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Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by khuey on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @05:38PM (#3677620)
Taking the 60k from Google doesn't lead to spending several years of your life in Federal prison, which is a significant risk with selling an exploit.
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by lawnchair_larry on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @05:52PM (#3677680)
Where on earth did you get the idea that there is something illegal about selling exploits? Several companies exist that do exactly this, and they operate in public, above board.

To my knowledge, the US government is the biggest buyer of unpublished exploits. And they pay a lot more than 60k. One well-known US-based company is even run by a former NSA employee, and they're currently advertising a remote pre-authentication exploit in the latest version of MySQL.

Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by rand_r on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @09:06PM (#3678298)
Ignoring the US government, what legal use would a company have for un-patched exploits?
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by trotsky on Thursday March 08, 2012 @12:45AM (#3678726)
Penetration testing is the common answer, though that job description can also be a bit of a euphemism.

It is also worth noting that breaking into the computer of a foreign national that is located overseas is often not a crime in the united states, or is at least considered very difficult to prosecute if it doesn't involve fraud, financial transfers or a few other hot buttons.

Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by nikcub on Thursday March 08, 2012 @03:08AM (#3678972)
Fame, reputation, marketing, using 0day in pen-tests, etc.

This isn't new, security companies have been paying contractors for unpublished advisories and exploits for over 15 years now.

Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by eli on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @09:46PM (#3678402)
Well besides the vendor you mean?
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by Sire on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @07:02PM (#3677941)
Links please.
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by lawnchair_larry on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @08:03PM (#3678143)
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by trotsky on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @05:58PM (#3677702)
Are you familiar with anyone who has ever gone to prison for selling an exploit to a third party? What were they charged with? You may not be interested in the kind of attention you'd get from intelligence or law enforcement, but as far as I know the act itself is legal in most/all jurisdictions.
Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by SODaniel on Wednesday March 07, 2012 @09:30PM (#3678376)
It's also fairly 'common knowledge' that taking $60k and some hacker fame from Google in a legitimate setting is a VERY legitimate way of setting yourself up for a $100k/month job at Google or any reputable infosec company.

Selling exploits on the black/grey market is and will always be fast money, and a bad idea.

Re:Chrome exploit and sandbox escape demonstrated at CanSecW... by trotsky on Thursday March 08, 2012 @12:49AM (#3678736)
Infosec jobs that pay $1.2MM a year? The only people making close to that are the blackhats - and not many of them.