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Twitter Buys Moxie Marlinspike's Crypto Startup
Sparrowvsrevolution writes "Twitter has confirmed that it's acquiring Whisper Systems, the mobile encryption startup founded by hacker and security researcher Moxie Marlinspike. Marlinspike has built some of the most noteworthy tools in applied cryptography over the last few years, including the encrypted calling app Redphone, the hardened Android OS WhisperCore, and Convergence, a system for fixing the broken SSL certificate authority system. Twitter won't yet say how it plans to integrate Marlinspike or his products."
A social networking company buying a company that makes security & anonymization software, what could possibly go wrong?
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I know where their works come, his name (Awesome and cryptic)
Mother used to said If you want you find a way But mother never danced through fire shower
Twitter has confirmed it, but has Netcraft? Until Netcraft confirms it I won't believe it!
Twitter is not a social network but a messaging system with an outstanding record in defending it's customers' private data.
Yep, it's not moral, he sold out, but who can blame him? While being a security researcher is fun, doing it on a sailboat in your "free" time is funner to just about anyone. What I'm curious is which of projects is twitter after? None of them seem to really fit into what it's currently doing. I don't c a twitter android os in the future, nor do I see them doing telemarketing, so...? :)
So he'll be forced to use something less grating?
On moral grounds? lolwut? Fucking ungrateful freetards...
I really don't agree with him selling his software to such a large corporation, on moral grounds. Will the software stay free and open?
I realize you probably aren't trying to be hypocritical (and aren't strictly speaking), you probably just didn't realize how hypocritical this sounds. Of course you are free to "disagree" with him selling his software... but it's his, and as his, he is free to do with it as he likes. That is fundamentally a part of freedom. And, ultimately, the goal of most human productivity is to profit by it (or at least one of the goals: it doesn't have to be the only or even the main one).
Also, it is most probable that Twitter realized their security is crap and wants tools, and / or people, who can improve that. Whisper Systems provides both. The moderately recent high-profile Twitter hacks have brought this problem to light, I cannot find fault with Twitter in trying to fix that problem. In fact, I laud them for doing so, if that is why they bought his company (and that seems extremely likely).
"None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
Interestingly, all his projects seem to have disappeared from the web. Redphone is nowhere to be found on the android market, and Whispercore has a little note on his website saying, "temporarily unavailable."
Possibly Twitter is buying into all the hype about how they're basically responsible for revolution and social change in the Middle East and is doing this to become further entrenched as the tool of choice for political dissidents? I'm pretty sure that's the type of business model that lands your products on trade restriction lists prettt quickly, but I can't see what else they want this for.
What are they the Borg? "Twitter won't yet say how it plans to integrate Marlinspike"
seconded
Also, it is most probable that Twitter realized their security is crap and wants tools, and / or people, who can improve that. Whisper Systems provides both. The moderately recent high-profile Twitter hacks have brought this problem to light, I cannot find fault with Twitter in trying to fix that problem. In fact, I laud them for doing so, if that is why they bought his company (and that seems extremely likely).
I can find no fault with the sentiment (find a fix for our security problems) but I might find fault with their methods....
FWIW, I find your line of reasoning quite insightful. I'm picturing the management pow-wow (called after the umpteenth "high profile" account was hacked) ending with the directive "fix it now" and someone suggesting that "That hippie dude, Moxie Something-or-other is really good with security...", and the corporate wallet was whipped out with nary a further thought.
On the other hand..., the thought of a seriously promising fix to SSL's shortcomings now residing in those particular hands to be more than a little troubling.
"how it plans to integrate Marlinspike or his products."
How many times can you say "resistance is futile" in a tweet?
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Well besides the talents of Mr. Marlinspike and associates which will no doubt be useful, there is the trademark "Whisper" that Twitter is gaining.
So in addition to Tweeting you will be able to Whisper.
Please, explain how this is a moral issue, or how his actions are amoral. I'm genuinely curious to understand where you're coming from with that.
I vote based on politicians' actions, unless contrary to my preconceptions. Often wrong, never uncertain. #iamthe99%
Did that guy come from a blaxploitation movie?
of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical;
It is my belief his research and tools would have faired better without twitter intervention, Moxie's is a private security firm, twitter is a corporation. Moxie will have little say in the long term as to the direction of his projects, thereby he chose to sell out, which most people would consider amoral.
This is equivalent to me making a website / forum kind of thing, supporting it, building the community and then selling it to google w/o care for my supporters, or users.
Just my opinion, but you genuinely asked :)
Why twitters got a good history with privacy, and they'd likely benefit from any fix to SSL, and the propagation of that fix.
I think they'll be fine.
This is equivalent to me making a website / forum kind of thing, supporting it, building the community and then selling it to VA Linux w/o care for my supporters, or users.
Fixed it for you...
Well, convergence isn't actually under the whisper systems banner, so it's probably staying with Moxie.