Re: SecurityFocus Article

[coderman <coderman () gmail com>]

On 10 Jul 2007 22:40:09 -0000, full-disclosure () grok org uk
<full-disclosure () grok org uk> wrote:
> ...
> Germany is passing some new laws regarding cybercrime that might affect security professionals.

"""
Q: I have heard from multiple sources that one of the worst aspects of
the new laws was that security tools such as nmap (a port scanner),
would become illegal. Just having them on your computer will be
enough. Is it true? Every detail about this topic would be
appreciated...

Marco Gercke: The risk is there. Unlike Art. 6 of Convention on
Cybercrime, Paragraph 202c Penal Code does not limit the
criminalisation to tools that are primarily designed to commit certain
computer crimes. Therefore it will be necessary to wait for the first
verdicts. It is very likely that the courts will limit the application
of the software with the result that the possession without link to
criminal activities will not be punished.
"""

this bullshit has already brought the end of phenoelit and ROCKate.
more to come, surely.

"very likely to limit application to criminal activities" doesn't give
much confidence in the face of a government antagonistic toward
security research and privacy enhancing technology.

http://www.phenoelit.de/202/202.html
http://archives.seul.org/or/talk/Jul-2007/msg00044.html

_______________________________________________
Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/