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Crackers Tune In to Windows Media Player

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the hate-when-that-happens dept.

jamshedji writes "Crackers are using the newest DRM technology in Microsoft's Windows Media Player to install spyware, adware, dialers and computer viruses on unsuspecting PC users."

5 of 367 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's a bit like IE and activeX except.. by RpiMatty · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, in this case WMP asked to go download and install the codec needed to play the video file.
    When the user clicks yes, then their system becomes infected.
    So if you don't trust the video source, or set WMP to not download codec you will be safe

  2. Re:It's a bit like IE and activeX except.. by dewke · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can turn the "feature" off. The spyware is installed when the player claims it needs a license. The settings for this are on the privacy tab.

    --
    Oderint dum metuant
  3. Re:No logic by DavidD_CA · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you RTFA, you'd understand that Windows Media Player attemps to connect to the Internet when a file is played that it doesn't have a valid license for.

    In theory, if you download an MP3 with DRM enabled, Windows Media Player will search your computer for the license. If it doesn't find it, it will go to the URL specified in the MP3. This is part of the DRM spec.

    "Hackers" are just taking advantage of this, creating fake MP3s/MOVs and making those URLs go to junk-infested sites.

    In WMP's defense, it *does* ask you first if you want to go out and hit the site for the DRM license. And once you get there, if you're running SP2 then security is no different than any other mailious website you may visit.

    SP2 should block the popups, and give you a much more informative warning if the site tries to push software onto your computer.

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    -David
  4. Better replacement for WMP by m50d · · Score: 5, Informative
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/

    Windows media player like it should be. Low resource usage, plays dvds and any file you have the codecs for installed, without any network access at all. (Unless you're playing a stream or course)

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    I am trolling
  5. Re:It's a bit like IE and activeX except.. by notasheep · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually, it has nothing to do with codecs. It has to do with acquiring a license to play a video file. And you can turn this off if you'd like in WMP. The problem is that most folks have it set to automatically acquire licenses by default.

    --
    Your mind looks a little cramped. Why don't you stretch it a little?