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DARPA Cyber Chief "Mudge" Zatko Going To Google

Posted by samzenpus on from the moving-to-better-quarters-on-campus dept.

chicksdaddy writes "Noted hacker and innovator Peiter 'Mudge' Zatko, a project manager for cyber security research at DARPA for the past three years- will be setting up shop in the Googleplex, according to a post on his Twitter feed on Friday. Zatko, who earned fame as a founding member of the early 1990s Boston-area hacker confab The L0pht and later as a division scientist at government contractor BBN Technologies, announced his departure from DARPA following a three-year stint as a Program Manager in DARPA's Information Innovation Office on Friday. 'Given what we all pulled off within the USG, let's see if it can be done even better from outside. Goodbye DARPA, hello Google!' he Tweeted."

30 comments

  1. In other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Esteemed system builder and think tank Paul "Nancyboy" Thompson, senior division manager in the National Science Foundation and avid bird watcher - will be joining Yammity inc, according to his daughter Patty who may have spilled the beans by liking a private Facebook post. Thompson, whose claim to fame is none less than the well-read blog "Snipes of a famous nobody" announced his departure from NSF following a three-year stint as a Program Manager in NSF's. "Goodbye NSF Helo Yammity" the Facebook post said.

    1. Re:In other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Isn't DARPA the same as Google now? Google is meant to be privatized NSA, I thought.

    2. Re:In other news by invictusvoid · · Score: 0

      hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahaha :) in other words... lmao :P

  2. eh? by fazey · · Score: 5, Informative

    "The L0pht"? Wasn't it L0pht heavy industries?

    1. Re:eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You expect someone named 'chicksdaddy' to be old school?

    2. Re:eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The L0pht"? Wasn't it L0pht heavy industries?

      Yes, sincere apologies.

      After all, we wouldn't want to confuse it with the other 192 listings under "L0pht"...

    3. Re:eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It still is - visit l0pht.com. They the 'l0pht' even oddly have a facebook and wikipedia these days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L0pht

      As news worth as everyone is pointing out it's very interesting that his 'leaving' is out there non the less.

      I'm sure they all made a lot of money during the dotcom boom with @stake and all the various other bits... good on him.

    4. Re:eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is a story behind that.

      It was called "The l0pht" in most circles even thought it was technically "L0pht: Heavy Industries"

  3. Was he looking to leave before the sequestor? by jsimon12 · · Score: 0

    Or is this just more goverment brain drain because of the sequestor?

    1. Re:Was he looking to leave before the sequestor? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Or is this just more goverment brain drain because of the sequestor?

      I doubt a person in his position needs to worry about salary. He has made his mint.

      The 8% cut in budgets might cause DARPA to order slightly fewer new Macbook Airs this year.

      People keep throwing THE SEQUESTOR around like it's reducing budgets to 8%...

    2. Re:Was he looking to leave before the sequestor? by SirGarlon · · Score: 4, Informative

      No, it's totally normal for a PM to leave after three years. DARPA program managers usually only stay on the job for 2-4 years. The organization likes a high turnover to keep fresh ideas coming in.

      --
      [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
    3. Re:Was he looking to leave before the sequestor? by Andy+Dodd · · Score: 1

      Directly? Probably not.

      Indirectly? The whole sequestration mess makes the government (or any contractor of the government) a pretty unpleasant place to work now.

      Big problem is all of the obsession about money and productivity leads to massive oversight - which leads to piss-poor productivity. Death spiral, here we come.

      --
      retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
  4. Google Genode? by ka9dgx · · Score: 3, Informative

    Maybe he'll have Google join of the Genode project, and finally fix computer security for all of us.

    1. Re:Google Genode? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      Don't forget to make sure there are government back doors in stuff so they can keep an eye out for terrorists!

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    2. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Zatko is a real moron. He wasted taxpayer money on building snooping software and didn't get anywhere. Got the boot early from DARPA.

    3. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Notice the news of his departure does not say a word on what the fuck he actually accomplished at DARPA. He did give out sweet-heart contracts to his buddies. Anybody know what came out of $100+ million he wasted?

    4. Re:Google Genode? by symbolset · · Score: 2

      And Mudge knows where they are because he put them there. /s

      Seriously, good on ya Mudge to go where you can do the most good, and maybe feather your own nest too.

      /Probably means his negotiated deal with the DOJ is fulfilled and he's let off with "time served in the public interest." No record. Just the usual "we're watching you."

      --
      Help stamp out iliturcy.
    5. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Like the back door that leaks the encrypted root password bits by using it as a seed value for TCP sequence numbers? Out of all the random data in a computer, why did everyone start using the root password at the same time?

    6. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean apart from the last 3 paragraphs (out of a total of 6) in the actual article?

      Mainly though, he annoyed the big defense contractors by streamlining the process for smaller companies - which is always good.

    7. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Last three paragraphs only tell where he spent the money. NOTHING came out of it.
      Giving money to smaller companies is probably the only good part, but as someone mentioned, those "small companies" were his buddies.

    8. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe he'll have Google join of the Genode project, and finally fix computer security for all of us.

      I read that as 'Genocide Project' and my first thought was "If you are going to wipe people out, you should at least have better P.R. than that."

    9. Re:Google Genode? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's a ridiculous backdoor and I don't believe such a thing ever existed. What operating system would this be?

  5. His new office by fustakrakich · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It's two doors down the hall from the old one.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  6. Hmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The guy's way past his prime. I wonder if he'll start giving Google's money to his skillless friends now that DARPA doesn't want him.

  7. Is this news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why are we interested when someone moves departments?

  8. Google Genocide by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fixed that for you.

  9. Update: He'll work in Motorola Mobility ATAP Unit by chicksdaddy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Update courtesy of Google: Mudge will be working in Motorola Mobility's Advanced Technology & Projects (ATAP). From the web: "The group's mission is to deliver breakthrough innovations to the company's product line on seemingly impossible short timeframes. ATAP is skunkworks-inspired. Optimized for speed. Small, lean, resourced. With agility, freedom from bureaucratic constraints, and a willingness to embrace risk as core attributes." Hmm...sounds kinda like DARPA! ;-)

  10. required to leave... by schlachter · · Score: 1

    DARPA managers sign up for 3yr stints. They are generally required to leave after that time. It's part of the design of DARPA...to constantly rotate industry/academia leaders through their ranks.

    --
    My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.