Information Security News: Re: Microsoft to Hackers: Drop That Code! (Two messages)

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Russell Coker <russell () coker com au>

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 20:56, InfoSec News <isn () c4i org> wrote:
> Besides the illegal receipt of copyrighted materials, persons
> downloading the source code-especially developers-could face other
> problems,, legal experts said. Individuals examining the Windows code
> could face charges of trade-secret violations and infringement of
> software patents.
What country has such trade-secret laws?

Every trade-secret law I have heard of only applies to people who legally 
receive secret material and then disclose it.  If someone else gives you 
trade-secret material then they are permitted to have then they are breaking 
the law and you aren't.

Or are these "legal experts" the same ones who think that you can trade-mark 
words that have been in use for hundreds of years?

-- 
http://www.coker.com.au/selinux/   My NSA Security Enhanced Linux packages
http://www.coker.com.au/bonnie++/  Bonnie++ hard drive benchmark
http://www.coker.com.au/postal/    Postal SMTP/POP benchmark
http://www.coker.com.au/~russell/  My home page



-=-



Forwarded from: "Bernie, CTA" <cta () hcsin net>

InfoSec sleuths beware, Microsoft's attorneys may be knocking at your
door

I see that in a recent article published by eWeek claim legal experts
say individuals examining the leaked Windows code could face charges
of trade-secret violations and infringement of software patents.

http://www.eweek.com/print_article/0,3048,a=119396,00.asp

Could Microsoft's attorneys go after sleuths who are disclosing
vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software and allege that the individual
had discovered the vulnerability because they downloaded the code and
examined it? Good tactic to impede pen testing, security research, or
disclosure of security threats, which in the past have cast an ominous
shadow on MS, is it not?

It may be wise for security sleuths to fully document their
vulnerability / exploit discovery process, when, how, what, why.  I'm
sure Microsoft's attorneys will be serving production of documents
request upon a select group. Note that under US Federal law, limited
discovery to perpetuate testimony regarding any matter can be
performed before a lawsuit is actually filed.



On 18 Feb 2004 at 3:56, InfoSec News wrote:
> Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk () c4i org>
>
> http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1528843,00.asp
>
> By David Morgenstern 
> February 17, 2004 
>
> Microsoft Corp. is warning the online community to keep its hands
> off purloined Windows source code. 
>
> The company on Tuesday confirmed it had sent legal warnings to
> some persons who it said had downloaded the stolen code from the
> Internet...
snip>>>

> Besides the illegal receipt of copyrighted materials, persons
> downloading the source code^×especially developers^×could face
> other problems,, legal experts said. Individuals examining the
> Windows code could face charges of trade-secret violations and
> infringement of software patents. 
>
> eWEEK.com reporter Matt Hicks contributed to this report. 



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