Fortium Technologies

Fortium Technologies (aka First 4 Internet) is a British company based in Bridgend, South Wales that develops and licenses copy control software used on CDs and DVDs in an attempt to prevent unauthorised copying. Fortium Technologies also creates image composition analysis software that is able to detect pornographic images for the purpose of Web or e-mail filtering. Fortium states it does not develop software that installs active software programs on end user’s computers and that its software has been independently tested by Next Generation Security Software Ltd (NGS), the world leader in the discovery and publication of computer security vulnerabilities, to confirm it behaves in a “safe and secure manner”.

Attention was drawn to First 4 Internet in connection with the 2005 Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal. According to on-line records at UK Companies House (link below), the name was changed to Fortium Technologies Ltd on 20th November 2006. The production of CDs incorporating the rootkit technology was ceased by SONY BMG in November 2005 when First 4 Internet (Fortium Technologies) had a security issue with their rootkit. First 4 Internet ceased developing and licencing active software programs in November 2005.

External links

• Official site
• Companies House (showing change of name)