Topic: Dexter S2 contains malware

[goodguy]

I just spend over an hour tracking a strange problem on my PC. Whenever I right-clicked an exe file in Windows Explorer to display the context menu, Explorer crashed. I discovered that after installing a new software package (Steganos Safe), so naturally I blamed that for the crash. However, it wasn't the culprit.

Further debugging and registry analysis pointed me to a strange DLL in the System32 folder, published by Sony and containing the word "SecuROM". Now I remembered that I accidentally put the Dexter DVDs in my computer without having Autoplay disabled. I also remembered that some odd window popped up and that I cancelled it immediately. Not immediately enough, though, because that was all that it took to install the malware on my system - no warning, no "do you want to...", nothing.

I'm so p**d off right now.

[Halo2]

Sounds like the root kit virus they got beat up over a while back. Never had the problem myself, but I think most of the major spyware programs have cleaners for it. Might be something to check out.

[RossRoy]

Typical Sony...

After that, they wonder why some people prefer pirating.. When people start feeling more confident installing pirated software (see Crysis and Bioshock DRM fiasco), or even myself, cancelling my direct download order to get the CD version of Spore, there is a problem with the current DRM scheme...

[Touti]

There's a very strange culture and/or mentality at Sony.

Not in chronological order but all within the last 2 or 3 years.

1: The root kit with DRM Protection.
2: Dexter
3: The PS3 thing.  The man who invented the Play Station worked at sony for 30 years.  He didn't want to put a Blu Ray drive in the PS3, Sony doesn't listen to him, they do it anyway, it doesn't sell much because it's too expensive and they fire him because his new console doesn't sell 
4: The Goat: Last year they released a new games based on antique Greece.  They decide to have the official launch in greece, they bring lots of computer journalists there for a week-end.  During the presentation they sliced the throat of a real living goat.
5: The fake blogs: Sony admitted last year that they paid people to write false blogs saying that the PS3 was better than the X-Box and the WII.
6: The Laptop batteries.
7: All the other that I/you/nobody knows about.........yet

I hate Sony.

[Achim]

Sorry to hear that, Matthias.

I was thinking of ordering Season 2 soon, but now feel more like keeping it in the Wish List...


Thanks for the list, Eric. Some of the things are indeed rather shocking and it almost makes me feel weird to actually own a PS3. It is, however, not accidentally the only piece of Sony hardware I own.

[goodguy]

Sounds like the root kit virus they got beat up over a while back. Never had the problem myself, but I think most of the major spyware programs have cleaners for it. Might be something to check out.

No it is not a rootkit. SecuROM is a copy protection method mainly used for PC games. The Dexter DVDs contain a very old version that installs a Shell extension handler to prevent the user from deleting certain exe files via Win Explorer. That handler caused the crash on my system. After uninstalling the handler via regsvr32 all was fine again.

The thing is that it doesn't make any sense to put SecuROM on those DVDs (actually, it is only on disc #4 that contains the DVD-ROM features). SecuROM requires the software (a game, for example) to read certain meta data from the disc to determine if it is an original disc or a copy. It doesn't prevent copying the DVD even with the simplest of rippers, and it doesn't prevent ripped content to be played by WinDVD or any other software player.

What enrages me is that it got installed without any user prompt (license agreement etc.). I consider this an attack on my PC, and I'm really tempted to evaluate my options for taking legal action.

I was thinking of ordering Season 2 soon, but now feel more like keeping it in the Wish List...

Dexter S1 did contain Sony ARccOS (also only on disc #4). While that is harmless, I should have been warned enough to handle the S2 discs with caution. To prevent the SecuROM experience of S2, you just have to avoid Autoplay while inserting disc #4, either by completely disabling it, or by holding down the SHIFT key while inserting the disc into your drive.

That being said, I agree with your sentiment. I try to avoid buying DVDs containing any standard-violating protections. One problem is, you don't always know before. I wish DVD reviewers would pay more attention to it, but it sadly almost never get mentioned. The other thing, which is even more sad, is that I probably would have bought the Dexter DVDs anyway - I just like the show too much.

[Achim]

Dexter S1 did contain Sony ARccOS (also only on disc #4). While that is harmless, I should have been warned enough to handle the S2 discs with caution. To prevent the SecuROM experience of S2, you just have to avoid Autoplay while inserting disc #4, either by completely disabling it, or by holding down the SHIFT key while inserting the disc into your drive.

Well, not dealing with the interiors of Windows a lot anymore these days, let me ask: Disabling the Autoplay would be done by going to the Autoplay tab of the drive's Properties and then seeting at least the DVD movie option to Take No Action?

The other thing, which is even more sad, is that I probably would have bought the Dexter DVDs anyway - I just like the show too much.

Well, there's also my dilemma... (Hence the above question...)