RE: <Cisco Message> Mike Lynn's controversialCisco Security Presentation

["Lyal Collins" <lyal.collins () key2it com au>]

Ianal, but I think jurisdictions may have issues with receiving and
using/profiting from stolen 'property', regardless of whether that property
is an information/intangible asset or a tangible asset.

In practical terms the information is 'published' as in available to a broad
range of readers.
Available != free to use without consequences in all possible circumstances.

As to the rights and wrongs at the centre of this thread - let the
discussions proceed!

Lyal


-----Original Message-----
From: full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk
[mailto:full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk] On Behalf Of J.A.
Terranson
Sent: Saturday, 30 July 2005 11:51 AM
To: Jason Coombs
Cc: Russell Smoak; full-disclosure () lists grok org uk; nanog () merit edu;
fergdawg () netzero net
Subject: Re: [Full-disclosure] <Cisco Message> Mike Lynn's
controversialCisco Security Presentation



On Fri, 29 Jul 2005, Jason Coombs wrote:

<cutting to the chase>

> Now, if RC4 had never been used to create a product and had been kept 
> as a trade secret, and that secret had been published, then it would 
> not have become, automatically, an unencumbered algorithm that could 
> be used by anyone with impunity. There being no way other than theft 
> of trade secret for a third party to come to know the algorithm, had a 
> court order been obtained to halt the spread of the secret the 
> algorithm itself could very well have been kept as protectable 
> intellectual property until such time as the company that enjoyed a 
> commercial advantage through preservation of their RC4 trade secret 
> had concluded the public distribution of a product that somebody else 
> could have reverse engineered.

The problem here is essentially one of mass distribution.  There are now
*millions* of copies of these "secrets" in general circulation.  Nobody can
assert with a straight face that anything about Lynn's presentation is not
completely and totally within the public view - and irretrievably so.

-- 
Yours,

J.A. Terranson
sysadmin () mfn org
0xBD4A95BF


"A stock broker is someone who handles your money until its all gone." Diana
Hubbard (of Scientology fame)
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_______________________________________________
Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/