Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog, [4]
[5]
Former head of the NSA, Keith Alexander, has been a busy guy since he left government. Having avoided any accountability whatsoever despite systematically using the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper, Mr. Alexander is doing what every government official does upon leaving office. He’s trying to grab as much money as possible.
Liberty Blitzkrieg readers will recall the 2014 post, Ex-NSA Chief Keith Alexander is Now Pimping Advice to Wall Street Banks for $1 Million a Month [6], in which I introduced his firm, IronNet Cybersecurity Inc. Fast forward a year, and Silicon Valley is chomping at the bit to embrace a company headed by a man who by all accounts should be in prison.
From the Wall Street Journal [7]:
The former head of the National Security Agency has attracted funding for his cybersecurity startup from a prominent venture-capital firm, highlighting the continuing ties between Silicon Valley and Washington despite recent tensions.
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is among the investors providing a $32.5 million infusion to IronNet Cybersecurity Inc., which aims to help companies fight computer hackers with software.
IronNet was founded by Keith Alexander, who was NSA director in 2013 when former agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA had snooped with help from technology firms. Since then, government officials and tech executives have clashed over the proper limits of encryption technology.
As IronNet builds its technology, officials such as Mr. Olsen have offered consulting services to bring in extra revenue. Mr. Alexander said he has been boning up on how to run a startup, such as drafting term sheets for investors.
“It’s been a good year,” Mr. Alexander said of IronNet in an interview. “I’m not going to say it’s been an easy year.”
It also hasn’t been without controversy. Some critics accused Mr. Alexander of too quickly cashing in or potentially relying on classified intelligence to turn a buck.
Banana Republic justice.
