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Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 21:49:03 -0500
From: ken <ken@...williams.us>
To: oss-security@...ts.openwall.com
Subject: Re: FYI, change to Secunia vuln db EULA
I feel a need to clarify my previous email ...
Secunia obviously has an extremely useful and comprehensive
vulnerability database. All of their vulnerability mgmt, patch mgmt,
and scanning products are excellent too. The IT industry needs high
quality vuln and patch mgmt solutions like this, and Secunia needs
revenue so they can maintain and improve their products/solutions,
conduct research, build new products, make a profit, etc.
There are some potentially adverse consequences to their decision to
close their vulnerability database:
1) All direct links to Secunia vuln db entries are effectively dead
ends now ... unless the link clicker is a student, press, private
person, hobby/non-commercial security researcher and gets "community"
(free) access, OR is a non-profit organization, private company, or
public authority/entity who has paid the annual fee[1] for the VIM
product. I imagine most people reading this email fall into the
latter group, do not have access, and will need to pay for access.
2) Vendors can apparently no longer review the Secunia vuln db so they
can submit updates and corrections (unless the vendor has purchased
the VIM product?). Will this result in Secunia vuln db info becoming
less accurate and up-to-date?
3) If you maintain a public or private vulnerability database, or
vulnerability website, you will no longer be able to effectively
reference or cross-reference the Secunia vuln db, unless you pay for
access. How will this impact OSVDB, NVD, CVE, IAVM, PacketStorm, etc?
Depending on your interests in vulnerabilities and role(s) in the
security industry, you may see other consequences.
Bottom line for me is that I had been using the public, freely
available Secunia vuln info every day for over 10 years, and I had
been regularly submitting vuln info/updates/corrections. I'm
currently not using it at all (in compliance with their EULA). If
the VIM cost fits into my budget, then I'll definitely purchase it.
Maybe this is a necessary and/or business-savvy decision for Secunia.
I don't know, and it's not my place to guess or judge. I simply
consider it unfortunate that a once publicly accessible and invaluable
vuln db is now closed to many/most of us.
Regards,
Ken
The opinions and statements in this email are my own and do not
necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
[1] $28,400/year as of Feb 2013. May not fit into budget for some
non-profits, govt agencies, smaller businesses.
Reference: http://goo.gl/N2DikW
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