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Andreesen and I have the same perspective that Snowden's leak was definitely not a "revelation." We both already assumed the NSA was spying because it's a spy o

Andreesen and I have the same perspective that Snowden's leak was definitely not a "revelation." We both already assumed the NSA was spying because it's a spy organization. So, without any benefit, the only affect of Snowden's leaks are harmful to the US. I took a venture capital class at Berkeley where I got to meet government groups from Russia, China, Poland (and a few others that escape me right now). They all shared a common goal of learning how Silicon Valley works so they can setup their own technology hubs in their home countries. Right now, Silicon Valley is a magnet for the best and the brightest in the world. Why wouldn't you be concerned that we're loosing that edge for no benefit?

rsync 12y ago
No, there was a clear benefit from some of the revelations that were not commonly assumed pre-snowden. You're telling me that, pre-snowden, you assumed that governments were inserting moles into open-standards processes and working to weaken ciphers ? Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that they were intercepting cisco shipments to alter network gear ? Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that on-chip crypto functions from Intel and VIA were intentionally flawed ?[1] I mean, I think we all thought in terms of traffic intercept and the worst-case scenario of a "global observer" ... but I know I for one was very complacent about how protected my SSL and SSH traffic was. [1] http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/we-cannot-trust-intel-and-vias-chip-based-crypto-freebsd-developers-say/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/we-cannot-trust-inte...
- spinlock 12y ago
  >You're telling me that, pre-snowden, you assumed that governments were inserting moles into open-standards processes and working to weaken ciphers ? Yes. The first conversation I had about this was in the 90s >Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that they were intercepting cisco shipments to alter network gear ? Yes. I know the TSA goes through my luggage when I fly, why wouldn't the NSA go through my mail? Intercepting physical communications/packages has literally been going on for thousands of years. >Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that on-chip crypto functions from Intel and VIA were intentionally flawed ? Hadn't thought of that but it's really not a revelation. We do know that when companies are contacted by the NSA, they are barred from even acknowledging that they were contacted. Again, the first conversation I had about the NSA inserting back doors into consumer technology was in the 90s. This is a novel approach but the general modus operandi is expected. I think most people just don't appreciate what the NSA is. This is the organization that invented public key cryptography a decade before Ron Rivest and didn't publish the results. It wouldn't surprise me if they had made large advances in quantum cryptography that let them crack any cipher based on finite fields. I can imagine that all of this conventional spying is just a red herring to distract from much more insidious capabilities. I can imagine their capabilities extend beyond computer networks to the power grid... The point is that we funnel huge sums of money into an organization that hires the best and the brightest to spy on us. Why would you assume they aren't doing that well? But, at the end of the day, I just look at the Snowden "revelations" as another Bengahzi or Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. The political opposition will use it as a tool to further their interests but no one really cares. No domestic representative is going to cut funding to the NSA and no foreign government is going to act any differently when it comes to their security. They will get on the news and make a lot of noise as they use this as political cover to advance whatever ax they have to grind. But, I can't imagine them actually caring that the NSA spies on US citizens.
mikl 12y ago
If the blowback from your evil deeds is unpleasant, perhaps you should stop being evil instead of complaining about those who revealed them.
- spinlock 12y ago
  Why are you misrepresenting what Andreesen was saying? Are you not capable of addressing his assertion that the Snowden leaks are being used as political cover?

rsync 12y ago

No, there was a clear benefit from some of the revelations that were not commonly assumed pre-snowden. You're telling me that, pre-snowden, you assumed that governments were inserting moles into open-standards processes and working to weaken ciphers ? Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that they were intercepting cisco shipments to alter network gear ? Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that on-chip crypto functions from Intel and VIA were intentionally flawed ?[1] I mean, I think we all thought in terms of traffic intercept and the worst-case scenario of a "global observer" ... but I know I for one was very complacent about how protected my SSL and SSH traffic was. [1] http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/we-cannot-trust-intel-and-vias-chip-based-crypto-freebsd-developers-say/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/we-cannot-trust-inte...

spinlock 12y ago
>You're telling me that, pre-snowden, you assumed that governments were inserting moles into open-standards processes and working to weaken ciphers ? Yes. The first conversation I had about this was in the 90s >Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that they were intercepting cisco shipments to alter network gear ? Yes. I know the TSA goes through my luggage when I fly, why wouldn't the NSA go through my mail? Intercepting physical communications/packages has literally been going on for thousands of years. >Or, pre-snowden, you assumed that on-chip crypto functions from Intel and VIA were intentionally flawed ? Hadn't thought of that but it's really not a revelation. We do know that when companies are contacted by the NSA, they are barred from even acknowledging that they were contacted. Again, the first conversation I had about the NSA inserting back doors into consumer technology was in the 90s. This is a novel approach but the general modus operandi is expected. I think most people just don't appreciate what the NSA is. This is the organization that invented public key cryptography a decade before Ron Rivest and didn't publish the results. It wouldn't surprise me if they had made large advances in quantum cryptography that let them crack any cipher based on finite fields. I can imagine that all of this conventional spying is just a red herring to distract from much more insidious capabilities. I can imagine their capabilities extend beyond computer networks to the power grid... The point is that we funnel huge sums of money into an organization that hires the best and the brightest to spy on us. Why would you assume they aren't doing that well? But, at the end of the day, I just look at the Snowden "revelations" as another Bengahzi or Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. The political opposition will use it as a tool to further their interests but no one really cares. No domestic representative is going to cut funding to the NSA and no foreign government is going to act any differently when it comes to their security. They will get on the news and make a lot of noise as they use this as political cover to advance whatever ax they have to grind. But, I can't imagine them actually caring that the NSA spies on US citizens.

mikl 12y ago

If the blowback from your evil deeds is unpleasant, perhaps you should stop being evil instead of complaining about those who revealed them.

spinlock 12y ago
Why are you misrepresenting what Andreesen was saying? Are you not capable of addressing his assertion that the Snowden leaks are being used as political cover?