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Judge Rules In Favor of Volkswagen and Silences Scientist

Posted by samzenpus on from the keep-your-mouth-shut dept.

sl4shd0rk writes "Samsung-is-not-as-cool-as-Apple Judge Colin Birss, rules in favor of Volkswagon to ban Flavio Garcia, a computer scientist, from revealing details about 'Wirelessly Lockpicking a Vehicle Immobiliser' at USENIX in August. Volkswagen says the flaw could allow someone to 'break the security and steal a car' so it is justifiable grounds for blocking Flavio's paper. No word yet on how soon Volkswagen will have a patch."

7 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. If hacking is outlawed by i+kan+reed · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Only outlaws will have hackers, or something. It really doesn't work that way, but the protection of rich people's cars will only be temporary.

  2. This is why we have a first amendment. by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The cars are vulnerable if he tells the world or not. The only difference is now only the bad actors know about the problem.

    He should have disclosed without notifying. That way they could not have stopped him.

    1. Re:This is why we have a first amendment. by Stumbles · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The Streisand effect strikes again. They will never learn.

      --
      My karma is not a Chameleon.
    2. Re:This is why we have a first amendment. by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sure, this is why we have one though. Our founding fathers knew not having one was too dangerous.

    3. Re:This is why we have a first amendment. by steelfood · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Nah, that'd be unreasonable. What would be more reasonable is that now that Volkswagon is known to not act in good faith (i.e. lawsuit ensue) after an act of responsible disclosure, there's no good reason to first notify them about any subsequent security holes.

      --
      "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
    4. Re:This is why we have a first amendment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You also have secret courts...

    5. Re:This is why we have a first amendment. by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 5, Insightful

      cultivat8 posted instructions a few minutes before you made your post, so that cat's out of the bag. Now the only value this suppression serves is in protecting the ignorance of people who are in danger; the car company saves a bit of face with its less-aware customers and investors, and that's about it.

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!