Sony BMG has struck a deal in a class action
lawsuit over copy-restriction software it used in music CDs, resulting in major benefits to consumers.
Free music downloads and cash refunds could soon be offered to owners of Sony BMG CDs loaded with controversial anti-piracy software. The row about the software Sony BMG used to try to stop illegal copying of its CDs blew up in October when programmer Mark Russinovich noticed his PC had been infected by a type of malicious program known as a "rootkit". He found that the rootkit came from XCP anti-piracy software on a Sony BMG CD. It also left his machine open to exploit by malicious programmers and computer virus writers.
The deal also means Sony BMG must abandon use of the XCP and MediaMax programs and provide tools that help people clean the software from their PCs. It must also fix any new vulnerabilities the programs are found to create or which are created by any anti-piracy system it adopts in the future.
Sony BMG must also change the way that it tries to protect music on discs and in the future must clearly label and test its anti-piracy systems. The methods it wants to adopt must also be independently audited.
The music maker offered no comment on the news of the settlement.
View: BBC News
View: Sony
Free music downloads and cash refunds could soon be offered to owners of Sony BMG CDs loaded with controversial anti-piracy software. The row about the software Sony BMG used to try to stop illegal copying of its CDs blew up in October when programmer Mark Russinovich noticed his PC had been infected by a type of malicious program known as a "rootkit". He found that the rootkit came from XCP anti-piracy software on a Sony BMG CD. It also left his machine open to exploit by malicious programmers and computer virus writers.
The deal also means Sony BMG must abandon use of the XCP and MediaMax programs and provide tools that help people clean the software from their PCs. It must also fix any new vulnerabilities the programs are found to create or which are created by any anti-piracy system it adopts in the future.
Sony BMG must also change the way that it tries to protect music on discs and in the future must clearly label and test its anti-piracy systems. The methods it wants to adopt must also be independently audited.
The music maker offered no comment on the news of the settlement.
View: BBC News View: Sony
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