Those pesky rootkit infested CDs turned out to be an expensive lesson for Sony BMG. If the deal is approved the consumer payback option looks like the following:

Under terms of the settlement, consumers who purchased disks programmed with the rootkit can get a free replacement, $7.50 in cash, and a free download of one of 200 Sony BMG albums from one of three music-download sites, including Apple Computer’s (AAPL) iTunes. Audiophiles who don’t want to bother with a small check can forgo the cash in favor of three free album downloads. Consumers who bought CDs in 2003 and 2004, containing earlier versions of the copy-protection software, are offered free downloads of their disks’ content.

So … you buy one of these CDs originally, unknowingly play on your computer and have this rootkit installed. Then it is discovered by a security firm and you try to remove it and can’t. Then Sony releases a patch that also has security issues. A class action lawsuit ensues and your remedy?

- $7.50 OR three FREE albun downloads
- plus free replacement of non-rootkit infested version of the CD you originally thought you were buying.

The EFF has signed off on the deal. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but Sony BMG got off kind of easy for the early arrogance and slow response time to a very serious matter. In addition to the above, they should have had to provide each of their affected customers with a free license for one year of anti-virus definitions.

Whatever the case, hopefully this will mark the end of Sony BMG’s tortured DRM saga. If only it had been fiction. No sequel, please.

Did this post make you go hmm?

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