Someone at last finds a use for DRM...

[Diplo]

.... unfortunately that someone are hackers. Appreciate the irony of this story, please :

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

Security researchers have detected the appearance of two new Trojans, Trj/WmvDownloader.A and Trj/WmvDownloader.B, in video files circulating on P2P (peer-to-peer) networks.

According to Panda Software, both Trojans take advantage of the new Windows anti-piracy technology to trick users into downloading spyware and adware applications.

"When a user tries to play a protected Windows media file, this technology demands a valid license. If the license is not stored on the computer, the application will look for it on the Internet, so that the user can acquire it directly or buy it," Panda Software explained.

An unsuspecting user attempting to download the DRM (digital rights management) license will instead be redirected to a Web site that loads a large quantity of adware, spyware, modem dialers and other viruses, the company said in an advisory.

- http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1749993,00.asp

 

[silence]

well.....it's M$, what did u expect? working software?

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

This first came up because Overpeer (P2P polluting company paid for by RIAA) is using this to install adware/spyware on people's computers. MS is apparently not amused by this abuse (and damage to the reputation) of their DRM/Codec systems.

 

[ANova]

Uh... hmm.... There's aren't enough words in the english language to describe my feelings towards the RIAA, DRM and hackers.