Spyware Detail

Summary

XCP.Sony.Rootkit Extended Copy Protection(XCP) is Digital Rights Management (DRM) software manufactured by First4Internet, a UK company. This particular variant of XCP is licensed and bundled by Sony BMG, and is reportedly distributed on more than 2 million Sony BMG Audio CDs. This software is intended to stop casual CD piracy. Toward this end, the software is designed to prevent protected CDs being played with anything other than an included Media Player, Music Player.

See Also

Music PlayerXCP.Sony.Rootkit.Patch

Category

Rootkit:  A rootkit is a piece of software, usually a small application or code whose main purpose is to conceal itself from the user or other applications. Originally rootkits were created to both obtain root or superuser privilege on a computer system as well as hide elements such as processes, files, and network connections. With the advent of spyware, rootkits have been designed to hide the aforementioned elements with the specific intent of remaining resident while capturing personal and personally identifiable data or performing other nefarious activities.

Trojan:  Any program with a hidden intent. Trojans are one of the leading causes of breaking into machines. If you pull down a program from a chat room, new group, or even from unsolicited e-mail, then the program is likely trojaned with some subversive purpose. The word Trojan can be used as a verb: To trojan a program is to add subversive functionality to an existing program. For example, a trojaned login program might be programmed to accept a certain password for any user's account that the hacker can use to log back into the system at any time. Rootkits often contain a suite of such trojaned programs.



Variants

XCP.Sony.SP2 ·

Reasons For Retention

Installs without user permission, presenting only a vague and misleading EULA
Changes system configuration without user permission at time of change.
Defends against removal of, or changes to, its components
Silently modifies other programs' information or website content as displayed.
Includes mechanisms to thwart removal by security or anti-spyware products.
Cannot be uninstalled by Windows Add/Remove Programs and no uninstaller is provided with application.

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