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