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GitHub has not removed malicious imitation software after 3 weeks

279 points · 119 comments · hermitcrab

  1. someonebaggy · · focus · HN ↗
    If it's your software send a DMCA. They have a legally required timeframe to process those. If it's open source, however, then you don't have any valid DMCA claim.
    1. 93po · · focus · HN ↗
      Code can be open source while the name and logos are copyrighted and still enforceable via DMCA
      1. [deleted] · · focus · HN ↗

        [deleted]

      2. someonebaggy · · focus · HN ↗
        Which project copyrighted its name and logo?
        1. kelnos · · focus · HN ↗
          Logo? Every single one. All creative works automatically get copyright by default.

          Now, projects might choose to license their logo permissively, but that's an active choice.

      3. rpdillon · · focus · HN ↗
        You're thinking of trademarks. Different body of law.

        EDIT: e.g. <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.mozilla.org&#x2F;en-US&#x2F;foundation&#x2F;trademarks&#x2F;policy&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.mozilla.org&#x2F;en-US&#x2F;foundation&#x2F;trademarks&#x2F;policy&#x2F;

        1. 93po · · focus · HN ↗
          Logos can be part of both. A sufficiently unique logo (e.g. not just the name in Times New Roman) is absolutely copyrighted and an image of it cannot be distributed&#x2F;reproduced without authorization unless fair use, which the malware project is not.

          You&#x27;re correct I was overly broad about the actual name use being DMCA-able though.

      4. nomel · · focus · HN ↗
        You can have copyright open source code, which is what allows open source licenses to enforce their terms. Open source doesn&#x27;t mean &quot;free to do whatever you want&quot;. There are very restrictive open source licenses, and you can deviate from the common open source licenses.

        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Software_copyright" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Software_copyright

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