[funsec] E-mail gaffe leads to billion-dollar news leak

[Les Bell]

Drsolly <drsollyp at drsolly.com> wrote:

>>
If you tell me what I may and may not do, and I haven't agreed to it, then
you're blowing bytes.
<<

Your point about being unable to unilaterally create a contract is spot on,
but:

>>
If you and I agree on an agreement, then it's a contract, and it's
binding.
<<

Not quite; there has to be one more thing to form a contract under common
law: an exchange of considerations. If you offer to pay me (or provide some
service or other item of value) not to reveal the contents of an email,
then we can form a contract. In absence of consideration, no contract
exists. Despite some subtleties between US and English law, this basically
applies in both and many other jurisdictions.

Best,

--- Les Bell, RHCE, CISSP
[http://www.lesbell.com.au]
Tel: +61 2 9451 1144
FreeWorldDialup: 800909