Security expert snubs RSA over $10M ‘backdoor’ deal with US agency

[Phage]

http://gigaom.com/2013/12/24/security-expert-snubs-rsa-over-10m-backdoor-deal-with-us-agency/

Mikko Hypponen, a respected Finnish researcher who is a regular guest at computer security conferences, says he will not appear at RSA’s February conference because the firm took money from America’s National Security Agency to weaken its cryptographic standards.

[hppd]

Holy shit!

Why did he come to that conlusion, aka where did he find the proof?

[lucid]

Mad props for that guy. Too bad more people don't care. What he should have done, instead of not going, is to go and give his speech. Then, somewhere appropriately fitting in his speech, start talking about said NSA backdoor into the very company's product. That would have made a bigger scene.

[Phage]

That would actually have been cool and quite funny too. But I find it quite scary for the "small" price of $10M companies are willing to let government agencies spy on their customers. I wonder if some kind of blackmailing have been involved from NSA's side?

[Zesh]

In his letter, Hypponen stated that it was ironic that the talk he was scheduled to give at the RSA conference was on government use of malware.

He should have gone and wrecked shit! But still props to him.