SSL under patent dispute

The March 3 Security Wire Digest and Reuters are reporting that:

"Leon Stambler, who has won financial settlements from companies such as
National Cash Register, First Data and Openwave Systems, seeks up to $20
million in the federal suit, being heard in Delaware. "

"Certicom and Openwave each paid $400,000 plus ongoing royalty fees for their licenses and First Data paid $4 million, he testified. "

He is suing RSA Security and Verisign now, trying to extract money. Ugh.

The companies are arguing that his invention (patented in 1992) is distinct from SSL. SSL was developed in 1994 and patented in 1997, according to the Reuters article.

The Reuters story is here