Spyware, viruses, & security forum: DVD ships with rootkit. The lesson was not learned.

http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/archive-022006.html#00000810

I don't have a clear view or clean case on this one yet but it appears the rootkit can cause some PC games (which have copyprotection) to fail to run.

You can imagine how upsetting it is for some to play a DVD then their 50 dollar games no longer function. It's also not funny that they may not know what's going on and may end up at some service desk which will also know nothing about this and reload the OS onto the machine.

The consumer loses all around on this one.

Bob

This thread IS about an old issue.. Did you check the date on the thread?

Hope this helps.

Grif

Albeit very small computers (microprocessors), the move to embedded computing makes for some very nice operations.

Bob

The executives that run these corporations must be tech illiderate. Anyone with a couple of working brain cells can use a patch cord and a recorder program to copy music from CD (even the most protected disk on sale) It may take longer but it works. Video DVD's whether standard or high def will be copied (even with Trusted Computing's Corporate Dictator Chip and software [Seig Hiel!]) When I BUY something out of the store I OWN it. I will use it on devices or form I OWN. Licensing IS B.S. Yes our elected corporate prostitutes will past laws for the corp. dictator wana be's, but until there is a Total Surveillance Police State (coming with RFID) it is so much words on paper.

Supports my decision not to by Norton again. Actually any product from Symantec. Not only will avoid these products but any from companies that do this.

I have discovered this rootkit on my computer and have gone to Sony's link to remove it but to no avail. Anyone have any idea how to get this off?
I am totally frustrated at this point.

Well most know now about Sony's fiasco with installing their security/protection software into the rootkit of your PC if you ran any of their CD's with the copy protection on it.... and did it without your knowledge!

Well lo'n'behold Sony strikes again with it's owned "Securom" company. After several versions that screwed up various games in the past, several game companies have still decided to install their "protection" software on their games.
The two games I'm referring to in this post is F.E.A.R and Serious Sam 2. Both are great games! Both ran ok.... Well ok until I updated SS2 and tried to play it again.
Now whan I click the games icon the error message "A required Security Module cannot be activated". There is no way to correct this!!
After hours with tech support (email, live chat)and even contacting Securom and running their "testing" program (plus another one they sent me to run not listed on their web site) According to them (all the tech supports) there is nothing wrong with my PC, system, all is up to date, I have no protection circumventing software, nor none of the programs listed on their web site..... Nothing is wrong!
Well other then I now have two games, about $90.00 worth I can't play at all. No un/in stall, deleting registry keys, nothing will allow me to play either game. Securom has completely disabled the ability to play these games I purchased.
The last communication I got two days ago from Securom was "Thanks, we'll foreward this info to our programming dept."

Do a Google search for the error I posted above and you'll find hundreds of posts from every game that has used Securom protection and still game companies are using it!
One European game company is sueing Securom. All problems aside, do they sue because it made some of their games non-playable?.... No!, Because people are still able to copy their games!
Kind of a forget our customers, were being copied attitude.

What are gamers to do? Sue in a class action suit?
Sue the game companies for not being able to play what we purchase?
Boycott? Who?
I'm afraid what it boils down to, is just the fact that Sony once again takes the attitude that it has the God given right to impose whatever it desires upon us all, no matter the problems it may envoke.
They've always taken this attitude (remember all those stuck with beta recorders?)

I for one stopped buying their products years ago after problems with their electronics and their extremely poor customer support. After pursuing problems with a couple of their electronics beyond customer support, I basically got a letter from some exicutive (if I remember correctly one of the VP's of cust. supp.)
The letter more or less said "Sorry you're having problems, we know there was a problem, too bad your the one stuck with it". And in reply to the rudness of the support manager he said "Our support people are the best and if they were rude to you, it was because you were rude to them!"
After not getting any satisfactory response from support I politely asked to speak to a supervisor and when she came on I mentioned the other support person refused to give me the complaint dept. The supervisor refused as well, so I asked for an address and she gave it to me. I thanked her and mailed the complaint.
Thats being rude?

So that brings us to today, Sony hasn't changed at all. First the "root kit" fiasco, now this Securom continous problems (and apparently still haven't gotten it right yet!)

Be polite..., be honest and purchase legal CD's or games and you're still treated like you don't matter, your non Sony owned items are theirs for the tweaking, tampering or just plain damaging, who cares, it isn't their stuff they're playing around with...... It's yours!

Unfortunately under the DMCA the only ''right'' you have is to pay the vendor.

You don't even have the right to use the product without the vendor's permission despite paying for it.

Check out www.eff.org for details - THIS is eactly why they are upset.

How long before they screw up the anti-lock braking system on a car because they figure that you tried to listen to a CD on your car radio when they didn't approve?

Porbably farfectched right now, but then so were phishing scams just a few years ago.

Remember when they wanted your SSN on your driver's license to make things so much easier to identify you? Some states even required that - I had to get a special waiver to leave my SSN off my Arizona D/L in 1982!

Obviously only ''good guys'' would want to verify your identity.

Remember when remote control of somewone's computer by a virus or a trojan was farfectched? ...

Sigh.