Sony settles over rootkit

Sony BMG Music Entertainment will pay $1.5 million and kick in thousands more in customer refunds to settle lawsuits brought by California and Texas over music CDs that installed a hidden anti-piracy program on consumers’ computers. Not only did the program itself open up a security hole on computers, but attempts to remove the software by some customers also damaged the PCs.

I think it’s safe to say that Sony has paid out a lot more cash than they brought in this year. Hopefully this will secure future ridiculous copy protections on music we legally purchase.