# More NSA fun **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [December 20, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304 "2013-12-20T15:55:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LZ1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/1 "2013-12-20T15:55:59Z")
> **[Exclusive: Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-security-rsa/exclusive-secret-contract-tied-nsa-and-security-industry-pioneer-idUSBRE9BJ1C220131220)** > > As a key part of a campaign to embed encryption software that it could crack into widely used computer products, the U.S. National Security Agency arranged a secret $10 million contract with RSA, one of the most influential firms in the computer... Another Snowden leak :lol: Basically the NSA paid RSA 10 million to use a type of cryptography that was insecure and they could break đź‘Ź More info from an article in 2007 [https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/11/the\_strange\_sto.html](https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/11/the_strange_sto.html) ---
**Author:** ![TradersBASE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tradersbase/32/5321_2.png) [@TradersBASE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TradersBASE)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/2 "2013-12-20T21:02:31Z")
Pretty damn wild, though not surprising. I can only imagine what has not been uncovered at this point. ---
**Author:** ![BOBBYGRV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BOBBYGRV](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BOBBYGRV)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 11:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/3 "2013-12-30T11:36:44Z")
Some more fun: Here’s how they hack your iPhone: > **[Zerohedge](https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-30/how-nsa-hacks-your-iphone-presenting-dropout-jeep)** > > ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero > “DROPOUT JEEP is a software implant for the Apple iPhone that utilizes modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality. This functionality includes the ability to remotely push/pull files from the device. SMS retrieval, contact list retrieval, voicemail, geolocation, hot mic, camera capture, cell tower location, etc. Command, control and data exfiltration can occur over SMS messaging or a GPRS data connection. All communications with the implant will be covert and encrypted.” ---
**Author:** ![LXIFLYBY](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/lxiflyby/32/7399_2.png) [@LXIFLYBY](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LXIFLYBY)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/4 "2013-12-30T18:19:16Z")
This thread title reminds me of a bad Craigslist personal ad lol ---
**Author:** ![Geehee](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/geehee/32/7238_2.png) [@Geehee](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Geehee)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/5 "2013-12-31T05:28:45Z")
I guess I shouldnt be, but I’m surprised by RSA. Being an industry standard security firm and putting your rep on the line like that? ---
**Author:** ![TradersBASE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tradersbase/32/5321_2.png) [@TradersBASE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TradersBASE)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/6 "2013-12-31T06:01:33Z")
> [@Geehee](#): > > I guess I shouldnt be, but I’m surprised by RSA. Being an industry standard security firm and putting your rep on the line like that? I can see it but for $10 million? Is that all national security is worth today, in the age of TRILLIONS? ---
**Author:** ![LZ1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/7 "2013-12-31T06:07:01Z")
Well this was years ago I’m sure as a large corp its hard hide some insane amount of money 10 million isn’t that much… Also the way in which this happened it was easy to place blame and act innocent. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/8 "2013-12-31T06:23:32Z")
RSA may very well have not known that the crypto was flawed. However, they probably should have looked into it. If NSA pays you 10 million to use something they made and make it the default choice for your customers, then you should realize that something’s fishy. That crypto algorithm was the default in the program, but individual administrators are/were free to choose whatever crypto they wanted. It being default, though, probably leads to the majority of RSA’s customers using it. ---
**Author:** ![LZ1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/9 "2013-12-31T07:46:09Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#): > > RSA may very well have not known that the crypto was flawed. However, they probably should have looked into it. If NSA pays you 10 million to use something they made and make it the default choice for your customers, then you should realize that something’s fishy. > > That crypto algorithm was the default in the program, but individual administrators are/were free to choose whatever crypto they wanted. It being default, though, probably leads to the majority of RSA’s customers using it. It’s been making me consider taking additional math classes when I go back to college ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 8:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/more-nsa-fun/234304/10 "2013-12-31T08:06:40Z")
crypto is fascinating topic… I have a hard time following it though, since it’s a very dry topic. With this NSA stuff going around, and with encryption being used more and more to protect data, it’s becoming an increasingly useful knowledge area.