SECURITY: DMCA may be used to suppress security warnings

From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Thu Aug 01 2002 - 08:45:58 MDT


Here is a new tactic used by companies to suppress reports of security
warnings about their products. HP is threatening to sue an individual
for publishing a known security bug in their operating system. They
invoke the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to claim exposing a security
hole in their system is akin to cracking encryption and breaking
copyright laws. If this pans out, security reports could be deemed
illegal under the DMCA. Companies have been repeatedly trying different
legal methods to make it illegal to expose flaws in their products.

        <http://news.com.com/2100-1023-947325.html?tag=fd_lede>
        "Security warning draws DMCA threat"
        by
        Declan McCullagh
        Staff Writer, CNET News.com
        July 30, 2002, 4:48 PM PT

--
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP		<www.HarveyNewstrom.com>
Principal Security Consultant	<www.Newstaff.com>


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