TLDR Tech / Opinion
Ken Thompson's Warning: Trust No Software You Didn't Build
In his 1984 Turing Award lecture, Ken Thompson revealed how compilers can be subverted to insert hidden Trojan horse code that survives recompilation. His demonstration, involving self-replicating programs and compiler bootstrapping, highlighted the inherent insecurity of software not personally verified by the user. The lecture also included criticism of media coverage that glorified youthful computer mischief.
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