Fergie's Tech Blog

Hackers rally behind Cisco flaw finder

Joris Evers writes in C|Net News:

Attendees at the Defcon security event denounce the way Cisco Systems and Internet Security Systems came down on Michael Lynn after he showed that it is possible to hack Cisco routers.

Lynn stirred the Black Hat security confab in Las Vegas on Wednesday by quitting his job at ISS to demonstrate that he could gain control of a Cisco router by exploiting a security flaw. He did so in defiance of Cisco and ISS, who had agreed to cancel the talk. Cisco and ISS subsequently sued Lynn and the Black Hat organizers for public disclosure of illegally obtained proprietary information.

While corporate America may frown at Lynn's actions. He is a hero at Defcon, the more informal gathering of security professionals and enthusiasts that follows Black Hat. T-shits with anti-Cisco prints are selling well, and hackers have set up a PayPal account to collect money for a legal defense fund. Jennifer Granick, Lynn's lawyer, is being hailed as his savior.

On Saturday, network security specialist Raven Alder gave a presentation on the vulnerability of the Net's infrastructure. She did not repeat Lynn's demonstration, but Alder said Lynn's disclosure was important to the security of the Net. The room was packed and roiled about what some people at Defcon call "Cisco gate."

posted by Fergie @ 7/31/2005 08:57:00 AM