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Vista DRM Prevents Kernel Tampering
mjdroner writes "A ZDNet blog reports on a new DRM feature for Vista that 'protects' the kernel from tampering. The blog quotes a Microsoft document: 'Code (CI) protects Windows Vista by verifying that system binaries haven't been tampered with by malicious code and by ensuring that there are no unsigned drivers running in kernel mode on the system.' The blog says that much of the DRM in Vista is simply a port from XP, but that this feature is new to the OS."
What makes Sony's legitimate but the ones from Rootkit.com not?
If anything I would argue that rootkit.com is a more legit distribution mechanism than Sony.
It does contribute to fighting open source, any way you look at it. I'm using a tap driver from the openvpn project, it isn't signed, and I don't know for sure, but I don't remember openvpn being a commercial entity. However, I'm not current enough in vista to know if they couldn't just get out of the kernel, and move to user-space for the required features.
Cracking such a thing is trivial once you answer the question who watches the watchman?
As Apple just learned with their TPM kernel extension, all that hackers need to do is replace the binary that verifies all other binaries, and the "goodies" are up for grabs.
Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
Interesting.
Independant developers should sue. MS is completly locking them out of the platform.
Developers.Developers.developers. Indeed...
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
But aren't most spambot trojans business assets ? After all, spam makes money - that's why spammers bother - so rootkits are business assets for blackhat hackers, even more so than they are for Sony.
No, these poor hackers are simply trying to protect their right to profit - just like Sony. And if that means taking the control of the computer away from its owner, well, surely you agree that that's a small price to pay to ensure that those damn users aren't depriving them of those profits, right ? Sony certainly seems to...
Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.
I totally disagree. You are assuming they have a commercial application in mind. What about someone who wants to write drivers for their new hardware they just built by hand? They shouldn't be required to go through this.
It doesn't matter, though, because if you make it too hard to write software for Windows, people will stop. They'll find another platform that is more enticing to them. It won't happen immediately, of course. But it'll happen.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
Yeah, but it will also make it harder for people making tools to preserve Fair Use (DVD and HD-disc ripping programs, no-CD cracks for games, etc.). This is a Bad Thing.
I'll keep my Fair Use and take my chances with the rootkits, thankyouverymuch!
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
This is not new (at least the concept) at all. We have been talking about this for years now. What do you think trusted computing (palladium) is? This has always been the "good" side of the TCPA coin, media DRM being the "bad" side.
Finkployd
No, an idiot is someone that thinks giving MS $500 and their rootkit-altering driver is a good way to make money. If MS doesn't find anything suspicious, your credit trail will certainly be easy enough to follow. Unless you think sending them $500 cash in an envelope with no return address will get the job done...