Hackers say "thanks" to Sony's DRM screwup

From the Register:
Virus writers have begun taking advantage of Sony-BMG's use of rootkit technology in DRM software bundled with its music CDs.

Sony-BMG's rootkit DRM technology masks files whose filenames start with "$sys$". A newly-discovered variant of of the Breplibot Trojan takes advantage of this to drop the file "$sys$drv.exe" in the Windows system directory.

"This means, that for systems infected by the Sony rootkit, the dropped file is entirely invisible to the user. It will not be found in any process and file listing. Only rootkit scanners, such as the free utility RootkitRevealer, can unmask the culprit," warns Ivan Macalintal, a senior threat analyst at security firm Trend Micro

The malware arrives attached in an email, which pretends to come from a reputable business magazine, asking the businessman to verify his/her "picture" to be used for the December issue. If the malicious payload contained in this email is executed then the Trojan installs an IRC backdoor on affected Windows systems.

Romanian anti-virus firm BitDefender confirms that the malware is in the wild but a full technical analysis of the Trojan is yet to be completed. The response of anti-virus firms, some of which have only promised to flag up rather than block system changes made by Sony-BMG's rootkit, remains

Link to the actual story

If you haven't heard...the latest Sony music CDs drops for lack of a better term a rootkit on your PC to track how many times you copy the CD. Nice idea Sony...drop a virus like program down to the PCs of people who legally purchase your product. A hidden program that calls back to Sony...Sony claims it doesn't...network sniffing proves it does.

Deep geek warning for the next link...
Link to the Sysinternals blog of the genius Mark Russinovich who exposed this malware attack from Sony

Toys Toys Toys

One of the perks of running your own technology business is getting the inside scoop on all the gadgets that come out.

I picked up a new IPaq 4705, a Razr and a Motion Computing LS800 tablet PC(FRIGGIN SWEET!!) to take Donelson Computers to "completely mobile" status. I can pretty much run the entire thing from the road. I’m Using Vonage's SimulRing to have calls ring both at the office and my mobile phone, LogMeIn in case I need to get back onto my desktop for whatever reason...that's pretty much all you need. I can be anywhere from Clarksville to Columbia and conduct business.

Now...the one thing I'm missing IS a printer for invoicing. I went this week to pick one up from a local retailer. THAT was painful. Looked all over creation to find a small form factor printer, and once I find the display...no printers on the shelf. While the very helpful clerk was tearing the warehouse apart looking for one I read the fine print. Small size...check....both B/W and color...check. Bluetooth and Wifi capable...check (why that isn't standard on "mobile" printer I don't know but USB is simple and it works. The Battery is included according to the spec sheet so I'm sold. All I have to do is wait...and wait...and wait.

Finally the clerk comes back holding this printer over his head like it fought to the death. I greedily take my latest toy from him and start reading the REAL specs. Everything is the same....except the battery. Now...what good is a mobile printer that has to be plugged in????? I've got power inverters in every car I own but WTF??? It's a 250.00 mini desktop printer! 130ish MORE if you want the battery....another 100 for Bluetooth. For dang near 500.00 I can get a GOOD printer...not a passable SMALL printer. Come ON HP!! If you're going to market a mobile printer...bundle it with at MOST a battery...like the display literature you provide to the retailers SAYS IT IS!

Nothing irks me more that the "bait and switch"