“Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

Personally, I find epic massive Byzantine attacks far more interesting. For example, imagine if a gangster were so suave that he could walk into any ghetto and immediately become the local mob boss. These things are computationally possible. In fact, these attacks happen in nature. I find the Grey Goo Problem far more threatening. https://medium.com/@yanazendo/the-grey-goo-problem-bd495813c...

Re: “Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

#6

Post by agentxyz » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 8:23 PM UTC

michaelfeathers wrote: post #4

I've always regarded that paper as the 'Godel's Incompleteness Theorem' of Security. I'm not saying that the security field had a 'Hilbert's Program' before then, but it certainly couldn't have one afterward.

Or how about Gödel’s Lost Theorem? https://medium.com/@yanazendo/godels-lost-theorem-ce8ee4af20...

Re: “Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

#7

Post by cwzwarich » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 8:36 PM UTC

agentxyz wrote: post #6

michaelfeathers wrote: post #4

I've always regarded that paper as the 'Godel's Incompleteness Theorem' of Security. I'm not saying that the security field had a 'Hilbert's Program' before then, but it certainly couldn't have one afterward.

Or how about Gödel’s Lost Theorem? https://medium.com/@yanazendo/godels-lost-theorem-ce8ee4af20...

That link doesn't actually state a theorem. What is it?

Re: “Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

#8

Post by slfnflctd » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 8:49 PM UTC

Great read, it really does come down to ethical vs. unethical behavior at the end of it all. Someone smart doing something destructive is still behaving badly, and giving them undeserved respect (beyond their technical ability) simply for destroying things 'more intelligently' is foolish.

Regardless, I'm left feeling yet again that I can't fully trust anything. Good thing I don't need to these days; I fear for those who do.

Re: “Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

#9

Post by RankingMember » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 8:51 PM UTC

Interesting read. Aside: As a compulsive text-highlighter, this site drove me nuts.

Re: “Reflections on Trusting Trust” annotated

#10

Post by burkaman » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 8:57 PM UTC

pvg wrote: post #3

previously and previously and previously. https://hn.algolia.com/?query=The%20Ken%20Thompson%20Hack&so... https://hn.algolia.com/?query=reflections%20on%20trusting%20...

This is an annotated version of the paper, it's reasonably distinct from posting the paper on its own.

Also, it looks like it's been close to a year since a post of the paper was seen by anyone. There's nothing wrong with a repost after that long.