Password app developer overlooks security hole to preserve ads
KeePass wants to improve security, but money wins in the short term.
Think it's bad when companies take their time fixing security vulnerabilities? Imagine what happens when they avoid fixing those holes in the name of a little cash. KeePass 2 developer Dominik Reichl has declined to patch a flaw in the password manager's update check as the "indirect costs" of the upgrade (which would encrypt web traffic) are too high -- namely, it'd lose ad revenue. Yes, the implication is that profit is more important than protecting users.
The impact is potentially quite severe, too. An attacker could hijack the update process and deliver malware that would compromise your PC.
To his credit, Reichl notes that he'd like to move to encryption as soon as he believes it's possible. You can also verify that you're getting a signed download, if you're worried. However, it's still contradictory to develop a security-centric app and decide that security should take a back seat. Even if it's true that ad income would take a steep hit, the consequences of knowingly exposing people to attack (including alienating those who once trusted the password tool) are likely far more severe.
