Overhype

Overhype

by Joe Weisenthal


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eBay for 0-Day Unlikely To Hack it

from the bug-juice dept

This past week, a Swiss firm launched what could be described as an eBay for zero-day security vulnerabilities, an organized marketplace where security researchers or hackers can get paid for handing over their discoveries. The idea is that this site would present an alternative to existing black markets, whereby hackers trade in information that can be used for malicious purposes. There's no doubt that the world of independent security researchers needs some help. Even those individuals that have legitimate aims can get into legal trouble, if it's felt that they overstepped some bounds in doing their research. Unfortunately, this bug marketplace isn't likely to improve the situation. Researchers will still be taking a risk anytime they do research, while those whose aims are less noble will still opt to monetize their research through shadier channels, particularly if the black market is deemed as more lucrative.

11 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 

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  1. by Anonymous Coward - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 7:34am

    Hrmm my botnet spread like wildfire with fake ebay auctions embeding files into it with there HTML editor to download my files will most likely come to an end.....*shrug.. oh well.. it was fun... never did anything malicious with it just wanted to see how many ip's I could gain control of if I wanted. In one weekend alone it hit over 900. Just think if I deploy one at christmass time with what ever the hot item of the year is. Scary. And no I never got caught because I also found away around there credit card validation and set up fake accounts over proxy servers and could even set up a paypal account as well.
    err wait I should sell that to the company...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Re:

    by Bob Jones - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 9:04am

    You should be arrested. Also... I doubt the validity of you story. Its very... Not possible.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. by english major - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 9:09am

    Not to mention you used 'there' where their should be twice and spelled Christmas wrong.

    You lack the native intelligence to pull this kind of thing off.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Re:

    by John - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 9:32am

    Yes because we all know the greatest hackers in the history of computing were English majors with impeccable grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

    I doubt his story also but more because bragging on Techdirt isn't something the owner of a botnet would do and not because he doesn't have the mastery of the English language that you posses. Since when does English grammar and intelligence have any correlation? All the people in non English speaking countries aren't intelligent?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Re;

    by Sham ding - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 9:41am

    English is for wussies. Im migrating to Latin.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. by Anonymous Coward - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 9:46am

    Wait... I know who the hacker is! He's the idiot who mispelled Christmas when he registered my website as ChristmassinTexas.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. your all idiots

    by disassemble - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 10:20am

    I'm sorry I waisted my time clicking this news link through my Google Tech Stories.. I tihnk I actually lost hundreds of brain cells reading this blog..

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. what

    by po0head - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 10:44am

    I thought i was checking my email?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. English?

    by charlie potatoes - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 10:53am

    To paraphrase Homer Simpson...What do I need to study English for? I'm never gonna go to England.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  10. Re: what

    by Yeesh - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 11:12am

    I was looking for Christmass toys...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  11. Re: what

    by Yeesh - Jul 9th, 2007 @ 11:13am

    I was looking for Christmass toys...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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