Sony BMG Rootkit Settlement Approved

A judge in federal district court in New York gave final approval to a settlement between Sony BMG and others over the use of flawed DRM software used on Cds distributed last fall and winter.  The software in question installed a rootkit which was extreme in the way it embedded itself on consumer machines and placed those same machines at risk to a hacker attack. 

The settlement prohibits Sony from using the offending software, requires the company to submit any other DRM software to independent review, and to place a a description on new CDs about the software.  Customers who had the offending discs were given unprotected replacement discs, a number of MP3 downloads of the same music, and a small cash amount.  Sony BMG still faces other litigation over the episode.

Details are at CNET, the Washington Post, and Ars Technica.  Links to a PDF copy of the settlement are in the CNET story.