HID Global did not threaten IOActive or Chris Paget, its Director of Research and Development, to stop its presentation at the Black Hat event being held in Washington, DC on Wednesday, February 28, 2007. As with any company’s legal rights under patent laws, HID Global reminded IOActive about the intellectual property protection provided by these patents. HID Global has the right and responsibility to discourage the publication of any information regarding the improper use of HID’s intellectual property, including violations of HID’s intellectual property or inducing others to violate HID’s intellectual property. Under no circumstance has HID asked IOActive or Mr. Paget to cancel their presentation. In fact, we were surprised by their decision to cancel the presentation and to attribute the cancellation to a threat from HID. This was not, and never was, HID’s position.
This is some serious weasel speak. IOActive has leaked HID's C&D: We urge you to refrain from publishing any further information regarding the improper use of HID's intellectual property and hereby demand that you refrain from publishing any information at any public forum, including the upcoming Black Hat convention, that violates HID's intellectual property or induces others to do so.
You didn't remind, you demanded, and this vauge talk of inducement is highly suspect given that experiemental use exemption may apply to other experimenters. Technical presentations cannot violate patents. |