Sony pleads innocent in latest rootkit fiasco

Sony says the rootkit-like behavior of a device driver used to run its biometric Micro Vault USM-F thumb drive was unintentional.

Sony Sweden spokesman Fredrik Fagerstedt told local press this week that sometimes even actions undertaken with "good will" can go wrong.

Fagerstedt's comments came the same day that antivirus firm McAfee joined the growing chorus of companies criticizing Sony for compromising its customers' security. The Micro Vault drive is a USB device featuring fingerprint-reading software intended to add an extra layer of security for PC users. The software needed to be installed on the PC for the USB to work contains the rootkit technology.

The criticism is reminiscent of that directed at Sony BMG Music Entertainment in November 2005, when a programmer revealed that a technique designed to cloak the company's copy-protection software for music CDs also could be used by virus writers to hide malicious software.

McAfee reported that Taiwan's FineArt Technology, which makes encryption software for PCs and laptops, was responsible for creating the offending USB software.

"The authors apparently did not keep the security implications in mind" when designing the installation method, McAfee security specialists Aditya Kapoor and Seth Purdy wrote in a blog.

Kapoor and Purdy cataloged the incident as one of the worst examples of "nasty rootkits that use blended techniques to hide or protect themselves."

Echoing concerns expressed by another security specialist, F-Secure's Patrik Runald, the McAfee bloggers said the default installation path does nothing to stop malicious-software authors from copying code to a directory of their choice and executing it in that location.

They added that another easy hack for malicious-software authors would be to launch code from their chosen directory and add a start-up entry for the software to ensure it is hidden immediately as the PC boots up.

Sony Australia has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Liam Tung of ZDNet Australia reported from Sydney.

[rcrusoe]

Fool me once, shame on you

Fool me twice - that's not going to happen.

After Sony's first rootkit gambit I swore off all their products. No music, no electronics, no Sony period.

[aka_tripleB]

I didn't get burned the first time

because I just don't listen to enough music that I bought a new enough CD that would have it on it. I didn't get burned this time because I wouldn't consider Sony my first choice if I wanted another flash drive, although I probably should get a larger one. But now I know not to buy any Sony products that could ever come in contact with my PC, even indirectly. That means, not CDs, no computer caponents, and even no DVD recorders for my TV. Its products aren't worth the risk and the hasle.

[umbrae]

Blah, blah, blah...

What do you expect Sony would say?

The thing is that Sony is more interested in protecting its own interest than ANYTHING related to its customers.

It will gladly open your machine up to hackers, if that better protects its copyrights and limits your fair use to their product.

[worsethannormal]

So?

Its a security application, of course it will have some rootkit behavior. If it didn't, then it would be easy to subvert.

[ElmoKajaky]

SecuROM on Bioshock

SecuROM, owned by Sony, has caused another related fiasco:

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5527

[Rants&Raves]

Bioshock: hyping a false story again and again

That has been debunked so often; pls. read the related Wikipedia or Ars Technica articles instead of tarnishing a product's reputation.

[gggg sssss]

sandisk

cheaper, better, why bother with Sony?

[PCTechGuy]

Sandisk

How true!!! Add Lexar to the list, too.

[Jortibereal]

I really have to wonder...

...when was the last time Sony did something right? I haven't heard any positive Sony-related news in a very long time.

[wbenton]

Only one conclusion can be found!

It seems that Microsoft STILL ALLOWS root kits... if they didn't... then this wouldn't be a problem.

So why harp on Sony about it when Microsoft allows it?

Harp on Microsoft to stop such crap from being allowed in the first place and this wouldn't be the story it hopes to become!!!

Microsoft is the culprit... NOT Sony!

FWIW

[mariusthull]

I disagree

The only windows I use on my pc is a vmware virtual machine that runs on my linux box, so I'm not exactly a MS fanboy.To blame Microsoft for this seems just a tad unreasonable.I think it's more likely the antivirus folks raising a red flag.

[pjk0]

More FUD

FUD: "Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt"

Well let's see, application whose job is to secure access to entire PC (fingerprint authentication device), should it stick all its files in some public place with "any" permissions so any 3-year-old can bypass it?

This hysteria about "rootkits" seems absurd. One wonders what else the antivirus companies are going to come up with to try to promote themselves. (or cry wolf because they are mistakenly detecting something as a "rootkit" that isn't a rootkit)

After all, we know that "FUD" is what keeps antivirus companies selling subscriptions, right?

[PCTechGuy]

"good will" ???

Sony Sweden spokesman Fredrik ********** thinks that root kits are "good will"?????? Heck, Sony's executives ethics are so messed up that soon nobody will want to do business with them. Who would trust them?

[gubbord]

Does anyone trust Sony anymore?

Except PS3 fanboys

[greenstreak1]

Sony

Why keep buying Sony products?