essays & effluvia: Sony DRM Protected CDs (Discs, Labels)

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Sony DRM Protected CDs (Discs, Labels)

On our sister blog, we detailed the DRM Debacle (in 4 parts).

If you missed the earlier story, Sony DRM prevents users from ripping the CD to iTunes or iPods. Even worse, it installs a Rootkit on your (Windows) system after you try to listen the discs below on your PC.

The rootkit is a Trojan Horse, that keeps itself, other files, registry keys and network connections hidden from detection. It runs at the lowest level of the machine and typically intercepts common API calls. It is exploitable by virus writers and hackers.

If you are curious about the Labels Sony owns and the CDs with DRM, here's a comprehensive list:

The list of Labels distributed by Sony include:

(BMG) Arista Records, BMG Classics, BMG Heritage, BMG International Companies, Columbia Records, Epic Records, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, Provident Music Group, RCA Records, RCA Victor Group, RLG - Nashville, Sony Classical, Sony Music International, Sony Music Nashville, Sony Wonder, Sony Urban Music, So So Def Records, Verity Records;

(EMI) Angel Records, Astralwerks, Back Porch Records, Blue Note Records, Caroline Records, Caroline Distribution, Capitol Records US, Capitol Records Nashville, Chordant Distribution Group, CyberOctave Music, EMI Latin, EMI Christian Music Group, EMI Music Publishing Nashville, Forefront Records, Higher Octave Music, Manhattan Records, Narada, OmTown Music, Priority Records, Real World US, Shakti Records, Sparrow Records, Virgin Records America.

(Hat tip: Word up).

The list of Sony CDs with this malware are:

Nothing Is Sound. Switchfoot
Unwritten [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
Natasha Bedingfield

Ride [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Shelly Fairchild

12 Songs [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Neil Diamond

Touch [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Amerie

Bloom Remix Album [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
Sarah McLachlan

Kasabian [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Kasabian

The Essential Pete Seeger [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
[CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Pete Seeger
Jeru [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Gerry Mulligan
Times Like These [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Buddy Jewell,

Bob Brookmeyer & Friends [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Bob Brookmeyer

Healthy In Paranoid Times [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
Our Lady Peace

Cautivo [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [DUALDISC]
Chayanne

The Invisible Invasion [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Coral, The Coral

Defined [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Amici Forever

Suspicious Activity [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
The Bad Plus

Manhattan Symphonie [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Dexter Gordon

Phantoms [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Acceptance

On Ne Change Pas [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Celine Dion

Get Right with the Man [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Van Zant

To Love Again [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
Chris Botti

Life [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [DUALDISC]
Ricky Martin

The Essential Dion [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
[ENHANCED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Dion

Faso Latido [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
A Static Lullaby

Change It All [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Goapele

Susie Suh [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Susie Suh

My Very Special Guests [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
George Jones

Broken Valley [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
Life of Agony

Silver's Blue [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Horace Silver

Z [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD] [ENHANCED]
My Morning Jacket

The Dead 60s [CONTENT/COPY-PROTECTED CD]
The Dead 60s