When Censorship Backfires: How Blue Coat Silenced A Security Researcher
When security researchers are silenced by governments or private companies, it’s often to the detriment of technology users of all ilks. Ignorance is certainly not bliss when it comes to digital vulnerabilities. It leaves systems open to attack and, consequently, people’s data open to theft.
But on a number of occasions, where utilitarianism has been neutered by bad capitalism, the needs of the few have outnumbered the needs of the many (Spock would not be best pleased). Blue Coat’s successful attempt to stop Airbus security researcher Raphaël Rigo talking about the firm’s technology at the Syscan conference in Singapore marks another chapter in the history of silencing of security researchers. Whilst not the most horrific example of censorship, it was censorship nonetheless. A man was told he could not talk.
Emails obtained by FORBES between the various parties involved show the Sunnyvale firm initially contacted Syscan conference organiser, Thomas Lim of security services provider Coseinc, on 13 January, asking for Rigo’s contact details. A Blue Coat blog released after FORBES’ report about the situation in Singapore claimed the company had learned about Rigo’s presentation “shortly before the conference”.
