The ongoing Digital Rights Management rootkit debacle that's landed Sony BMG in a bottomless pit of controversy has now led to the possibility of government intervention in the matter, which could take the shape of a government ban on DRM rootkits. An official at the Department Of Homeland Security has called for potential legislation that could be used against companies, such as Sony, that sell products containing the software, which installs itself on one's computer without the user's knowledge and leaves it vulnerable to intrution. "We need to think about how that situation could have been avoided in the first place," Jonathan Frenkel, a director within the Department Of Homeland Security, said last week. "Legislation or regulation may not be appropriate in all cases, but it may be warranted in some circumstances." A recall of CDs featuring the software was issued late last year; and consumers can file a claim to receive a DRM-free disc in exchange for discs they purchased containing the copy-protection software. Despite the influx of lawsuits, apparently DRM technology is still being utilized, most notably in a German DVD edition of the film Mr. And Mrs. Smith. http://www.sonybmg.com
