Mitnick on OSS

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Posted by Hemos on Monday January 30, 2006 @03:35AM from the hacking-it-out dept.

comforteagle writes "Infamous cracker Kevin Mitnick (turned security consultant) has come out to say that he'd prefer to 'hack' open source code vs proprietary closed code. "Mitnick says that open source software is easier to analyse for security holes, since you can see the code. Proprietary software, on the other hand, requires either reverse engineering, getting your hands on illicit copies of the source code, or using a technique called 'fuzzing'." He further says that open source is more secure, but leaves you wondering questions if enough people are really interested in securing open source code."

15 of 286 comments (clear)

Master of the obvious! by gasmonso · 2006-01-30 03:39 · Score: 4, Funny

"Mitnick says that open source software is easier to analyse for security holes, since you can see the code."

Once again proving his technical prowess!
http://religiousfreaks.com/
1. Re:Master of the obvious! by operagost · 2006-01-30 05:37 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Don't most hackers spend all their time indoors, anyway?
  
  --
  
  Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
Re: Fuzzing... by Black+Parrot · 2006-01-30 03:42 · Score: 5, Funny

> Anyone want to explain what this 'fuzzing' is?

For teenagers it means to skip shaving for a few days.

Not sure how that helps crack software, though. Maybe it gives you a 1337 look that inspires more experienced crackers to share their secrets.

--
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
There's plenty of Milhouse to go around. by digitaldc · 2006-01-30 03:46 · Score: 5, Funny

Separated at birth?

--
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Unfortunate by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 03:53 · Score: 5, Funny

Infamous cracker Kevin Mitnick (turned security consultant) has come out to say [...]

Why does race have to enter every discussion on /.?
1. Re:Unfortunate by Concerned+Onlooker · 2006-01-30 05:08 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Not only that, but according to the sentence he's also now out of the closet.
  
  --
  http://www.rootstrikers.org/
His views have been proved empirically... by QuietLagoon · 2006-01-30 03:56 · Score: 2, Funny

We all have seen how difficult it is to hack Microsoft's closed-source, proprietary code.
Re:Captain Obvious by kfg · 2006-01-30 04:03 · Score: 5, Funny

First Corollary:

It's easier for others to see where you are going when they have their eyes open.

Second Corollary:

It's easier for others to see where you might go when they have their eyes open.

KFG
Re:Fuzzing and Obfuscation by SchrodingersRoot · 2006-01-30 04:06 · Score: 3, Funny

It would take a pretty crappy admin to have "./" in his default path

I feel there has to be a /. joke to be made from that somehow...
A Slashdot Orange by eldavojohn · 2006-01-30 04:07 · Score: 5, Funny

Makes no sense
*a dazed author of the GP lies under an overpass, gleefully singing about possible Linux/Unix flaws*

Alexander "brunes69" de Large: Oy! Lookie what we have here, droogies ... someone who's trying to relay a point without including a complete manual on how to do it!
Droogies: [in unison] HE FORGOT ABOUT PERMISSIONS!
Alexander "brunes69" de Large: [bending over with his cane against his cod piece] That's right. And what happens to slashdotters we viddie that make mistakes?
Droogie A: We brow beat them into a bloody pulp ...
*Alex and the droogs continually beat the poor slashdotter while emitting "Singing in the Rain"*
eldavojohn: Please ... oof! ... I tried to warn you that I don't write viruses for a living!

--
My work here is dung.
Re:What is Fuzzing? by trandism · 2006-01-30 04:29 · Score: 3, Funny

Posting wihtout reading the article.
what makes you thing it's so important to let us know... We all do that for christ's sakes

--
www.lemonodor.com A mostly Lisp weblog
Which is a great technical advance... by jpellino · 2006-01-30 04:39 · Score: 2, Funny

"Mitnick was arrested in 1995 by the FBI for hacking. He served five years in prison, including eight months in solitary confinement after it was alleged that he could launch nuclear missiles by whistling into a telephone." ...following the previous 40 years of whistling past the graveyard to deal with nuclear missiles.

--
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
Re:Fuzzing and Obfuscation by damiena · 2006-01-30 05:21 · Score: 4, Funny

I have /. in my default path. It runs every command twice.
screw OSS by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 05:35 · Score: 1, Funny

real men hack ALSA
Re:In other news... by m50d · 2006-01-30 06:10 · Score: 2, Funny

But when a horse comments on it it becomes insightful?

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I am trolling