[luvinbluegills]

If you play CDs in your computer, check this out.

In late October, a well-known Windows computer engineer, Mark Russinovich, stumbled across the Sony software on one of his personal computers while running a security scan. Russinovich had used the computer to play the Van Zant CD, not realizing that it had installed the anticopying program.

When he tried to remove it, Russinovich found that the program lacked the ''uninstall" feature found in most Windows software. Indeed, key components of the software hid themselves deep in his computer by applying the same techniques used by data thieves to conceal their activities. Even a skilled user who identifies the correct files can't safely remove them, said Russinovich.

''Most users that stumble across the cloaked files . . . will cripple their computer if they attempt the obvious step of deleting the cloaked files," he wrote on his technology website, SysInternals.

Computer Associates yesterday concurred with Russinovich's assessment. Curry said Sony has made it so difficult for listeners to uninstall its software that some could lose all their data in the process.

''It can damage the operating system and the operating system's integrity, so it can't reboot at all," Curry said. ''As an expert in security, I can say this is bad behavior."

Read the rest of the article here, and watch them CD's! I remember last year (or the year before) when they tried to come out with copy-protected CD's that were messing up people's computers. I came across one or two but since I recognized them (Claimed to be the ones with a silver ring around the play side about a 1/4 inch in) I didn't out them in my computer. Word has it that they stopped that one.

[Crotalus]

Interesting article concerning the Sony software on CNN today

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/11/15/s...reut/index.html

looks like Microsoft is adding it to thier Malware program removal list.

[Crotalus]

And another:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/16/technology...dex.htm?cnn=yes