Wired asks an important question: if the rootkit is basically spyware, why didn’t the major computer security companies do anything about it? Read more here.
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[…] As many commenters have observed, the Sony spyware fiasco constitutes world-class lawsuit bait (see here, here and here for more). As dangerous as the ‘cloaked’ spyware may be by itself, the buggy “patch” only made things worse by opening another security hole and creating the potential for an unexpected system crash. It should suprise nobody to hear that the State of Texas AG Frad Abbott has decided to file suit under the state’s anti-spyware law, a suit that will certainly be the first of many. […]
Pb
Because… they were afraid of the consequences? What happens when push comes to shove here. Virus writers go to jail. Spyware companies go under. When giant media corporations are caught doing the same thing, they sue other people instead, and make people go to jail (or go bankrupt) or make other companies go under. This is why we need whistleblowers, and it’s why they need to be protected.
kemk
Fear of the EULA. Ripping out software that the customer has agreed to install (however loosely “agreed” is defined) will be expensive to litigate.
bago
Microsft Anti-Spyware will remove it.
OCSteve
The security companies can’t. Under current law they have been sued by the spyware companies and lost. They literally can’t treat it like a virus and block it or clean it for you until congress deals with it.
Gator has been aggressive in pursuing their “right” to install crap on your PC without interference.
It’s not high on Congress’s list and won’t be until enough people make enough noise about it.
Walker
Because this was used to protect copyrighted material, it is protected by the DCMA, regardless of the side-effects on the system.
One of the worst laws ever.