A coalition of Canada’s leading security research businesses today called on Industry Minister David Emerson and Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla to safeguard the interests of Canada’s security community in respect of anticipated legislation to amend the Copyright Act. The government is considering amending the Act to make it illegal to circumvent “technological protection measuresâ€, or TPMs, used by rights holders to regulate access to and use of works protected by copyright. This is of great concern to companies in the technology security sector.
“We are in the circumvention business,†states Brian O’Higgins, Chief Technology Officer of Third Brigade, Inc., and spokesperson for the coalition. “To understand and address security threats, researchers must understand security weaknesses. These proposals throw a shroud of legal risk over our businesses, and place crucial security research at risk.â€