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Re: [Full-disclosure] the "Sony/BMG" virus

Todd Towles wrote:


I agree with Barry 100%. If they are allow to contiune down this road,
then all companies will follow (not just record companies). They should
have never used kernel hooks, it is very clear they have no idea what a
rootkit is and they have no idea how dangerous it can be for the normal
user. Remind me why I should give them money again?


I'm not sure what's more scary -- whether they have no idea what the impact of a rootkit is or that they know what a rootkit is and everything has been intentional and damage control-based. In all honesty, I'm not sure how they could have done what they did without the knowledge of how a rootkit works. Which, in my mind, leaves only one option...

They treat us all like cattle, as Barry said. 

Does this stop a person from getting the songs off BitTorrent? No
Does this stop a person from ripping the songs off of the CD? No, use
linux...noobs can even use a bootable Linux CD.

So who is this act really hurting? Normal CUSTOMERS that paid money to
buy a product they offer.

Quite true. 

This outcome of this will hurt more than normal customers, it will hurt
companies that do everything they can to protect their employees and the
public from the danger. There was talk that the Sophos UnMasking Tool
may be against the DMCA. WTF?

Are you kidding me....forget the RIAA, buy Indie



Very true, but to be honest... I hope that this triggers a DMCA battle. It will either invalidate a portion of the DMCA or show that the DMCA actually hurts normal people rather than helping them. We all know that the DMCA is too broad, and until now it's largely only hurt researchers and entrepreneurs. So I say let's let the whole thing circle the drain. Let's force the issue. Let's bring this to its ultimate extent.

Maybe then we can get some real public outcry. Maybe then, when the vaunted ideal of capitalism, the sanctity of personal property, is being trampled by the corporate sector and the government, people will realize that the man behind the curtain does not have their best intentions in mind.

Until then, I don't think that one can morally accept and go along with the actions of corrupt individuals. I say that if Sophos' removal tool is struck down, the international nature of the internet must be leveraged to ensure that the removal tools themselves can never disappear. Treaties only reach so far. What Sophos has done is honorable and just. They deserve our support... as does their cause in this case. It is important for people to control what is within their realm of property. What's next? TVs with CCTV cameras in them sitting on a wall in our apartments and only a small nook to hide in ourselves? I see no difference between that and what Sony has done...

            -bkfsec


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