Re: 3Com launches vulnerability-buying program

[Paul Schmehl <pauls () utdallas edu>]

--On Monday, July 25, 2005 14:03:51 +0000 Ghaith Nasrawi 
<libero () aucegypt edu> wrote:

> folks,
>
> as it was announced few minutes ago that "3Com launches
> vulnerability-buying program" (through TippingPoint, a company 3Com
> acquired earlier this year)
>
> http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11253
> http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/
>
> so what do you think about this step? Obviously, they are trying to
> fight public disclosure of security vunl's (that why bugtraq exists)
> and buy the information so they can have 0day signatures to
> TippingPoint IPS solution.
Not so obviously.  IDefense has been doing this for a couple of years.  By 
paying for the vuln research they get to be first to announce the vulns to 
the community.  Looks like TP is going to do the same thing.

I doubt they'd get any 0day sigs, since they'd be buying others' research. 
The horse is already out of the barn by then.

Paul Schmehl (pauls () utdallas edu)
Adjunct Information Security Officer
University of Texas at Dallas
AVIEN Founding Member
http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/security/