But, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

David Heath
Wednesday, 11 June 2008 08:59

Your IT - Home IT

the first thing that Lauderback did was call in the FBI. There was (in his mind) clear violation of a number of laws, attacks appeared to violate the Economic Espionage Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. In defence, Media Defender CEO Randy Saaf suggested that "our systems were targeting a tracker not even knowing it was Revision3's tracker" suggesting that "Revision3 changed some configurations." Hmmmmm… Various responders to Lauderback’s blog on the Revision3 site identified significant possible losses to Revision3 including specific loss of sales and also ongoing loss of reputation for those customers unable to connect over the weekend.

Serious for a small start-up company.

So, what’s the latest? Sadly, Revision3 has decided to discontinue legal action, unfortunately. Why? Draw your own conclusion.

As I write, I can’t help but link to the other recent “screw the copyright morons” news – where a bunch of University of Washington campus laser printers received take down notices from RIAA, MPAA and ESA. This was a result of deliberate ‘poisoning’ of the BitTorrent detectors made famous by Media Defender and friends.

All I can suggest, as others have done, is that it’s a real shame that the target of the poisoning wasn’t (pick your favourite) The White House; Media Defender; the website of the latest hit movie or (perhaps) any one of a million no- win-no-charge lawyers. Unleash the anti-Rottweilers!