The guy suing companies for using SSL/TLS

[MaXe]

Hello EH-netters,


Recently I heard that TQP (a company) is suing several companies, some of them being Apple, Google, Intel, Dell, etc., for using SSL/TLS on their websites.

This company, apparently have a patent on the algorithms used in very generic terms, meaning they can use this to their advantage and sue companies using SSL/TLS and similar algorithms if they exist or will exist at some point.

To be honest, I think this is bs, waste of time, resources, money, and that these lawsuits are simply made to make money, nothing else. It's not really protecting their IP (Intellectual Property), as they didn't invent SSL or TLS, or RC4 for that sake. They are non-technical persons just wanting to make a lot of money by suing people like the world's "No. 1 Hacker", except he just does it with people and companies he doesn't like.


You can read the full story here:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/11/09/meet-the-texas-lawyer-suing-hundreds-of-companies-for-using-basic-web-encryption/

[Andrew Waite]

From my limited understanding of the situation I also called BS.

But I also believe (can't find my sources, sorry) that several big names have already paid up to avoid the legal costs, so TQP must have something with a legal foundation to it.

Time to grab the popcorn and see how this one plays out.

[MaXe]

Yeah I know they got enough legal foundation to probably win the case in USA, but it's still bs what they are doing and they should be stopped for this treachery  Suing companies over using SSL/TLS to protect their customers, and TQP didn't even invent these protocols, they were just the first to come up with an idea that conflicts with SSL/TLS and RC4.

There's like 6 billion people on earth, if everyone patented their ideas 2000 years ago, eventually, someone would break that patent.

[SephStorm]

just wait until their bank stops using SSL/TLS. we'll see how long it takes before the lawsuits stop...

[24772433]

Echoes of British Telecom's frivolous Hyperlink Patent lawsuit from 2002! BT lost that one, not surprisingly!

[3xban]

Really wish someone would use their knowledge of law to prevent these types of lawsuits from even getting in front of a judge.  Most of these supposed IP objects have been around for some time developed by students at MIT, Stanford, Berkley etc...  you would think it would be public domain.  Wonder when one of these jackass lawyers will try to sue someone for using "Jingle Bells" in a movie or some crap.  F'ing lawyers....