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Full-Disclosure Wins Again

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the mommy-where-do-patches-come-from dept.

twistedmoney99 writes "The full-disclosure debate is a polarizing one. However, no one can argue that disclosing a vulnerability publicly often results in a patch — and InformIT just proved it again. In March, Seth Fogie found numerous bugs in EZPhotoSales and reported it to the vendor, but nothing was done. In August the problem was posted to Bugtraq, which pointed to a descriptive article outlining numerous bugs in the software — and guess what happens? Several days later a patch appears. Coincidence? Probably not considering the vendor stated "..I'm not sure we could fix it all anyway without a rewrite." Looks like they could fix it, but just needed a little full-disclosure motivation."

3 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. How Software Works by mfh · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Bug is reported.
    2. Secretly, a team of crack programmers (or programmers on crack) develop the patch.
    3. The patch sits in a repository until public outcry.
    4. Public outcry.
    5. Patch released... LOOK HOW FAST WE ARE!

    --
    The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
  2. Re:A bug only exists... by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Funny

    He fell into the sarchasm.

    --

    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  3. Re:A bug only exists... by Thuktun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sadly, we live in a world where most people in power actually believe that anyone who points out problems is just as bad as someone who causes and exploits problems. NARRATOR: Fortunately, our handsomest politicians came up with a cheap, last-minute way to combat global warming. Ever since 2063 we simply drop a giant ice cube into the ocean every now and then. Of course, since the greenhouse gases are still building up, it takes more and more ice each time. Thus solving the problem once and for all.

    GIRL: But--

    NARRATOR: Once and for all!