Refunds for Sony DRM rootkit victims.

A class action suit against Sony BMG has been granted final approval for a settlement by the federal court, allowing music fans to claim refunds and free music downloads. The case was brought against the music giant after it included potentially dangerous copy protection software on an estimated 15 million music CDs. Sony's controversial digital rights management software, included on CDs from the likes of Neil Diamond, Alicia Keys and Dido, introduced a rootkit-style "cloaking" vulnerability onto PCs. The vulnerability was exploited by some malware in an attempt to evade detection by anti-virus software, leading to a public relations disaster for Sony. Let's hope that other entertainment companies interested in protecting their music and movies from pirates will hopefully have learned not to borrow techniques from malicious hackers.