On July 22, 2019, Cisco agreed to pay $8.6 million to resolve allegations that it sold government purchasers vulnerable video-surveillance software. The case was brought under the federal False Claims Act by the U.S. government, the District of Columbia and 15 states. It ended in a settlement—not a court finding that Cisco committed fraud or that anyone accessed customers’ video.
What the Cisco whistleblower case alleged
The complaint claimed Cisco defrauded federal, state and local government purchasers by selling Video Surveillance Manager, described in the suit as “mission-critical” software, despite serious security vulnerabilities. The False Claims Act allows private individuals, known as relators, to bring claims on the government’s behalf in certain cases.
According to the Associated Press (AP), James Glenn discovered the flaws in 2008 while working for Cisco reseller NetDesign in Denmark and alerted Cisco. AP reported that the exploit he identified could have enabled an attacker to gain full administrative access to the video-management software and potentially connected systems relevant to physical security. That description came from Glenn’s attorneys, not from a court finding or reported independent test.
Michael Ronickher, an attorney representing Glenn, characterized the alleged exploit to AP this way: “You could penetrate the entire system. And you could do that without any trace. And have complete backdoor access to the system whenever you wanted.”
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How the case unfolded
- 2008: Glenn discovered the vulnerabilities and alerted Cisco, according to AP.
- March 2009: NetDesign fired Glenn, citing cost reduction, according to the lawsuit as described by AP.
- 2011: AP reported that the federal investigation began that year, attributing the timing to Glenn’s lawyers. It also said Glenn’s sister notified the FBI and that a lawsuit was filed two years after his termination.
- 2013: Cisco issued a security alert acknowledging multiple vulnerabilities, AP reported.
- July 22, 2019: The federal government, the District of Columbia and 15 states settled with Cisco for $8.6 million, AP reported.
- July 31, 2019: Glenn’s counsel, Constantine Cannon, posted an announcement describing the agreement as resolving False Claims Act allegations.
Settlement amount and Glenn’s reported share
AP reported the total settlement as $8.6 million; Glenn’s counsel’s contemporaneous announcement also gave that total. AP further reported that Glenn’s lawyers said he would receive 20% of the settlement. That percentage is counsel’s reported figure, not an independently confirmed payment record.
| Figure | What it refers to | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| $8.6 million | Settlement paid by Cisco to resolve the claims brought by the government plaintiffs | Reported by AP and corroborated by Constantine Cannon’s 2019 announcement |
| 20% | Share Glenn’s lawyers said he would receive from the settlement | Reported by AP as counsel’s statement; a separate payment record was not established |
What Cisco said—and what the settlement does not establish
Cisco told AP it was “pleased to have resolved” the dispute. It said “there was no allegation or evidence that any unauthorized access to customers’ video occurred” as a result of the product’s architecture, while acknowledging the feeds could “theoretically have been subject to hacking.”
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The distinction matters: the case concerned alleged security weaknesses and alleged sales to government purchasers, while Cisco’s statement addressed whether unauthorized access to video had occurred. The settlement resolved the claims without establishing an adjudicated finding of fraud or actual compromise of customer footage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who reportedly used the software
AP listed the Pentagon, Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, FEMA, police stations, prisons, schools, Amtrak and commercial airports among reported users. It named Los Angeles International Airport and Chicago’s Midway Airport; Glenn’s lawyer identified Auckland Airport as an international location. These are reported deployment details, not an independently audited inventory.
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Sources
- Associated Press report syndicated by SecurityWeek
- Constantine Cannon’s settlement announcement (counsel for Glenn)
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