Following a huge wave of negative media and customer attention, Sony BMG will recall the copy protected CDs that have spawned massive privacy problems and possible virus risks to consumers.

The XCP software secretly installed once the user played the Sony music CD on a computer, leaving a backdoor open to allow hackers to gain access and exploit the computer affected.

The company had this to say:

"We share the concerns of consumers regarding discs with XCP content-protected software, and, for this reason, we are instituting a consumer exchange programme and removing all unsold CDs with this software from retail outlets," Sony BMG said in an statement.

The company also announced it would distribute a program to remove the software from a PC where it jeopardises security.
"We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers. Details of this (recall) program will be announced shortly."

Sony BMG has positioned itself as a defender of artists' rights. It re-emphasised on Friday that copy-protection software is "an important tool to protect our intellectual property rights and those of our artists".

Last week Sony BMG was targeted in a class action lawsuit alleging that it had not disclosed the true nature of its copy-protection software.