Black Hat, Cyber Security, and Software Liability

In addition to routine activities such as briefings, vendor showcases, and book signings, big conferences like Black Hat usually bring to light a "new" keyword which reveals a strong recent trend or/and defines the industry direction for upcoming years. I said "new" in quotes because usually it is not really new but something known to a narrow circle of experts for many years and lies in hiding without much attention until its time comes. This year, such a keyword is software liability. At first glance, you may not see any direct link to cyber security. In reality, however, it's possible that our (virtual) life would be significantly different if we had software liability in place from the beginning of computer and especially Internet era. Imagine a world where you could sue Microsoft for data files deleted by malware from your PC, or get paid by Apple for pictures stolen from your iPhone. Businesses could invest their money in more reliable operating systems and applications instead of various extra security tools. I don't know how big the chances are that software liability will ever become a reality, but at least now we are allowed to dream about it.

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