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Sophos, Microsoft Targeting Sony Spyware And Blu-Ray
John Stith
Staff Writer
2005-11-14
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Last week, security company Sophos announced they'd found a cure for the Sony rootkit-driven DRM. Microsoft announced they would be defending against the Sony-distributed rootkit on their Anti-Malware blog their Malicious Software Removal Tool. Sony maintains the rootkit was not malware.
 | | Sony's Antics Draw Fire From Different Sources |  |
This past Thursday, Sophos issued a tool to detect and disable the "cloaking" flaw exploited by Trojans. That flaw was Sony BMG's rootkit. The rootkit allowed easy access for exploiters and hackers have taken advantage of the flaw.
"Despite its good intentions in stopping music piracy, Sony's DRM copy protection has opened up a vulnerability which hackers and virus writers are now exploiting," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "We wouldn't be surprised if more malware authors try and take advantage of this security hole, and consumers and businesses alike would be sensible to protect themselves at the earliest opportunity."
Microsoft's Anti-Malware Engineering Team said this on their ">blog:
We use a set of objective criteria for both Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal Tool to determine what software will be classified for detection and removal by our anti-malware technology. We have analyzed this software, and have determined that in order to help protect our customers we will add a detection and removal signature for the rootkit component of the XCP software to the Windows AntiSpyware beta, which is currently used by millions of users. This signature will be available to current beta users through the normal Windows AntiSpyware beta signature update process, which has been providing weekly signature updates for almost a year now. Detection and removal of this rootkit component will also appear in Windows Defender when its first public beta is available. We also plan to include this signature in the December monthly update to the Malicious Software Removal Tool. It will also be included in the signature set for the online scanner on Windows Live Safety Center.
There was one interesting comment from a reader of the blog post. The person, using the initial MF said this:
As a IT Specialist this is the kind of things i am scared of.
I help manage over 200 computers and this is the kind of thing we fear. We tell people you get 20 hours of Internet access every month. We tell people you cannot install any software. Everyone's access settings is just a regular user. But we tell them its OK to listen to a music CD. Not only will the root kit not install because the accounts are limited, but on Sony's web site they used to have information on how to install it even though you are not administrator. And you know what, out of our 200 computers, we had 3 of them infected with this root kit. I had to reformat the computers in order to safely know that no other Sony software is on there.
Up to this point, some may be wondering about the Blu-Ray mention in the title but it is relevant. Many are familiar with the ongoing war over the new DVD format. Sony owns one of the two formats. Microsoft sided with competitor, Toshiba, on this fight. Microsoft founder Bill Gates claimed a few weeks ago one of the major sticking points of Sony's Blu-Ray format was it wasn't consumer friendly. Gates is right.
While Sony put out a fix and has pulled the offending software from new product, they need to not only issue a recall but also a general apology for their tactics. They may also need to rethink their entire business model while their at it because research shows, the upcoming generation doesn't care so much about copyright rules.
About the Author:
John is a staff writer for SecurityProNews covering cyber security.
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