(By Info-Tech Analyst Carmi Levy — Reprinted with permission from Processor magazine www.processor.com).
Cisco's decision this summer to sue a researcher who was about to go public with details of a security vulnerability in its routers sent chills down the spines of security-minded users. In an age when vendors are encouraging community involvement to identify and address security holes, Cisco's moves are heavy-handed.
The Genesis Of A Lawsuit
The brouhaha blew up after Cisco sued a researcher to prevent him from publishing additional details on a security flaw in the company's routers. Michael Lynn had been scheduled to deliver a presentation at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas but ran into difficulty when Cisco claimed his presentation would lead to further exposure. Black Hat is widely viewed as the top event where security researchers can discuss Internet security vulnerabilities.
