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Originally Posted by sirmaru
eBook DRM does not change our eBook or PC operating systems to the best of my knowledge. If it did, it would be intrusive and unacceptable and may violate other laws. [...]
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From the linked article:
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For example, in 2005, Sony-BMG music shipped a DRM called the "Sony Rootkit" on 51m audio CDs. When one of these CDs was inserted into a PC, it automatically and undetectably changed the operating system so that it could no longer see files or programs that started with "$SYS$." The rootkit infected millions of computers, including over 200,000 US military and government networks, before its existence became public. However, various large and respected security organisations say they knew about the Sony Rootkit months before the disclosure, but did not publish because they feared punishment under the DMCA. Meanwhile, virus-writers immediately began renaming their programs to begin with $SYS$, because these files would be invisible to virus-checkers if they landed on a computer that had been compromised by Sony.
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ETA: But the problem faced by DRM providers is that without this sort of intrusive behaviour they will always be fighting a losing battle against those that want to circumvent it.
ETA again: Okay, so this was not ebook DRM, and it is an extreme example. But, other DRM, including ebook DRM, can still be intrusive into your system. The weaknesses these introduce may not be as obvious but they may still be there - and the legal implications of investigating it (as various experts do with any other sort of software) are not helping us to keep our systems secure.