Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s botched attempt to stop unauthorized music copying has cost the company another US$4.25 million. Two days after reaching settlements worth a combined total of $1.5 million with Texas and California, Sony on Thursday agreed to pay another 40 states the money to end investigations into its use of two copy-protection programs: First 4 Internet’s extended copy protection (XCP), and MediaMax, written by SunnComm International.In a statement, Sony said it was pleased with Thursday’s settlements.More than 12 million Sony BMG CDs shipped with this software last year, according to a statement from the Massachusetts attorney general. Sony’s trouble began in late 2005, when a computer science researcher disclosed that XCP used dangerous “rootkit” techniques to cloak itself after installation. Later, investigators found that even users who declined to install the MediaMax program would have software placed on their computers, and one version of the program created a security issue, the Massachusetts statement said. Sony has reportedly also reached a tentative settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in the matter, although nothing relating to that investigation was announced Thursday. Sony settled a class-action lawsuit over the software in May.As with the California and Texas agreements, residents of the 40 states that settled with Sony are entitled to up to $175 in refunds for damages that may have been caused to their computers. The settlements also limit the ways that Sony can use copy-protection software in the future and require that the company notify consumers if it uses this kind of software.A list of the states covered in Thursday’s settlement can be found in the Massachusetts statement.Sony has set up a website with information for consumers on the matter. It is expected to eventually include information on how to file a claim under these latest settlements.— Robert McMillan, IDG News Service (San Francisco Bureau)Related Links: Sony to Settle Texas, Calif. Rootkit Suits for $1.5M Microsoft Releases Sony Rootkit Hunter’s ToolsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content events promotion Australia's CIO50 Team of the Year Awards finalists revealed Along with the unveiling of the annual CIO50 List and the team category winners, the 2023 CIO50 Awards will also recognise the inaugural Next CIO winner and a new Hall of Fame recipient. By Cathy O'Sullivan May 31, 2023 3 mins IDG Events brandpost API security: key to interoperability or key to an organization? Understanding the risks of using APIs and how to prepare to address those risks. By Keith Zelinski, Managing Director, Technology Consulting May 31, 2023 6 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Designing the campus of the future starts with high-quality 10 Gbps connectivity By Huawei May 31, 2023 4 mins Network Architect Networking Devices Networking brandpost How an Indian real-estate juggernaut keeps growing by harnessing the power of zero A South Indian real-estate titan is known for the infinite variety and impressive scale of its projects, but one of its most towering achievements amounts to nothing literally. By Michael Kure, SAP Contributor May 31, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe