The FSF raises the stakes for Cisco

The FSF raises the stakes for Cisco

It's worth pointing out that this is a pro-business move.

There are other big businesses (competitors of Cisco) that are distributing free software and complying with their obligations and giving freedom to users. It is essential that the licences be enforced so that compliant businesses don't feel that doing so is a waste of time.

From my knowledge of corporate approval processes, paranoia is more common than ignorance, so I'd be very surprised if Cisco didn't know what software was in the products they ship. Trying to claim honest (serial) negligence would seem a stretch.