From: Craig Wright (cwright@bdosyd.com.au)
Date: Wed Oct 04 2006 - 22:52:44 EDT
Legally this is bad - it is extortion.
Either release or not, but do not hold it over them. Taking the law into
your own hands is not a good idea
Craig
-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce@securityfocus.com [mailto:listbounce@securityfocus.com]
On Behalf Of pand0ra
Sent: Thursday, 5 October 2006 9:31 AM
To: pen-test@securityfocus.com
Subject: Re: Informing Companies about security vulnerabilities...
"You can try to set them an ultimatum pretending to disclose the holes
to the public. Perhaps they are more willing to react if they are forced
to do so."
Ethically, that is bad. You should never force (or threaten) anyone
into doing something they don't want to. I agree completely with Jay
and Dan.
Joseph,
1. Never test a system unless you have written authorization (also
known as the "get out of jail free" card). Period.
2. I know it is your responsability to teach your students how to
identify an attack but you also have to show them what is ethical as
well. By teaching them to attack another company's web application
without permission is promoting behavior that could land your students
in jail. What happens after the student is arrested when they tell the
media that they learned how to do what they did in your class?
3. It's good that you notified the newspaper of the problem but you
should not have been there in the first place.
The suggestion for using hackme bank is perfect and won't land you in
prison/jail/fines.
On 10/4/06, Andreas Putzo <putzoa@gmx.de> wrote:
> On Oct 04, Joseph McCray wrote:
> > 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.
>
> You can try to set them an ultimatum pretending to disclose the holes
> to the public. Perhaps they are more willing to react if they are
forced
> to do so.
> Depending on the information you can get through the website (customer
> data anywhere?) and the laws in your country (IANAL, btw.)
> you may go to the intrigued publicity, indeed. They gotta have to do
something if
> someone defaced their website actually.
>
>
> --
> regards,
> Andreas Putzo
>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This List Sponsored by: Cenzic
>
> Need to secure your web apps?
> Cenzic Hailstorm finds vulnerabilities fast.
> Click the link to buy it, try it or download Hailstorm for FREE.
>
http://www.cenzic.com/products_services/download_hailstorm.php?camp=7016
00000008bOW
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This List Sponsored by: Cenzic
Need to secure your web apps?
Cenzic Hailstorm finds vulnerabilities fast.
Click the link to buy it, try it or download Hailstorm for FREE.
http://www.cenzic.com/products_services/download_hailstorm.php?camp=7016
00000008bOW
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation in respect of matters arising within those States and Territories of Australia where such legislation exists.
DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use or disclose the information. If you have received this email in error, please inform us promptly by reply email or by telephoning +61 2 9286 5555. Please delete the email and destroy any printed copy.
Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. You may not rely on this message as advice unless it has been electronically signed by a Partner of BDO or it is subsequently confirmed by letter or fax signed by a Partner of BDO.
BDO accepts no liability for any damage caused by this email or its attachments due to viruses, interference, interception, corruption or unauthorised access.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This List Sponsored by: Cenzic
Need to secure your web apps?
Cenzic Hailstorm finds vulnerabilities fast.
Click the link to buy it, try it or download Hailstorm for FREE.
http://www.cenzic.com/products_services/download_hailstorm.php?camp=701600000008bOW
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Sat Apr 12 2008 - 10:57:06 EDT