Sony Rootkit Allegedly Contains LGPL Software

Deaths Hand writes "According to this Dutch article the Sony DRM software (or rootkit, if you may prefer) contains code from the LAME MP3 encoder project, which is licensed under the LGPL. However, the source code has not also been distrbuted, hence breaching the license. Here is an english translation of the page." So apparently Sony violates your privacy to create a backdoor onto your machine using code that violates an Open Source license. This story just keeps getting stranger.

Comments

Re:A bit misleading

[antifoidulus]

This is slashdot, the truth has no meaning here! Go back to your groupthink at once, you want to be a good /. citizen, don't you?

Re:just say no

[emerkel]

Yeah that's good, i guess if you want to steal any excuse is a good one! If you aren't willing to follow the 'rules' then you have no right to bitch when someone else decides not to as well.

Re:Notification?

[AvitarX]

Do you mean the problem is you can't use it in stealth rootkits because everyone would be warned or the distributer is comitting copyright violation?

To me this appears to be a case that the LGPL is doing its job well.

The irony of things is that every CD distributed with help prevent infringement software is in itself a copyright violation.

Re:Not Sony

[bigbigbison]

Probably the same reason why people keep asking "Did they know they were breaking the law when they released Plame's name?" and why I get a speeding ticket even if I didn't know I was speeding...