Meet the Hackers Who Get Rich Selling Spies Zero-Day Exploits

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday March 21, 2012 @08:00AM from the selling-to-the-man dept.

Sparrowvsrevolution writes "Forbes profiles Vupen, a French security firm that openly sells secret software exploits to spies and government agencies. Its customers pay a $100,000 annual fee simply for the privilege of paying extra fees for the exploits that Vupen's hackers develop, which the company says can penetrate every major browser, as well as other targets like iOS, Android, Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word. Those individual fees often cost much more than that six-figure subscription, and Vupen sells them non-exclusively to play its customers off each other in an espionage arms race. The company's CEO, Chaouki Bekrar, says Vupen only sells to NATO governments and 'NATO partners' but he admits 'if you sell weapons to someone, there's no way to ensure that they won't sell to another agency.'"

2 of 158 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

It's not illegal... by nitehawk214 · 2012-03-21 08:09 · Score: 0, Redundant

... if the government (or a private firm working for the government) does it.
Please remember this the next time a cop kicks you in the face.

--
I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
violation of the DMCA? by cjonslashdot · 2012-03-21 08:22 · Score: 1, Redundant

Isn't this a violation of the DMCA?