Editing TrueCrypt (section)

=== E4M and SecurStar dispute ===
Original release of TrueCrypt was made by anonymous developers called "the TrueCrypt Team".<ref>{{cite web | title =Version Information | work =TrueCrypt User's Guide, version 1.0 | publisher =TrueCrypt Team | date =2 February 2004 | url =http://www.truecrypt.org/usersguide | access-date = 28 May 2014 }}{{dead link|date=July 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [http://alt.security.scramdisk.narkive.com/0PPFbtws/copy-of-truecrypt-user-manual Alt URL]</ref> Shortly after version 1.0 was released in 2004, the TrueCrypt Team reported receiving email from Wilfried Hafner, manager of SecurStar, a computer security company.<ref name=emails/> According to the TrueCrypt Team, Hafner claimed in the email that the acknowledged author of E4M, developer [[Paul Le Roux]], had stolen the [[source code]] from SecurStar as an employee.<ref name=emails/> It was further stated that Le Roux illegally distributed E4M, and authored an illegal license permitting anyone to base derivative work on the code and distribute it freely. Hafner alleges all versions of E4M always belonged only to SecurStar, and Le Roux did not have any right to release it under such a license.<ref name=emails/><ref  name=truecrypt-isis >{{cite magazine | url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-strange-origins-of-truecrypt-isiss-favored-encryption-tool | title=The Strange Origins of TrueCrypt, ISIS's Favored Encryption Tool | magazine=The New Yorker | date=30 March 2016 | last1=Ratliff | first1=Evan }}</ref>

This led the TrueCrypt Team to immediately stop developing and distributing TrueCrypt, which they announced online through [[usenet]].<ref name=emails>{{cite newsgroup | title =P. Le Roux (author of E4M) accused by W.Hafner (SecurStar) | author =TrueCrypt Team | date =3 February 2004 | newsgroup =alt.security.scramdisk |message-id=a7b8b26d77f67aa7c5cc3f55b84c3975@news.teranews.com | url =https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.security.scramdisk/HYa8Wb_4acs | access-date = 28 May 2014}}</ref> TrueCrypt Team member David Tesařík stated that Le Roux informed the team that there was a legal dispute between himself and SecurStar, and that he received legal advisement not to comment on any issues of the case. Tesařík concluded that should the TrueCrypt Team continue distributing TrueCrypt, Le Roux may ultimately be held liable and be forced to pay consequent damages to SecurStar. To continue in good faith, he said, the team would need to verify the validity of the E4M license. However, because of Le Roux's need to remain silent on the matter, he was unable to confirm or deny its legitimacy, keeping TrueCrypt development in limbo.<ref name=emails/><ref name=summary>{{cite newsgroup | title =Summary of current TrueCrypt situation...? | author =David T. | date =7 February 2004 | newsgroup =alt.security.scramdisk |message-id=30e9930aece70b0f63435ecd85a67736@news.teranews.com | url =https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.security.scramdisk/I4F5-_MmBGg/U6kATrKKMLoJ | access-date = 28 May 2014}}</ref>

Thereafter, would-be visitors reported trouble accessing the TrueCrypt website, and third-party mirrors appeared online making the source code and installer continually available, outside of official sanction by the TrueCrypt Team.<ref>{{cite newsgroup | title =Truecrypt for David T. from Truecrypt-Team | author =Carsten Krueger | date =7 February 2004 | newsgroup =alt.security.scramdisk |message-id=76va20di0jami8nspk743kuddgj6etabhh@4ax.com | url =https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.security.scramdisk/rptNbr00X_k | access-date = 28 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite newsgroup | title =Unofficial TrueCrypt Site | author =Andraia Matrix | date =6 February 2004 | newsgroup =alt.security.scramdisk |message-id=76va20di0jami8nspk743kuddgj6etabhh@4ax.com | url =https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.security.scramdisk/UvYU3tXboDE/2CYWE9TQvDsJ | access-date = 28 May 2014}}</ref>

In the FAQ section of its website, SecurStar maintains its claims of ownership over both E4M and [[Scramdisk]], another free encryption program. The company states that with those products, SecurStar "had a long tradition of open source<!-- AutoEd: rm unicode ctrl char w/no win-1252 mapping, intent unknown --> software", but that "competitors had nothing better to do but to steal<!-- AutoEd: rm unicode ctrl char w/no win-1252 mapping, intent unknown --> our source code", causing the company to make its products [[Proprietary software|closed-source]], forcing potential customers to place a substantial order and sign a [[non-disclosure agreement]] before being allowed to review the code for security.<ref>{{cite web |title=Is the source code of your software available? |work=Drivecrypt FAQ |publisher=SecurStar |url=http://www.securstar.com/faq_drivecrypt.php |access-date=28 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605052751/http://www.securstar.com/faq_drivecrypt.php |archive-date=5 June 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref>

Le Roux himself has denied developing TrueCrypt in a court hearing in March 2016, in which he also confirmed he had written E4M.<ref name=ref19>{{cite web |url=https://mastermind.atavist.com/the-next-big-deal |title=The Next Big Deal |last=Ratliff |first=Evan |date=29 April 2016 |access-date=1 May 2016 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429124424/https://mastermind.atavist.com/the-next-big-deal |url-status=dead }}</ref>