HackerTubewatch
Surprise me
Frame from Linus Torvalds - Backdoor In Linux Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

Linus Torvalds - Backdoor In Linux

Sam Abdullaev
News
YouTube
Cited on HN 4 times, 2019–2024, never outright recommended score 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Cited as the source clip whenever threads discuss government pressure, backdoors, or trust in the Linux kernel.

A short clip from the 2013 LinuxCon Linux Kernel Panel in which Linus Torvalds is asked about being approached to insert a backdoor into Linux. He answers no verbally while nodding yes, which became a much-shared moment.

“This is the clip where Linus did this” (HN, 2024)

4 citations · News · partly dated

4 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@arminiusreturns Jan 2019 Cites it
on HN thread Systemd as tragedy
RedHats collaboration with NSA is well documented. I think given what we know of past actions it's at best extremely naive to not at least entertain it as a possibility. Linus himself semi-openly admits he's been approached... [this video]
Torvalds' answer about being approached to add a backdoor.
@Ukv Aug 2024 Cites it
on HN thread NSA Asked Linus Torvalds to Install Backdoors into GNU/Linux (2013)
> he said “No”, but at the same time he nodded This is the clip where Linus did this: [this video] The over-exaggerated nod and pronunciation make it seem to me like Linus was just making a joke, particuarly since it was followed up by a more serious "no".
Clip where Torvalds nods while saying no to backdoors.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Search
j k
Next / previous video
r
Surprise me
l
Like (video page)
w
Watch later (video page)
?
This help
Esc
Close