[1]Why I Think the NSA is Releasing a Free Reverse Engineering Tool

[1]Why I Think the NSA is Releasing a Free Reverse Engineering Tool
This Year at RSA:

The NSA is [2]releasing a free reverse engineering tool this year at
the RSA security conference in San Francisco.

A lot of people are asking about the motive of the NSA releasing a
free reverse engineering tool at RSA this year.

Theories include: it's a backdoor, it's a tracking mechanism, etc.

My opinion? Recruiting.

It's a PR move to attract talent post-Snowden/ShadowBrokers.

- ᴅᴀɴɪᴇʟ ᴍɪᴇssʟᴇʀ (@DanielMiessler)

[3]January 9, 2019

Many in the security community-who have an understandable and
healthy distrust of the NSA-are wondering if there could be a
backdoor in the software, if they're using it to spy on people, etc.
The various theories are interesting reading.

And reducing the loss of talent they already have.

I think the answer is much simpler-they're using the release of the
tool to inject some goodwill into the community in hopes of
attracting new talent.

In short, it's all about recruiting.

Between Snowden, the ShadowBrokers leaks, and the damage caused by
EternalBlue and NotPetya, I'm guessing morale is at a dangerously
low level and they need to do something to raise interest and
motivation for working there.

(Via [4]Daniel Miessler)

An interesting theory, to be sure. It does assume one key aspect that
may, in fact, be lacking: that someone with the wherewithal, knowledge,
and authority released this tool at this time.

I wonder if it was slated to be released some time ago and the timer
for release expired. No one was "at the switch", as it were. The intent
may well be as Daniel and Leslie think initially, but the person(s) who
put it into place is perhaps long gone from the administration or else
taking advantage of chaos - placing a maybe valuable tool to security
professionals because the government can't be trusted to do it
themselves either through malfeasance or through incompetence.

Or it could be something else entirely. We're all just guessing.
__________________________________________________________________

My original entry is here: [5]Why I Think the NSA is Releasing a Free
Reverse Engineering Tool This Year at RSA. It posted Mon, 14 Jan 2019
14:21:08 +0000.
Filed under: business,

References

1. https://danielmiessler.com/blog/why-i-think-the-nsa-is-releasing-a-free-reverse-engineering-tool-this-year-at-rsa/
2. https://www.rsaconference.com/events/us19/agenda/sessions/16608-Come-Get-Your-Free-NSA-Reverse-Engineering-Tool
3. https://twitter.com/DanielMiessler/status/1083024213978632194?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
4. https://danielmiessler.com/
5. https://www.prjorgensen.com/?p=2556