Well it is like this (AFAIK):

Sony decided to use a new kind of copyprotection on their music CDs. Problem is first of all that CD is made copyprotected and also the method how the copyprotection has been achieved is very, very suspicious. If Sony music CD with this protection system is inserted to CD/DVD drive on Windows containing CPU and the EULA is accepted then following events will take place.

-Non-patched version of Sonys DRM will open a backdoor to a CPU as all files beginning with $sys$ are hidden, even from virus scanners and registry editors. So any malware/ spyware/ virus beginning with $sys$ could slip to CPU undetected. And stay there undetected. If the user has ever installed the Sony's software. (This is the ROOTKIT part)

-Sony currently offers a patch to the software. Patched version will allow you to see these hidden files but as that software practically rewrites your all CD/DVD drivers so you can not remove it without precise instructions and software. Any attempt to remove the files on your own will most likely incapasitate your CPU. Also with the patch you would get rid of the feature that hides the possible others files.

-Software also reports to Sony as copyprotected music is played with CPU which seems to be directly in violation against the text in Sony's EULA. (if Sony breaking their own EULA wouldn't it make the whole thing null and void?)

-Software 'eats' an average of 5 - 10 % of all system resources every time a CD/DVD is inserted to a CPU. For standard user this is a no-biggie (most of the people will never use their CPUs resources to their limits) but for others it is.

-(Not confirmed) As an added bonus computers will crash completely and permanently when this software is installed if they use Windows XP Media Edition or Vista (+ there was atleast one another) operating system.

I may have left something out. Please feel free to add.

I hadn't heard the system resource or crash thing but the rest of it was disgusting enough I felt people needed to know.

Why Sony feel they have the right to install a program on your PC which screws up your system stability and makes it easier for viruses and other malware is beyond me.

What the fracking hell...

Does anyone know for how long they've been doing this?

The article I linked to was the first I'd heard of it.

I don't care about the risk of Piracy, Music CD's should contain Music, not software, certainly not software that leaves your machine vulnerable to attack.

And they still say you should 'Ask for permission and instructions from Sony' about removing the malware. Why? Did they ask to install it in the first place?

On the bright side, Sony have burned themselves badly, and I can see a pretty strong backlash coming from it.

I saw this somewhere else before now. This is f#####g bullshit. I'm sorry to use that language but nothing else is strong enough.

This is bullshit and Sony needs to have their asses sued off for it before some dumbshit virus author in a hole somewhere exploits this. Makes me glad I haven't bought CDs in a while.

Gay.

Nah. Gay poeple are too nice to pull something like this...

Yeah. If it was gay it would only affect Barbara Streisand CDs and we'd all be safe

that or Ricky Martin

The script kiddies should rebel and DoS their asses until next year as payback.

I wish. Still, Sony'll get what's coming to them from this one, somehow. The bad press, at a minimum. I just hope people pay attention.

First backdoor program using this Sony's protection system is 'available'. Kaspersky.

Go Sony go!

Ah, joyous.

For thoes people that wanted Sony to be in a huge lawsuit:

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5943763.html