Sony, Amazon Detail Rootkit CD Buybacks

An anonymous reader writes "Washingtonpost.com is reporting that Sony BMG today detailed a program that should allow customers who bought one of the 52 titles known to be tainted with the company's deeply flawed anti-piracy software to exchange them for CDs of the same title, sans rootkit of course. Oddly enough, Sony is offering those who want to return the CDs the chance to download MP3 versions of the discs, but only after Sony has received the returned discs. Amazon.com also is sending out e-mails to customers who bought the discs, offering to replace or refund them at no cost."

MP3 poisoning howto

[dtfinch]

Let customers download the MP3s via a server side script which quietly puts their customer number for tracking and a hash for non-repudiation into the ID3 tags, which'll survive most transcoding. Then if it appears on a P2P network (not likely, unless it's not already there), they'll know who did it.

Re:Sans

[Sycraft-fu]

It'd be easy to tell probably. If the disc lacks a data sector, you can be sure there isn't one. CDs have different kinds of sectors for audio and data. So if it's all audio, there's no possibility of malicious software since there's no software.

Re:No Cash?

[the_unknown_soldier]

Not RTFA is fine. But not even reading the summary? You can get a refund.

number 7: "Billy Holiday"?

[holden caufield]

This is on her own damn label and they can't get Lady Day's name right?

Unbelieveable. They could have at least looked at the CD cover.

Re:Lawsuits?

[dorkygeek]

Here we go: Sony hit by lawsuits over root kit [theregister.co.uk].

Re:I am INCREDIBLY offended by Sony's actions

[arth1]

Could you please point to your source regarding BMG being the ones who brought DRM into the picture?

Easy enough to google for. One recent entry [usatoday.com].

Regards,
--
*Art

Who keeps changing your mind?

[bosewicht]

lmao Before

Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?

After

We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are instituting a program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection. We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory. Please click here for exchange program details. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers and we are committed to making this situation right. It is important to note that the issues regarding these discs exist only when they are played on computers, not on conventional, non-computer-based CD and/or DVD players.

Re:Sans

[Stormwatch]

Easy, just check that it has the logo "Compact Disc Digital Audio" [wikipedia.org]. If they put that on anything that is not compliant to the Red Book standard - that is, not a pure audio CD - Philips can sue them for trademark infringement.

Re:Sans

[JoeCommodore]

So if it's all audio, there's no possibility of malicious software since there's no software.

Ddn't people say that about JPEGs and other media files? If it involves a Windows player, there's a way...