RE: Informing Companies about security vulnerabilities...

[bugtraq () cgisecurity net]

So you are admitting publicly that you and a class of students that you teach are illegally testing random public 
websites for the purpose of learning about security vulnerabilities? Sounds like you/your company need to speak
with a lawyer.  

- Robert 
http://www.cgisecurity.com/ Application Security news and more
http://www.cgisecurity.com/index.rss [RSS Security Feed]

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of Joseph McCray
Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 3:07 AM
To: pen-test () securityfocus com
Subject: Informing Companies about security vulnerabilities...

This probably won't sound like that big of a deal, but it still bothered me so I figured I'd ask the list. I was 
teaching a Web Application Security class last week and we were performing simple XXS, SQL Injection, etc on the 
vulnerable web apps I use for class.


Normally, I go to a live public website or two during the class and we talk about common tests to perform and how to 
approach certain types of websites. A common subject is how to handle large website with tons of dymanic content - so 
the class chose a major newspaper's website for the discussion. 

Usually when we do this we only find a few simple things (XXS for
example) - no big deal right. With this particular website we just kept finding another, after another and on and on. 
Over 600 instances of XXS, over 200 SQL Injection - this was bad. After a while it started to get boring there was so 
many....

So I drafted a letter to the editor as well as several other prominent people at the newspaper. It detailed my finding 
and recommended some possible mitigation strategies. After emailing this I didn't hear anything for a few days, so I 
emailed it again and followed up with a phone call. After getting no response to the second email and then having been 
bounced around from department to department when I called I just said forget it.

Has anyone else gone through a similar situation? Was the company receptive? Other companies I've contacted in the past 
have been quite receptive - I'm just curious if other people have gone through this as well.

No need to fill the list with this, you can email me directly with your inputs and stories.

--
Joe McCray
Toll Free:  1-866-892-2132
Email:      joe () learnsecurityonline com
Web:        https://www.learnsecurityonline.com


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