September 26, 2003

Burned @Stake

When @stake got rolling in our around 2000, they seemed like a company that "got it" when they managed to entice Mudge and others in L0pht [Heavy Industries] to team up with them. Mudge and his crew brought a lot to the table for the company, but snagging security expert Dan Geer was quite the coup d'etat. Now they have jettisoned him after he and several other well-known security experts have voiced critical concerns over Microsoft and their software products.

Reliance on Microsoft Called Risk to U.S. Security
The nature of the platform that dominates every desktop everywhere is such that its dominance, coupled with its insecurity, cannot be ignored and is a matter of corporate and national policy. -- Daniel E. Geer, Jr.
The report, unveiled at the Computer & Communications Industry Association's meeting of industry leaders and government officials in Washington, D.C., saying that Microsoft is now the number one target for malicious computer virus writers.

I have personally always been impressed with Dan, ever since our conversations back in 1990 (along with Henry Mensch) regarding Project Athena. He's a brilliant man, attacks problems objectively and with clear goals in mind. @stake's release of Geer smells like they've gone totally corporate and are kowtowing to the mighty Microsoft.

I hope the community takes note. I know when I read @stake white papers from now on, I'll be wondering what the writer may have omitted or watered down in order to keep their job.

Posted by ac at September 26, 2003 03:36 PM

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