DRM promises from SunnComm
p2p news / p2pnet: SunnComm, one of the companies behind the Sony BMG spyware DRM farce, has outlined what it’s done, and what it plans to do, to address potential security problems caused by its MediaMax CD DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) software, and to “help protect against future vulnerabilities”.
So says the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).
There’s been no word from the other company, UK-based First4Internet.
The two firms created separate ‘copyright protection’ applications which Sony BMG hid on music CDs which then secretly planted the applications on customers’ computers, in the process further besmirching the already blackened names of itself and its partners in the Organized Music cartel.
“SunnComm says it will ensure that future versions of MediaMax will not install when the user declines the end user license agreement (EULA) that appears when a CD is first inserted in a computer CD or DVD drive,” says the EFF in a statement.
“SunnComm has also agreed to include uninstallers in all versions of MediaMax software, to submit all future versions to an independent security-testing firm for review, and to release to the public the results of the independent security testing.”
SunnComm and EFF are discussing how to ensure that legitimate security researchers who have been, are, or will be working to identify security problems with MediaMax will not be accused of copyright violations under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).”
Then follow the usual meaningless and completely insincere platitudes:
From SunnComm: “We are pleased to be working with EFF to ensure that consumers are notified of this potential vulnerability and our update,” said acting SunnComm President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Clement.
And from the EFF: “EFF applauds SunnComm’s commitments to better security and privacy practices.”
Meanwhile Princeton professor Ed Felten and Alex Halderman, who initially cracked SunnComm’s uncrackable DRM, are finishing (if they haven’t already finished it already) ‘Lessons from the Sony CD DRM Episode,’ an academic paper that analyzes, “several not-yet-discussed aspects of the XCP and MediaMax CD copy protection technologies” to, “put the Sony CD episode in context and draw lessons for the future”.
List of CDs with SunnComm MediaMax 5:
List of CDs with SunnComm MediaMax 3:
Also See:
statement – CD Copy Protection Firm Promises Fix for Software Problems, February 2, 2006
not-yet-discussed – Felten and Halderman on DRM: III, January 31, 2006
