What did you get for Xmas, then? New mobo? Digital camera? Gift certificate for a games store? Well, if you were anything like me you got socks and aftershave, but if so then never mind, Sony has a very special present for you - a rootkit installed on your machine.

I know this is old news, but really it's still appropriate I think for us to take a moment to really thank Sony for continuing to sell spyware infected music in the pre-christmas rush. Now, the company has claimed that they have recalled the CDs which are loaded with spyware, but according to the Consumerist magazine, a lot of US stores still had Sony CDs on the shelves that had the XCP rootkits selling on the run up to Xmas. Seemingly, shop managers were saying that they were still allowed to sell them.