FC: "Department of Homeland Security" vs. Full Disclosure?

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Mar 04 2003 - 19:32:31 PST

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    ----- Forwarded message from Ryan Lackey <ryanat_private> -----
    
    From: Ryan Lackey <ryanat_private>
    Subject: "Department of Homeland Security" vs. Full Disclosure?
    To: cypherpunks
    Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 19:56:49 +0000
    User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.3i
    
    It appears the DHS is taking responsibility for putting pressure on
    those who discover security flaws to keep them quiet until they see
    fit to release.  Hopefully in the future those who
    discover security flaws will take advantage of the remailer network
    and cryptographic signatures to post their findings immediately,
    rather than reporting them to the government for processing and delay.
    
    Otherwise, given the government's excellent track record in securing
    information, DHS will become the premier location for getting
    knowledge of "secret" vulnerabilities.  Plus, is it really a
    great stretch to imagine the government will use tit for tat to keep
    some vulnerabilities from ever being made public, for their own purposes?
    (to have a government-only backdoor, if the vulnerability is
    sufficiently well hidden, or to use as leverage with vendors to add
    other features for the government, like "this will shame you in the
    marketplace, but we can just keep it quiet if you'll play ball with us
    on DRM or anti-anonymity in your future products..."
    
    One would think anyone in the "security industry" would be
    sufficiently paranoid to not trust the government with this
    responsibility.
    
    [http://news.com.com/2100-1009-990879.html?tag=fd_top]
    -- 
    Ryan Lackey [RL960-RIPE AS24812]   ryanat_private   +1 202 258 9251
    OpenPGP DH 4096: B8B8 3D95 F940 9760 C64B   DE90 07AD BE07 D2E0 301F
    
    ----- End forwarded message -----
    
    
    
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