Sony Rootkit may Lead to Regulation

An anonymous reader writes "Computerworld has a story about DHS officials meeting with Sony to read them the riot act, following the rootkit fiasco. From the story: 'A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official warned today that if software distributors continue to sell products with dangerous rootkit software, as Sony BMG Music Entertainment recently did, legislation or regulation could follow.'"

The recent Sony experience

[Anonymous Coward]

"The recent Sony experience..." This phrase makes me wonder if Sony is going to be a catch phrase.

"I just bought a DVD with rootkit software on it."
"You've been Sony-ed", or,
"That's the Sony experience!"

So..

[Anonymous Coward]

Sony's root kit disabled the Department of Homeland Security's root kit. I can see why they might be miffed.

So the time has finally come...

[Jugalator]

I suppose the time has finally come when we side with music companies and hope they'll make a new rootkit. :-)

Re:The recent Sony experience

[luvirini]

"Sony, making your entertainment experience more thrilling"

My EFF Action letter worked!

[Anyd]

Hooray!
I told my senator to tell the RIAA and Sony to go f##k themselves... I guess he listened.

Re:So..

[jibjibjib]

What if I want to make my own rootkit? Will I have to register it with the DHS, and get them to audit it for security holes and check it for compatibility with their own rootkit?

And what about Linux rootkits? Will Linux rootkits be supported by the DHS? Or will they just be banned altogether? Surely the DHS can't be stuffed writing a Linux rootkit as well as a Windows rootkit.

Even scarier... what if Linux rootkits weren't regulated at all? Cyberterrorists could go on a rampage of linux rooting, and the government wouldn't be able to stop them, or more importantly, tax them.

Hmm... that's an idea, the DHS could implement a rootkit tax, to fund their own rootkit development, and better protect our fellow God-fearing American citizens from the cyberterrorists of the future.

The War on Terror is ending. The War on Rootkits is only just beginning...

Re:The recent Sony experience

[A beautiful mind]

And just the other day, I was watching downloaded David Attenborough documentaries, and the name "Sony" popped up on one of the special cameras used there - I exclaimed "No way!" and used mencoder to edit the relevant part out right away. That'll teach 'em!

Sony should be prosecuted

[layer3switch]

for distributing Celine Dion CDs. I don't mind rootkit (haven't bought "CD" in 10 years), but for Pete's sake, someone feed that woman.

forget rootkits...

[bennomatic]

what I want is a w00tkit!

Re:The recent Sony experience

[Anonymous Coward]

We were just about to get twenty-or-so Hummers for everyone working at the office, but then we noticed that the in-car theatre system was "Sony" so we decided to forget about it. :-/

Re:regulation?

[Peter777]

Doesn't someone need to press charges for that to happen? If the government isn't interested in prosecuting them for their invasion of government computers, perhaps someone could call the local police department or FBI and say "Excuse me, but I'd like to report a computer crime; someone cracked my system with a rootkit. I think I know who it was, and I have a copy of the rootkit on CD."

Re:The recent Sony experience

[Anonymous Coward]

Ditto. No more Sony laptops for the people I help choose gear. Plus no more Sony AV gear for home and an 'on principle' purchase of the album 'Suck Fony'! And I'm going to kick the next Aibo I see.

Re:WTF?

[PunkOfLinux]

I have the sudden urge to vomit on my playstation. And my girlfriend's playstation 2. And my friend's psp...

Re:Mod Parent Up.

[Anonymous Coward]

Laws have already been broken

Shhhh... you're not supposed to realize that. You're supposed to be calling for more and more government to be piled upon heaps of existing government. How do you expect to continue the expansion of government if the existing law already works?

Re:The recent Sony experience

[xaque]

And I'm going to kick the next Aibo I see.

That's a violation of the DMCA!