The Original Sin of Computing…that no one can fix

/ October 8, 2025

From LaurieWired.

What if we can’t trust *ANY* software…even if you have the source code?

A perfect, self-replicating "sin" passed down for generations of compilers. Invisibly compromised in every program.

It sounds like a spy novel; only it actually happened.

Ken Thompson, creator of UNIX, theorized how Code Auditing won’t save you. This is how it works…and why it’s already in the wild.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Original Sin
02:06 Compiler Family Tree
05:44 Self Reproducing Code
10:42 Obfuscating the Quine
13:24 C touches EVERYTHING
17:43 A Mitigation (sorta)

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Check out my X account for cool Computer Science stuff!
https://x.com/lauriewired

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Reflections on Trusting Trust, Ken Thompson:
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/358198.358210

David Wheeler’s Diverse Double Compiling Mitigation:
https://dwheeler.com/trusting-trust/

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