Daily Rootkit: EFF hat Klage eingereicht

Die Electronic Frontier Foundation hat heute eine Klage gegen SonyBMG wegen des Rootkits eingereicht. Darin wird SonyBMG vorgeworfen, mit 20 Millionen verkauften CDs, welche mit dem Rootkit ausgeliefert wurden, die Privatsphäre der Verbraucher verletzt und ihre Computer beschädigt zu haben.

„Sony BMG is to be commended for its acknowledgment of the serious security problems caused by its XCP software, but it needs to go further to regain the public’s trust,“ said Corynne McSherry, EFF Staff Attorney. „It is unconscionable for Sony BMG to refuse to respond to the privacy and other problems created by the over 20 million CDs containing the SunnComm software.“
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„Music fans shouldn’t have to install potentially dangerous, privacy intrusive software on their computers just to listen to the music they’ve legitimately purchased,“ said EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn. „Regular CDs have a proven track record — no one has been exposed to viruses or spyware by playing a regular audio CD on a computer. Why should legitimate customers be guinea pigs for Sony BMG’s experiments?“

„Consumers have a right to listen to the music they have purchased in private, without record companies spying on their listening habits with surreptitiously-installed programs,“ added EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl, „Between the privacy invasions and computer security issues inherent in these technologies, companies should consider whether the damage done to consumer trust and their own public image is worth its scant protection.“

SonyBMG wird in der Anklageschrift weiter aufgefordert, ihre Lizenzbestimmungen (EULA) in umstrittenen Punkten zu ändern.

Update: Auch der Staat Texas hat wohl Klage, u.a. wegen Computerspionage, eingereicht.