OT - Sony recalls copy-protected music CD's

[SuiteMadameBlue]

This is hitting all the music boards. Don't remember see it here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10069563/

Sony recalls copy-protected music CDs

Company will also distribute program to remove virus-like software

Nov. 16, 2005, 1:10 p.m. ET

BARCELONA - Music company Sony BMG, yielding to consumer concern, said on
Wednesday it was recalling music CDs containing copy-protection software
that acts like virus software and hides deep inside a computer.

Sony BMG has used the XCP copy-protection software on 49 titles from
artists such as Celine Dion and Sarah McLachlan and produced an estimated
4.7 million music CDs. Around 2.1 million units have been sold on to
consumers.

The software, developed by British software makers First4Internet,
installs itself on a personal computer used to play the CD in order to
guard against copying, but it leaves the back door open for malicious
hackers.

"We share the concerns of consumers regarding discs with XCP
content-protected software, and, for this reason, we are instituting a
consumer exchange program and removing all unsold CDs with this software
from retail outlets," Sony BMG said in an statement.

Sony BMG announced in a separate statement it would distribute a program
to remove the software from a PC where it jeopardizes security.

"We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers. Details
of this (recall) program will be announced shortly," Sony BMG said.

Sony said will soon issue more details about the swap program. Consumers
can identify their copy-protected CDs by a Web address on the back of the
CD containing the letters XCP.

Of the 49 titles, 24 were new major releases. The remaining albums were
reissues and other material from the catalogue.

Sony reiterated that the copy-protection software installs itself only on
personal computers and not on ordinary CD and DVD players. Market research
group NPD Group found in a recent survey that around 36 percent of
consumers listen to their CDs on a personal computer.

Patch problems

Problems with the copy-protection software became acute last week, when
the first computer viruses emerged that took advantage of security holes
left by the program.

Responding to public outcry over the software, Sony BMG, the music venture
of Japanese electronics conglomerate Sony Corp. and Germany's Bertelsmann
AG had said on Friday it would temporarily suspend the manufacture of
music CDs containing XCP technology.

It then provided a patch to make the hidden program more visible. At the
time it did not recall the CDs or offer a program to remove it from
computers. Sony BMG's patch and the removal software still left PCs
vulnerable, according to software engineers.

The anti-virus team at Microsoft Corp. said on Tuesday it would
independently add a detection and removal mechanism to rid a personal
computer of the Sony's DRM copy- protection software. It should have a
deeper understanding of its own operating system, and how to remove
software safely. (MSNBC is a Microsoft - NBC joint venture.)

The software installs itself only on PCs running Microsoft's Windows
operating system.

Sony BMG has positioned itself as a defender of artists' rights. It had
re-emphasized on Friday that copy-protection software is "an important
tool to protect our intellectual property rights and those of our
artists."

Sony BMG last week was targeted in a class action lawsuit complaining that
it had not disclosed the true nature of its copy-protection software.

Live vote: Has Sony done enough?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10070162/

(c) Reuters 2005. All rights reserved.

[bugsymalone]

I had seen this a couple of weeks ago, and much has been written and reported about it.

I was concerned because I was going to buy Neil Diamond's 12 Songs CD but decided against it because of this copy protection problem.

It will make me wary of Sony CD's in the future.

What I have been unsure about was individual songs digitally downloaded. I assume the copy protection was only embedded onto the CD's.

Any of our techies know about digital downloads?

Bugsy

[Monker]

I had seen this a couple of weeks ago, and much has been written and reported about it.

I was concerned because I was going to buy Neil Diamond's 12 Songs CD but decided against it because of this copy protection problem.

It will make me wary of Sony CD's in the future.

What I have been unsure about was individual songs digitally downloaded. I assume the copy protection was only embedded onto the CD's.

Any of our techies know about digital downloads?

Bugsy

It sounds like the copy protection was only loaded if you have your CD player in you PC set to "auto-load". That means it starts playing as soon as the CD is inserted. If you don't have that set (I don't cuz I hate that feature anyway), then you are fine.

Digital downloads are perfectly "safe"...at least from Sony's copy protection.

[bugsymalone]

It sounds like the copy protection was only loaded if you have your CD player in you PC set to "auto-load". That means it starts playing as soon as the CD is inserted. If you don't have that set (I don't cuz I hate that feature anyway), then you are fine.

Digital downloads are perfectly "safe"...at least from Sony's copy protection.

Thanks for that info, Monker! I was not sure about the digital downloads and copy protection, and that is the way I might go on the Neil Diamond album. I may not want all the songs anyway.

Thank you very much.

Bugsy

[styxfanNH]

The CD's were marked on the back if they had that software on it. So if its not there, you should be safe.

All the cd's that had it were recalled, but I am sure there were some that probably got missed, especially on ebay.

Just watch for it and you should be ok.

[PsychoSy]

That's not the only thing -- Sony BMG got busted for "payola".