 at 8:01 am
Amen, nice post Bev.
December 12th, 2005 at 9:15 pm
Want to see how the value of Sony has dropped from $135 (peak was $150) to less than $38 now, in 6 years. A drop to 28% (or to 21% from peak to low of $31) of former value.
Click here:
http://custom.marketwatch.com
Enter SNE (Sony stock name).
Investors are running away, They have seen the light.
Yeah! Sony is so damn desperate to the point of installing spyware on customer computers and blackmailing anyone in p2p sight. They deserve the shit they are getting.