Next Up: Patenting Security Patches?
from the you-can't-be-serious dept
The crazed focus on extending patent coverage to just about anything may be about to take it's next step. John writes in to point us to the news of a company that is trying to patent security patches. In some ways, this is a direct follow up to the market for security vulnerabilities we were talking about earlier this week. The has recognized that finding vulnerabilities is becoming so valuable, that they might as well start patenting the patches. They're asking security researchers to go to them first with vulnerabilities, and they'll file a patent on the patch. Now, this seems ridiculous, given the amount of time it takes to get a patent, but the company thinks it can fast track these patents. The whole thing seems so over-the-top ridiculous that I'm not convinced it's not satire. I'm hoping that it's simply a spoof to demonstrate the reductio ad absurdum of current patent policy. Update: Apparently I'm not alone in wondering if this is a parody.
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Is this legal?
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Derivative Work?
This is why open source and full disclosure are so powerful. Both prevent the vendor from hiding behind veils of perceived security.
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Patches
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What if you fix it yourself?
Could you be infringing on some security company's patented SpiffyFix?
What if said company decides NOT TO LICENSE THE PATENT?
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Software patents
This looks like programmers creating software for financial benefit. User benefits are secondary. Its windows users using MS's own business model against them.
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A.
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