That's just evolution of terms over time. Those that published original work in INFOSEC called leaks through shared resources covert channels. Kemmerer and Wray

That's just evolution of terms over time. Those that published original work in INFOSEC called leaks through shared resources covert channels. Kemmerer and Wray devised methods for identifying storage and timing channels respectively. Since it fit the definition, those that discovered cache-based, timing channels called them covert, timing channels. Since it fit and it was their discovery, I call them what they called them. Only fair to let inventor decide esp if using same term as prior versions of a concept. Later, people re-discovering these things wanted a new term for the passive ones. They're still covert channels if we use already-established definitions since they're unintentional leakage through shared resources between a secret container and an observer. At least, that's what some and I argued with some others disagreeing. The other side won with the majority of the field started using side channels. So, it wins out just because it's popular. It's kind of how "programmer is in control" is called the "C philosophy" even though Thompson got it from BCPL. C and UNIX momentum are what people remember until I tell them about Richards actually inventing the key concepts. No slander, misrepresentation, or anything there. Just people missing or trying to change definitions in a field. That's an annoying, normal part of human language. It would be different if they said prior researchers didn't find leaks in caches, didn't improve security with their certification standards, and other provably-false claims. Those would be ignorance or slander. See the difference?