Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Patenting security fixes has gone commercial

  • 08-06-2007 4:50pm
    #1
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 94,272 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/06/security_fix_patent/

    If can patent a fix then you can prevent others using it. It could be a great DoS. I suppose the main point if you can patent security patches then so can the crackers.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,567 ✭✭✭Martyr


    hmm..from reading the website intellectualweapons.com, it appears to be no more than a way for them to make money from 'zero day' vulnerabilities.

    they are a 'middle man' for the sale/transaction of information on unknown vulnerabilities, most likely to multiple buyers with the agreement not to disclose the details...and the author of the bug find would never really know how much is being made from his/her work...thats what it looks like to me.

    a company set up to exploit the software exploiter.

    they get the information, sell it for whatever price they like, and give a small donation to the finder of the flaw.
    IMHO all this will do is drive some vulnerability researchers deeper underground.

    i don't know much about the law regarding patents, but this doesn't make any sense..patent a fix for a bug in software?..bizarre.

    EDIT:
    just thought i'd add to this, it might interest some of you to get your cheesy mits on a new C decompiler (where available) by one of IDA Pros prolific authors, Ilfak Guilfanov.

    this is a very cool demo of the plugin IN action

    watch the magic :D


Advertisement