RSA Conference Draws Crowds, Government and Security Industry Bigwigs

by Sean Michael Kerner

Rather than shy away from the controversy of his firm’s involvement with the NSA, Coviello tackled it head on. “Has RSA done work with the NSA? Yes, but that fact has been a matter of public record for a decade,” Coviello said.

Rather than taking a pessimistic view of the current U.S. government surveillance landscape, Coviello was optimistic about the potential for change, citing a quote from JFK.

A large number of boots on the show floor belonged to the NSA, as attendees snapped pictures and grabbed recruiting information.

To remind people of it code-breaking roots, the NSA brought along a captured World War II-era German Enigma code machine.

FBI Director James Comey delivered a keynote full of messages about how his agency wants to help in the fight against cyber-crime. “There is no conflict between protecting privacy and civil liberties,” Comey said. “At our best, we are looking for security that enhances liberty.”

A panel of the most famous cryptographers, including Adi Shamir, professor in the computer science department at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and the “S” in RSA, as well as Ron Rivest, professor of computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the “R” in RSA, discussed that state of cyber-security.

Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior addressed RSA attendees to discuss the emerging Internet of things connected world and related security issues.

The Department of Homeland Security had a booth this year, too, providing attendees with information on its programs.

Former NFL Dallas Cowboys football star Ed “Too Tall” Jones was in a vendor booth from security firm Damballa taking pictures and signing autographs.

In past years, the RSA conference was only in the North and South buildings at Moscone, but expanded this year to include Moscone West.

The WiFi access points at RSA 2014 were open and did not provide a secure encrypted option to attendees.