An online group claiming to have the source code for two
popular computer programs for sale has opened its doors for
business again.
An e-mail message which claims to come from "larry hobbles" and
the Source Code Club was sent to the Full-Disclosure security
discussion list.
The message said that the group has moved operations to Usenet,
the network of online bulletin boards that makes up part of the
internet, where interested customers can buy the source code for
the Dragon intrusion detection system (IDS) software from Enterasys
Networks and P2P server and client software from Napster, now owned
by Roxio.
The club made headlines last week after posting messages to
online discussion groups that advertised a website selling the
source code and design documents for Dragon and Napster. The
group's web page displayed a message saying the club had ceased
operations due to "fears our customers faced".
A subsequent "newsletter" from the club dated 17 July and posted
to the Usenet group called Usenet the "official home" of the Source
Code Club and said the informal network was "better suited" to the
club and would give potential customers two ways to contact club
members: through a club e-mail address and through messages posted
in the Usenet group.
The newsletter claims that the Source Code Club soon hopes to go
underground and stop offering code for sale in public, but is
offering the Dragon and Napster code "to authenticate our
skills".
The Enterasys code would allow purchasers to understand the
"secrets behind Dragon", whereas the Napster code could give "any
company interested in breaking into the online music industry" a
jump-start, the newsletter said.
The club also expressed regret for the "public fiasco that
ensues when you publicly offer source code", an apparent reference
to media attention to the group's unveiling.
The club also posted instructions for potential customers to
purchase the stolen code.
Customers are encouraged to contact the group using e-mail and
PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption to disguise their
requests.
Source code for the Dragon software was priced at $16,000
(£8,600) and Napster for $10,000, with payments made through one of
a number of online payment services. Those wary of sending money to
the club have the option of buying the source code in $500
increments to build confidence.
Enterasys is working with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation
and reviewing the club's claims. The company claims that its
product code was lifted off stolen media, such as a compact disc or
computer hard drive, rather than stolen directly from its computer
network, according to Kevin Flanagan, an Enterasys spokesman.
A Napster spokeswoman said last week that while Roxio owns the
rights to the original Napster code being sold by the club, the
current Napster online service does not use any code from the
original, free music swapping service and is not affected by the
alleged theft.
Paul Roberts writes for IDG News Service