Sony Incident Leads Government to Consider Rootkit Ban

[Jared Moya]

<p>Most electronics consumers had never heard of rootkits before last year's Sony BMG debacle. Now, rootkits have the attention of the U.S. public -- and the U.S. government. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday suggested that a measure outlawing the controversial software may be in order. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A rootkit is a security tool often used by hackers to capture passwords and message traffic to and from a computer. The tool may allow access to a so-called &quot;back door&quot; into a system, where a hacker Latest News about hacker can collect information on other computers on the network while masking the fact that the system is compromised. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The recent Sony experience shows us that we need to be thinking about how we ensure that consumers are not surprised by what their software programs do,&quot; said Jonathan Frenkel, director of law enforcement policy at the DHS. </p>

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[Potato]

I love when news links on this site link to other areas of the site, and not the actual source. (http://www.technewsworld.com/story/LBe1OY4HMG7fg8/Sony-Incident-Leads-Government-to-Consider-Rootkit-Ban.xhtml)

[Digital Bliss]

Ahh, the lesser of two evils perhaps. In my mind I would rather not have the government step in because if they ban this rootkit it could possibly mean they could do the same with other software. Personally I think what sony did is pretty fucked up but if the government bans this software we minus well throw our civil liberties out the window. What if they are donig this to see how the public reacts and then after this the will go onto other things like filesharing networks and what not.

[MorphineInduced]

well its not to say this is there intention and i wouldnt doubt it , this would be the easiest way to go about doing something like this ..... especially since there whole grounds on this would be well look at what has been going on .... makes it harder for the society to say anything ...... they in a way would be coming out looking as a hero instead of what they really are ......