If your neighbor is complaining to you that he thinks his CDs might be spying on him, he could possibly be right!
Information released today showed that Sony BMG had hidden anti-piracy software on its CDs. When the CDs are played on the computer, it will open up software called XCP which Song BMG refers to as "extended copy protection software", which will open up a music player to play your CDs.
However, the XCP software contains a bit of code called a “rootkit” that has been known to damage a computer when attempting to get rid of it. Also the “rootkit” makes it possible for a hacker to access files on your system. Beyond these things, the “rootkit” can also decrease the general performance and speed of a computer.
Since XCP’s discovery by a computer scientist, Sony BMG has issued a recall and subsequent replacement of all CDs with XCP, along with provide a removal tool. The company has denied that it was using the software to spy.
