SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Sony BMG has temporarily stopped making music CDs with hidden copy-protection software, XCP, which has been exploited by an Internet virus.
"We are aware that a computer virus is circulating that may affect computers with XCP content protection software," the company said in a statement Friday.
Sony has been sued by customers over the XCP software imbedded in some CDs, which downloads itself onto hard drives without buyers knowing it, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.
The XCP program is aimed at preventing piracy by limiting the number of times a CD can be copied.
Computer security experts had warned the XCP technology could open the door to dangerous Internet viruses and several antivirus firms Friday announced the fears had come true.
Sony has not said how many CDs with the program are in circulation. San Francisco's Electronic Frontier Foundation has identified 19 affected CDs, from artists including Neil Diamond, Celine Dion and Switchfoot, among others.
