We are a research group whose members devote their careers to improving the Linux kernel. We have been working on finding and patching vulnerabilities in Linux

We are a research group whose members devote their careers to improving the Linux kernel. We have been working on finding and patching vulnerabilities in Linux for the past five years. The past observations with the patching process had motivated us to also study and address issues with the patching process itself. Can someone please explain why someone who is working with others on a common goal for years suddenly conducts a breaching experiment? What were they thinking? (Also, there must be experience within Linux about malicious commits, three-letter agencies from all over the world must have tried before. Why not try archeology?)