Software Giants Seek Friends Among Hackers

Carl Bialik from WSJ writes "Big tech companies are engaging in a full charm offensive at the Black Hat hacker conference as they seek to convince hackers and security researchers to work with, not against, them, the Wall Street Journal reports. Among those being courted: HD Moore. The suitor is his erstwhile foe, Microsoft. From the article: 'Microsoft plans to wine and dine Mr. Moore at a party at the fancy Palms Hotel. A Microsoft security executive wants to meet with him to discuss his latest work. And earlier this year, the Redmond, Wash., company invited him to speak at a Microsoft-sponsored conference on security. "There were a few tense silences," says Mr. Moore, 24 years old, who lives in Austin, Texas. But he says the meetings put a human face on a company he once saw as impenetrable. "You're less willing to publicly humiliate someone you know in real life," he says.'"

Comments

Time for a Quote

[in2mind]

The best way to destroy an enemy is by making them a friend.

Abraham Lincoln

It's about time

[dave562]

I have been saying this for a while and I'm glad that the executives in charge of things are one the same wavelength. The computer underground is full of brilliant people with the knowledge that will make products better. Microsoft doesn't even need to put people on the payroll. They can simply pay them as consultants. It's a great situation for everyone involved. Microsoft gets knowledge that the typical programmer who has gone the legit route through college and computer science will not have. The black hats get paid for their fresh sk33lz and the rest of the world gets a better, more secure product.

Re:What???

[ResidntGeek]

Nope. That was spread by mass media during all their OMG HAXXX0RZZ!!!! binges. About the only thing that would stop a hacker helping the enemy is hurting one of his friends, and that's not likely to be a problem.