text:
Sep 10, 2013
LastPass and the NSA Controversy
In short, we have not weakened our product or introduced a backdoor, and haven't been asked to do so. If we were forced by law to take these actions, we'd fight it. If we were unable to successfully fight it, we would consider shutting down the service. We will not break our commitment to our customers.
Although we are not currently in the position of having to consider closing the service, it is important to note that if LastPass had to be shut down, our users would be able to export their data or continue using LastPass in "offline" mode, although online login and syncing would no longer be possible.
We have consistently reiterated that LastPass cannot share what we cannot access. Sensitive user data is encrypted and decrypted locally with a key that is never shared with LastPass. As always, we encourage our users to create a strong master password to better protect themselves from brute-force attacks. Given our technology and lack of access to stored user data, it is more efficient for the NSA or others to try to circumnavigate LastPass and find other ways to obtain user information.
Ultimately, when you use an online service you're trusting the people behind that service to have your best interests at heart and to fight on your behalf. We have built a tradition of being open and honest with our community, and continue to put the security and privacy of our customers first. We will continue to monitor the situation and change course as needed, with updates to our community when necessary.
Thank you to our community for your ongoing use and support of LastPass.
134 comments:
"We have built a tradition of being open and honest with our community"ReplyDelete
So why isn't the binary component open source? I want to trust you guys, but this entire post is a moot point when you refuse to let us audit the code.Replies
There's something there. I love the service and I'm sure about your intentions and I trust you, LastPass but I would actually like it open source. Would be the ultimate expression of mutual trust.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 4:32 PM
I don't see why they should have to make their software open source. It's kind of like coke not releasing their ingredients. They are here to make money remember and spent a lot of it designing this softwareDelete
Well, even if it were Open Source (as it ought to be!), the question would remain: can one trust, that the binaries offered are actually built from the Source code that is made available? People actually ask that correct question fit instance regarding TrueCrypt. This means, that such a concern is real - and also quite valid IMO.Delete
But, don't get me wrong - I also would like to have the Source to be (theoretically, in my case,...) Able to audit it.
Alexander brings up valid points - there are still problems with an open source approach. Currently, our website and some plugins can be audited as they're javascript-based. We appreciate the comments, we don't currently have plans to change our model but may revisit.Delete
Open source is the gold standard for crypto. The principle is: If an enemy knew everything but the password, you system should still be just as secure. This principle, however, conflicts with business models sometimes, because these tend to prefer closed source. Since LastPass sells a service rather than a product, they could still make money if they made their product open source. But there would be the risk of copycat services using their code and making their own service to sell.Delete
Thanks John, we appreciate this perspective.Delete
Have you considered that releasing the source code might actually compromise LastPass, thus leaving your data unsecure?Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:25 PM
Opensource is ok, like truecrypt and axcrypt, its source code is available for you to see and test if there are flaws etc etc in its coding and will still remain secure to use. but like john said if you put your source code out there its up for the copycats to grab it and make it their own thing and since lastpass use their code for business, its not a really good idea to release it. (sometimes you just need to trust them and if you can actually prove someday that there are backdoors in it you can sue them)Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:25 PM
@5iN Security through obscurity is no security at all.Delete
This is crypto. There is only open source when it comes to crypto, everything else is missing the point.Delete
Kerschoff's principal isn't new, guys. Catch up to the 1800's security revolution, people realized a LONG time ago that cryptography had to be open.
Knowledge of a system does not degrade the security of said system.
Open up your binary if you want to make claims about backdoors. Want me to trust you? Let me see what's under the hood.
But they do use open crypto. That's the important part, isn't it? Besides, being open doesn't guarantee a thing. There was a critical vulnerability in the Linux kernel for 8 years before it was found. Not exactly obscure code.Delete
The algorithms are open, the implementation (in the binary) is not. You are far more likely to find errors in crypto in the implementation as opposed to the algorithm.Delete
The implementation is also the part accused (by some) of being backdoord in various applications.
The Linux Kernel vuln isn't really relevant. Because Linux is open source it's allowed people to go in and discover vulnerabilities like that, improve security, etc.
To Amber, and other LastPass employees who may be reading, I think there is absolutely a discussion to be had here:Delete
You should reach out to the security community and ask them how to approach this. There are many people who have taken the open source route, there are many people who would love to help you make the transition to an open system.
I'm not even super FLOSS-y, I'm fine with closed code. But this is one of those programs that really should be open.
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 10:21 PM
Stop lecturing. It works and it's free,unless you upgrade to premium. In an ideal world Last Pass would have created an individualized program that meets everyone's specific needs and is everything to everyone.Delete
It works, and there is no such thing as an absolute guarantee in life. The internet only has as much information as you allow it to have. Put less out there, and you'll have less to worry about.
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 11:02 PM
Open source would create back doors. Nothing wrong with the software as it is.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 8:40 AM
I agree that having the binary components (and maybe the whole LP platform) open source would be great, most companies aren't happy to just dump source code for public viewing - it becomes a responsibility, someone has to check bug reports, maybe look over pull requests, and of course it would be a significant target if there were any vulnerabilities because of the nature of LastPass. I did audit the Linux binary component and did not find any unusual behavior from it, and indeed LP works fine without it, but I'm not an expert.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Open Source != Licence to copy. They could make the source open *and* at the same time not allow copies to be used for any commercial or competing purposesDelete
If you must have open source, go to a service that is! LastPass is doing a great job and I'm not just happy with it, I trust the people providing the service. Go get your own sandbox if you want to play that way.Delete
I'd love to open source all that is LastPass - I'd just need a way to ensure I wasn't destroying jobs and much of the value we've created in the process. The only viable way I could come with was doing a record breaking kickstarter where if it's reached we'll commit to open source forever. If nothing else it would let people put money behind their desire for this to be fully open source.Delete
It seems highly unlikely that we could reach such a goal without millions of people committing money to it, so I'll cover the reasons why I see it as unnecessary:
1) LastPass is open source primarily -- Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera and Maxthon extensions can all be utilized 'binary free' and are open source. If you wanted you can utilize these exclusively and only log-in from them. Disable updates and you're using _only_ open source and you could audit it and continue to use it forever, safely.
2) We use only open source crypto which you could audit separately. In our binaries we utilize Crypto++
http://www.cryptopp.com/ or openSSL in some phone binaries. Attacking us for not utilizing open source encryption doesn't make sense.
3) Open source doesn't mean you can stop trusting people -- are you reading every patch, are you auditing the source, are you compiling the source? Are you packaging the binaries, are you signing your own binaries? If you said no to any of those you're trusting people involved with doing those things for you, just like you're trusting LastPass.
4) Open sourcing everything has issues for us as a viable business. I don't want to send the 27 people who work for LastPass home because we've open sourced our product. Our competitors have utilized all that is open against us, opening more source more will only increase the copying we've seen.
- Joe Siegrist CEO LastPass
Hey Joe,Delete
I really really appreciate this response. Thank you. I'm going to respond to each point individually.
Yes, users are open to using the open source/ Javascript version. Unfortunately they lose out on certain security features, and, very significantly, speed.
The speed is such an issue because you have to cut your PBKDF2 rounds in 1/5th when moving to the extension from the binary plugin. Essentially a bruteforce attack is going to be 5x faster.
2) I didn't. And I am not attacking LastPass. I love LastPass, and use it myself.
What I'm saying is that the implementation of LastPass (the use of those libraries, etc) is closed. That's the issue.
3) It definitely is not a silver bullet. And in the end there has to be some trust of LastPass. But I think as much should be done to remove the necessity of that trust as possible, and having some independent researcher go "Hey, I reviewed this, here are snippets of the code I saw, here's the issues, here' swhat's awesome" etc is great.
4) Definitely. And that's an issue that I get and something you need to consider. And to that I would say you should try to ask as many people in the security community as possible to help LastPass make that transition. Even if you don't end up transitioning just letting them know that you're working on it would make a lot of people take you guys seriously.
I'm confused why some people think Last Pass "should be" open source. Why? It's a private initiative and if it's a quality product that deserves to make an income (which it is), isn't it the owner's prerogative to make the code private if he/she wishes to do so? There's some merit in arguing for the code to be audited, I guess, but that doesn't mean going open source is the solution.Delete
It is of course LastPass's decision whether to go open or not. But when it comes to crypto most people want open, because, for the last 200 years or so we've realized that it's for the best to do so.
What other solution would you propose to allow auditing of the code?
If they submitted their code to be audited by various organizations and they made it open and public that they were audited I think that would help many people.
Even if LastPass makes it opensource, 99.999% of all users wouldn't be able to analyze it anyways, but would instead have to rely on some "expert" to do the heavy lifting. So instead of trusting LastPass, you're now trusting the "expert".Delete
In regards to "experts" - they all come in various degrees of expertise - and there are some I don't trust one bit.. (no one mentioned, none forgotten)
- AnonymousOctober 23, 2013 at 2:40 PM
"If they submitted their code to be audited by various organizations and they made it open and public that they were audited I think that would help many people."Delete
Just what I was thinking.
The code could be audited by various reputable organizations with NDAs. A bit of compromise on both ends.
- AnonymousOctober 25, 2013 at 5:39 AM
Open Source is just one way of establishing trust in the code (bugs and backdoors). More important to me -- and I would become a paying premium customer if Lastpass did so -- are independent audits on the code AND the build process.Delete
Both, however, increase just the trust. They do not prove security for every release generally.....
Hello Joe,Delete
You need a way to know that opening your source code wouldn't destroy the job's and value you have created? No problem!
1) You have the first mover advantage! And you've had it for a looong time. This is one of the economic truths of capitalism: the first one to (sell a product in the) market usually wins. This is one of those big barriers to (market) entry preventing you from taking over someone elses, like say Amazon.com's, business.
2) You have name recognition, a sterling reputation, an affordable working product, and even more importantly a customer base. Another economic truth about capitalism is that people like to go from the known to the known. And once there they don't like to leave without a good reason. Meaning more people are coming to you and using Lastpass because a lot of people already have come to you and are using Lastpass. This is another one of those big barriers to entry that support and protect you while simultaneously preventing you from taking over someone elses, say Apple's, business.
And 3) Anyone able to take over your business by sucking your customers away *after* you open the source code could do it *now*. Google for example. Your code is not *that* complex. I am sure there are any number of programmers at Google who could hack a working prototype of Google Lastpass in the space of an afternoon. Or, if you are really unlucky, in a few minutes. After that, they roll out a full alternative to Lastpass in two weeks as a Beta and poof your business is gone.
Having the sources closed is not what protects you from the giants in the playground like Google. It is their disinterest in being the world's secure crypto provider doing that.
In fact the only economic business reason not to have the code open sourced would be if you had an exit plan of selling Lastpass to one of the big guys like Microsoft, Apple, or Google someday.
Baring such an exit plan, economically you are better off opening the source as that will add to your already sterling reputation during a time of increased worry about security. And that will add to your revenues, not subtract from them.
- AnonymousDecember 4, 2013 at 7:03 AM
Hi there its nice that the company CEO took the time to actively participate on this discussion.Delete
I love LastPass and already saved me a lot of headaches. Maybe hiring the top 3 auditing companies sign an NDA and get their nice "certification" badge :)
This should give some peace of mind to several undecided users ;)
Just an idea :)
Joe, I'd like to engage with you a bit more about the benefits of open-sourcing the client bits (while maintaining a closed service environment). I'm a security engineer working for Red Hat and The Fedora Project and I believe I can help you understand where a certain amount of *controlled* opening of the source can enable you to actually reach a wider audience in two ways:Delete
1) You gain the ability to approach distributions such as Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu about distributing your solution directly as part of their comprehensive system, thereby increasing your user base and potential paid account upgrades.
2) As an extension of 1), packages that are distributed in such distributions benefit from a peer-review and discrete bug-reporting policy, so if and when a weakness is discovered in the implementation, you will not be alone in trying to identify and resolve it. This will increase trust among potential users and who will therefore be more likely to recommend your solution over others.
Additionally, by opening the client, you reduce the maintenance costs on it, since you will begin to receive patches from the wider community to help you fix bugs and add new features. This need not impact the structure of your core team, but it means in the future you may be able to redirect cash that would have been spent expanding your workforce into other areas, such as infrastructure. With an open-source community helping keep the bugs down (and therefore reducing disruptive fire-drills), you can also focus your team of experts on new features (on both the client and service) that will result in greater value for the company.
If you would be interested in continuing this discussion more directly, I can be contacted directly by email at sgallagh [at] redhat (dot) com. I would be very pleased to work with you to deliver the LastPass client as an offering in Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
So very glad to here this, well done LastPass :)ReplyDelete
As much as i am happy to hear this, I too think like Colin above me - as long as the binary is closed source one cannot entirely put his trust in itReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousNovember 5, 2013 at 4:21 AM
The key here is trust. You always *have* to trust them. What would open source get you? How would you make sure that the binary is build from that source?Delete
Compile it yourself?Delete
Being closed source only protects lastpass interests and not the users'.ReplyDelete
If you are trully open you would enable the comunity to audit the code. Unless your business model is not software as a service and is something else.
I am a long term (paid) LastPass user and trust LastPass and Steve Gibson's thorough technical review of LastPass. I trust no other. I use it on many platforms, PC, Mac, Android (phone and tablet), iPad, iPod and, in the past, Blackberry and Palm. It can be frustrating at times (bugs/quirks) but I hope LastPass lasts (pun intended) a long time!ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 5:57 PM
Yes! Well saidDelete
Where is the "Like" button...Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 10:36 PM
Well said, Unknown. I'd trust Steve Gibson with my life.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 12:24 PM
What will open source mean to those of us who simply stumble along every day with no more knowledge than how to run our programs?Delete
- AnonymousMay 26, 2014 at 12:50 AM
It will mean nothing to the people who just use the program everyday. But it will allow current engineers/programmers, cryptographers, and mathematicians to exam and look over the code and assure you, the "user" through audit reports that yes what this company in fact claims about their software is in fact true, and it is safe and secure with no backdoors or exploitation's. Basically you wouldn't have to just go by LastPass' word.Delete
Ditto to Colin's above comment. I love LastPass, and I *want* to trust LastPass, but at this point, I can't. Without the ability for third parties to independently and publicly audit your client side code, it's nearly impossible to trust LastPass. Note that I'm not actually interested in open sourcing your clients, but just that the code is publicly auditable.ReplyDelete
Like I said, I *want* to trust LastPass, but I currently have no reason too. It's gotten to the point that although I love the service, I'm seriously considering other options.Replies
Thanks Joel - we appreciate the comments. There are challenges to open source, but we do agree with the points regarding security audits and will continue to take action to earn and maintain our community's trust.Delete
This comment has been removed by the author.Delete
Even if LastPass makes it opensource, 99.999% of all users wouldn't be able to analyze it anyways, but would instead have to rely on some "expert" to do the heavy lifting. So instead of trusting LastPass, you're now trusting the "expert".Delete
In regards to "experts" - they all come in various degrees of expertise - and there are some I don't trust one bit.. (no one mentioned, none forgotten)
@Lars: What you'd be trusting is a community of experts to compile, audit, and submit patches to improve the code. Unless you're suggesting a concerted conspiracy among a faction of the experts to submit poor and insecure code, which really doesn't sound practical or realistic from the conspirator's standpoint when they'd be called out by their peers and just generate controversy and profile that they wouldn't want. Incompetent 'experts' would be easily weeded out as well. Code is not so solipsistic that poor 'experts' could just decide to advocate it and have it incorporated without peer review. So maybe I'm not understanding you and you could better explain what you mean by not trusting 'experts'?Delete
Dear LastPass team.ReplyDelete
You have no idea how I am glad to read this statement. Keep it up guys and girls.
I love Your product. I would love it more if it was open-sourced but I give You my trust even in its current form. When I will finally get some cash flow running the donation will definitely be sent to support the project.
Keep us posted. Keep the good stuff coming.
then don't use it.ReplyDelete
if you're asking for it to be open source, I assume you're using the free version, no? if you want something open source, build it yourself, and then figure out a way to run a profitably (or even floatable) business around it.Replies
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Go be a troll somewhere else...Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 4:53 PM
I work for a company that give out core product out for free, and we're traded on NYCE, and a billion dollar company. In S&P500. It is possible.Delete
I pay for LastPass, but I really wish it was open source. I would still pay for the service: I am not paying for the code.
Thanks for the comments - it'd be very interesting to hear more about your experience with your company if you're willing to reach out to marketing[at]lastpass[dot]com.Delete
I too pay for LastPass. I appreciate the apps and Yubikey support. I would love LastPass all the more if it were open source.Delete
I absolutely love Lastpass and I appreciate your openness about what you will and will not do. I am a paid subscriber and have been since day 1. I am not sure I understand those who clamor for "open source" products. Unless you compile it yourself you are trusting whomever supposedly vetted the code. So although I follow and love Steve Gibson it is impossible to trust "no one" and be on the internet. And even Steve himself doesn't adhere to that policy 100% as he is a Lastpass user and proponent.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi there Jeff.Delete
First off all - be nice. It's nice to be nice. Word clamor has a negative bell attached to it and we (people that clamor about the open source...) are not trying to be negative. Open code is easier to maintain and inspect for weaknesses - community could help with that. Why is that very often met with negative response or even aggression? I have no idea... I agree it is easier to find a weakness in a open source code and by opening it LastPass would allow people with a moral compass pointed in the wrong direction to study the code without the needs to reverse engineer it - but in the same time it would allow security oriented white hats to do the same thing...
Second of all as a Linux user I am well aware of the compilation process. As a person who is not fluent in any of the programming languages I can still inspect very basic code for errors. Now think about what an experienced programmer could do... I love this project. I use this project on a daily basis. Even tho I trust not very many people I still want to believe in LastPass developpers skills and intentions. As I wrote - I give them my trust. I would trust them even more if they were open sourced. I didn't say one negative thing about the project. I always defend it when being told that storing passwords by sharing them with a third party is a bad idea. I tried to memorize / understand what Steve Gibson was saying about how LastPass crypto works and I try to use that whenever there is a doubt about LastPass security / intentions (damn I just realized how geeky and nerdy that sounds...).
Third - I am not trying to steal the LastPass code. Period. Actually... I would make 100% sure I would pay for their service (I will do that in the future anyway) and I would good about it. I am with them since Steve Gibson analyzed their crypto in one of the Security Now episodes (256 nice number). I have advertised LastPass to many friends and family members. I got them few users in the past.
Like I said. Best regards to LastPass dev team.
Hi Andrzej,Delete
I didn't mean to send a flame. You could not "see" my inflection - I was smiling a friendly smile. Change the word clamor to pine. I stand by my remarks about open source however as 99% of the populous would not be able to compile the source code even if it was vetted by someone they trusted. I trust the authors of Lastpass until they give me a reason not to.
I also bought the full Lastpass version and give this company my trust. I trust Steve Gibson. I trust this LP. I don't trust the NSA. This is an acceptable risk.Delete
As far as trustworthiness comes (on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being ultimate trust), I give the NSA a 1, Steve Gibson a 5, Bruce Schneier an 8 and Joe Siegriest a 9.Delete
I absolutely love a company that takes its time to talk to the users, as much as LastPass do. They are very responsive indeed and open to most suggestions, but most importantly, they won't compromise security!!!
Awesome Lastpass!! I trust you and your motives! Lastpass does me a great great service for $12 per Year! so I am good...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 5:03 PM
sounds great, you tell us that NSA doesnt have a backdoor, but can that truly be verified? :pReplyDeleteReplies
Well when they can one day neither confirm nor deny the existence of a back door or their receipt of information requests or court gag orders, then we'll know that they were compromised =PDelete
LastPass is my greatest software find years ago that has my vote for years to come.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 5:23 PM
Would it not be easier and safer to move the servers and even the company (but not the people) out of the US and into somewhere with stronger privacy laws like in Europe?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 5:23 PM
Would it not be easier and safer to move the servers and even the company (but not the people) out of the US and into somewhere with stronger privacy laws like in Europe?ReplyDelete
Open source does not equal secure. Very few people have the technical acumen to audit code for weaknesses. Most simply trust that if there were weaknesses someone else would find and report them. We know today that even well known open standards (like NIST's special publications) are vulnerable to subversive influence, and unlikely to be detected.ReplyDeleteReplies
At the very least open source software can be scrutinized. As opposed to closed-source where you must be a professional and have to sign non-disclosure agreements to even read some of the code. I am more secure knowing that I can read GPG source code (and I'm hardly a programmer) than Symantec's PGP.Delete
And I have already abandoned Lastpass because of trust issues, both because of closed-source issues and because of possible (but improbable) NSA tampering.
Open source does not equal secure. Open source does lend itself to the verification and validation process, which is critical for cryptography above all other types of software.Delete
LastPass should consider putting a "Dead Man Switch" on their homepage and at the top of the LastPass Vault. They're not allowed to tell people if the FBI/NSA/ETC serves a national security letter on them, but they can stop telling people that they've never been asked to divulge information!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Yeah man... Lastpass is like our Last line of defense for our password security, so if you break that trust. Geez I'm sure I'd be one of the people to sue you guys. I've been paying for the security not for the insecurity. so if they ask you do put a backdoor, Please close or shut down your business or atleast move to the country where you can still do your business right. just saying.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:21 PM
Love your service, LastPass, and was very proud to be one of your users after seeing how open you handled the last breach of our encrypted data, well done, thank you! Now, this is different; it's not you whom I distrust, it's your government and your laws. It's not your fault, it's your geography. Opening your binary could not even be enough at this stage (where NIST is compromised and its overly complex standards are a feature not a bug), but could be a start.ReplyDelete
Regarding your assurances of closure before selling us out, have you signed the Privacy Seppuku pledge yet? ( seppuku.cryptostorm.org )Replies
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 1:15 AM
That's the most crucial point. Hosting data in one of the big militarist security States (China, the US, Russia) is a huge risk. I'd prefer LastPass offers hosting in a country where the rule of law is taken more seriously.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 20, 2013 at 6:30 AM
I feel the same. I'm cutting down on most US based services, because of NSA/privacy issues. I used to be a paid/premium user of evernote, dropbox and lastpass. Now i'm reverting to local or selfhosted solutions.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:45 PM
Has LastPass ever publicly responded to this? http://tobtu.com/lastpass.phpReplyDelete
I would like to know if the vulnerability that site documents is still a concern.
Thank you.Replies
I would also be interested to hear a reply from LastPass to the points raised in the article you linked to on tobtu.com.Delete
The team has recently been in contact directly. We hope the page will be updated to reflect recent conversations and changes.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 8:23 AM
Thanks for the response to my request. I was rather hoping to see something public from LastPass on LastPass' web presence rather than waiting for the tobtu.com page to potentially (and maybe never) be updated. Can we have that info directly from LastPass?Delete
The issue has been fixed and he's confirmed he'll update the post to reflect our latest changes, we don't currently have plans to post but we're certainly happy to address further comments or concerns: security[at]lastpass[dot]comDelete
"If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself."ReplyDelete
"That is of course rather painful for those involved. One should not as a rule reveal one's secrets, since one does not know if and when one may need them again. The essential English leadership secret does not depend on particular intelligence. Rather, it depends on a remarkably stupid thick-headedness. The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous."
Hello, I understand that LastPass hasn't been asked to weaken their service by external parties, however part of the NSA approach was to weaken commonly used encryption protocols via NIST standards.ReplyDelete
Has LastPass established that the crypto they are using has in itself not been weakened?Replies
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2013 at 10:23 PM
Could you provide a link to where you "heard" this?Delete
To the best of our knowledge it has not been, but we certainly welcome any sources / tips: security[at]lastpass[dot]comDelete
- AnonymousOctober 14, 2013 at 12:16 PM
@Anon sorry for the lateness of the reply (also, not who you asked) but I've been busy and not kept up with my RSS feeds. Only now do I see your questions, to which I have an answer: all over the Guardian, the New York Times, Pro Publica, and subsequently most major news outlets and tech journalism blogs/publications. Here's a relevant link: http://www.propublica.org/article/standards-agency-strongly-suggests-dropping-its-own-encryption-standardDelete
It was part of the Snowden leaks.
welldone lastpassReplyDelete
LastPass, if you ever close down, please inform us in advance so that we can retrieve the passwordsReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 1:00 AM
Nice to hear from Lastpass about this. I know nothing about programming so even if Lastpass was Open Source I still have to trust others. I choose to trust Lastpass until I feel I have no reason to.ReplyDelete
This is why Open Source would work for lastpass:ReplyDelete
1. Copycats:
Lastpass was first, on a proven platform, trusted by millions. Sure, there will be copies, there will be a few hundreds or maybe a thousand that create their own version. Let them, i doubt anyone would trust them over Lastpass.
2. Bugs & New features:
The community could help you in a large way to make lastpass much better - and trust me, there are really skilled security experts out there that can't help but to lend a hand, just for the sport of squashing bugs.
3. Users and new versions:
Related to #2 is the fact that people don't trust anyone else to release 0-day fixes for bugs in the software, updates with new _reliable_ features that don't compromise security. People would feel obligated to continue to use the BEST service - and that is Lastpass.
4. The FLOSS effect:
People love transparency, it would be such a strong selling argument that you would attract a LARGE new crowd of users.
Please consider these points, as i know they hold true.Replies
Your 1st point is not exactly accurate. There were/are other online password management systems that existed before LastPass.Delete
Beside having an ability to independently verify integrity of our clients, I also want LastPass to voice their current situation to the legislature.ReplyDelete
How heartbreaking must it be to LastPass to either being forced to implement backdoors or being accused of such because the government made people overly paranoid.
LastPass is one of many such businesses that can be/is financially hurt by the current atmosphere of mistrust created by the government spying on innocent people.
Voice your concerns to elected officials!
do you have a canryReplyDelete
like http://www.rsync.net/resources/notices/canary.txt
"Sensitive user data is encrypted and decrypted locally with a key that is never shared with LastPass"ReplyDelete
does this mean you hold some user data you don't consider sensitive & that isn't encrypted in such a way, or, as i would hope, is everything you hold about me considered sensitive?
I really like LastPass and have been using it as a paying customer for a while. I've also recommended it to a lot of my friends.ReplyDelete
However, reading your blog post I feel like there is a lot missing here. [citation needed] is what comes to mind. If you do not provide positive proof for your words then you cannot expect us to trust you completely.
You write "we have not weakened our product or introduced a backdoor" - as other before me have pointed out if you do not allow independent review of you code (like providing source) these are just words.
I think you really need to strongly consider (in light of recent relevations with NSA) what ACTIONS you will take to reassure your paying customers.
Words on a blog are sadly not enough.Replies
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 9:59 AM
Thanks for the comments, these are great points and ones we anticipate addressing in the months ahead.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 10:23 AM
Well, regardless of NSA having backdoor at LastPass or not, one can adjust the risk level by choosing where to use LastPass. I have never put my most important passwords to LastPass (email, ecommerce sites, banking). Still LastPass helps my daily life by simplifying number of less mission-critical logins.ReplyDelete
Paranoids can check KeePass + DropBoxReplies
Keepass + Dropbox is no more secure. Keepass alone is my default. While I am comfortable with Lastpass's security protections at the end of the day the data is in the cloud. If the NSA was to capture data it would not be via warrant but setting up a prism outside Lastpass servers. Backdoors are so yesterday. I assume my encrypted Lastpass data is being captured by the NSA, and I act accordingly by not putting any website identifiable information in Lastpass.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Those of you who don't want to trust LastPass can write their own code and share it with the world if they like.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Everyone seems to have missed the big picture. Lastpass MIGHT SHUT DOWN? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I can pay more if it will help.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Hi, I wondered if you could answer a follow-up question: If LastPass were forced to shut down suddenly rather than violate this ethical stance, would export still be a viable option?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 11:39 AM
If your online, your not secure. Security is relative. Deal with it!ReplyDelete
Thank you for the statement. Quite reconforting.ReplyDelete
first and foremost, thank you for officially making a statement regarding the recent revelations. It shows that you are dedicated to your customers & users. This is re-assuring in troubling tech-times.
I too, would be interested in an open-source route, but I wholeheartedly understand some possible worries in regard to going this route.
Most people associate freedom with cost, but on the contrary, you can sale a binary under the GPL. You need to equally recognize that under the GPL, people who have paid for your binary are free to modify the code and re-distribute it under the GPL, even for free.
You could still offer the LastPass service with a fee, which is almost mutually exclusive to the binary itself, as you can use LastPass in offline mode. In fact, you could probably even double your fee and people would still happily pay for your service, ESPECIALLY if it was opensource. Most people, especially those who are savvy enough in tech related fields, understand the costs, resources, and hard work associated with such products and services. I know that I, for one, would be more than happy to pay double the fee for LastPass premium, especially if it were opensource.
first and foremost, thank you for officially making a statement regarding the recent revelations. It shows that you are dedicated to your customers & users. This is re-assuring in troubling tech-times.
I too, would be interested in an open-source route, but I wholeheartedly understand some possible worries in regard to going this route.
Most people associate freedom with cost, but on the contrary, you can sale a binary under the GPL. You need to equally recognize that under the GPL, people who have paid for your binary are free to modify the code and re-distribute it under the GPL, even for free.
You could still offer the LastPass service with a fee, which is almost mutually exclusive to the binary itself, as you can use LastPass in offline mode. In fact, you could probably even double your fee and people would still happily pay for your service, ESPECIALLY if it was opensource. Most people, especially those who are savvy enough in tech related fields, understand the costs, resources, and hard work associated with such products and services. I know that I, for one, would be more than happy to pay double the fee for LastPass premium, especially if it were opensource.
Making the binary opensource would allow you to expand your business model and offer "reseller" plans with an API to expand your profits and user base. Offering affiliations to smaller businesses who wish to use the opensource model could potentially boost profits and traffic.
Because LastPass would be open and other people could theoretically mimic the service, the NSA may be less inclined to specifically target LastPass as a company. The NSA can partner up with big tech companies and the ISP, but they can't partner up with everybody.
In conclusion, I believe that it is in the best interest of LastPass and its community to make the software opensource. As cloud companies based in the United States are projected to lose over $35 billion dollars due to privacy/security concerns, privacy and security are going to play a big role in the future. LastPass could very well be the face of the "AIO-Password solution", especially in the future, if its next step were an opensource route.
Kind regards,
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 2:17 PM
"Given our technology and lack of access to stored user data, it is more efficient for the NSA or others to try to circumnavigate LastPass and find other ways to obtain user information."ReplyDelete
This is the key point to me. The NSA already has access to the information you are trying to protect in LastPass. This is why I continue to use LastPass; it is better than anything else I can do and remain reasonable in the number of hoops I must jump through to use the logins.
However, I still see a need for the NSA to get into LastPass. LastPass can be used as a sort of chat/email channel. Two users sharing the same LP account could share communications via Secure Notes. Or, users could share a secure note between LP accounts and when the note is updated the other users will receive notification that a new communication is available.
I would hate to see LastPass shutdown, but I appreciate the stance by the company toward NSA, and others like them. My remaining concern is how the NSA appears to be going after the owner of Lavabit because they did shutdown. That is a scary amount of pressure to remain open and lie.
Again, I love LastPass and the LP Team and wish you all the success you deserve. I will continue to use LP because the NSA probably already knows my secrets that I keep in LP.
It's a sad day when we see our own government as the enemy. They have become the terrorists they claim to fight. They are terrorizing our right to privacy.
What bothers me about people that profess to like Open Source, and I know several, they have patented what they have and kept what they have profited closed source. Sort of like they are saying do as I say, not as I do! I can't accept that!ReplyDeleteReplies
The original intent of patents was to provide innovators with a limited time during which no copycats could profit from their invention, giving them time to recuperate the heavy investment that usually goes into R&D. -- This is not at all at odds with open source: patents are not closed source by definition, you just are not allowed to profit off the invention. And they are (supposed to be) effective only for a limited time, before they enter the public domain, at which point the technology is open for anyone to use.Delete
The current perversion of patent laws that has taken over the tech industry is a different topic... but patents as they were originally intended are not antithetic to open source principles.
- AnonymousSeptember 12, 2013 at 2:03 AM
This is bs, we live what is called a "free" country, you should be able to run your company without government harassment. This focus on terrorism is 1984.ReplyDelete
Your service, and your adherence to putting the customer first are EXACTLY why I would pay ten times the price for LastPass than what you currently charge.ReplyDelete
Thanks for a great product!
- AnonymousSeptember 12, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Is lastpass an American company? I actually pay for the product and really don't have anything I'd worry about the NSA seeing but don't like the idea of them having access in the first place.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 15, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Sadly! There's no way to validate this statement by lastpass. They could have very well been hit with a non disclosure agreement facing jail time if they disclosed if there was a back door or not in it's software etc. :(ReplyDelete
BUT! even if there isn't a backdoor in it's software.. there is in windows and mac so that point is mute.
- AnonymousSeptember 20, 2013 at 7:18 AM
I'm not so worried about specific OS back-doors. At that point I would be under specific investigation. It's the complete indexing / profiling program that scares me. I think of mass-profiling as filling cups on everyone. More content could result in a higher 'hit-rate'. I plan to keep my cup as empty as possible and thereby hopefully never be a suspect for further investigation on whatever imaginary grounds.ReplyDelete
Regarding to LastPass; I am worried about the disclosure of my personal and complete directory listing of every BBS, forum, website , shop, service, etc, i have an registered account with. Perhaps even more then losing a password.
So.. perhaps I'm wearing a aluminum foil hat on this topic, and in the end i don't have really anything to hide; I'm just an average Joe. But i do like to keep the door closed when going to the restroom, just like anyone else.
IMO it should not be open source. Lastpass should rather provide a parallel testing-platform to allow a broad testing for vulnerably and back doors and whatever may compromise security.ReplyDelete
This could be used as a good base for "lessons-learned" for future release-management.
Of-course, upon 1st hack of this "test-platform" the productive-environment had to be shut-down for security-reasons.
- AnonymousSeptember 23, 2013 at 7:43 AM
"Sensitive user data is encrypted and decrypted locally with a key that is never shared with LastPass."ReplyDelete
Which encryption does it use?Replies
Seriously?? It's all over their website.Delete
Thank you for the good job Lastpass.ReplyDelete
As a non US resident, paying, satisfied customer I have to say goodbye and good luck.
A closed source US service for my security? Today? Are you kinning?
- AnonymousNovember 4, 2013 at 3:46 PM
I appreciate the note as this is something that has worried me. Saying you would rather shut down shows your commitment and I am comfortable with that commitment. I will stay a loyal customer!ReplyDelete
I have nothing to hide but hate the fact that NSA is looking over your shoulder. It's a shame that civil liberties and rights are gone for American's and now other nations too! I don't think I could have had the guts to show the world the wrongdoing.
After losing rights as a free country via the Patriot act is one thing, but having big brother watching over your shoulder is another.
I have greater trust for China and Russia providers than US ones it seems.
Kudo's to Snowden, Google, Lastpass and others for fighting for true freedom!
- AnonymousNovember 5, 2013 at 1:34 AM
Unfortunally this is not going to make me stop looking for a non-US based alternative.ReplyDelete
Can't trust anything an American company says anymore because the way your legal system works it seems.
I just want to share that +lastpass 2.5.2(1571) is compromised. To get access to all the passwords of the premium android app. Just install version 3.00.2(3002) and you will have access to all the unencrypted passwords WITHOUT entering the master password the first time you run the app.ReplyDelete
What is really disturbing in this story is that this means that lastpass is lying when saying that the user is the only one who can decrypt the encrypted passwords.
If this was true then there is no way whatsoever that someone could decrypt your encrypted passwords without entering your master password. Well, this shows that somehow, even though I have never and would never store my master password, lastpass has used either a cached version of it to decrypt my files, or they have direct access to my unencrypted master password.
With all the news hitting our papers that the NSA is pouring millions into companies to spy on everyone, it is hard not to shake the feeling of lastpass being the brainchild of NSA.
-Why not? Thats how I would go about fooling people into giving my passwords away. Just show some white papers detailing that this decryption by lastpass is impossible and then sit back and deliver a cheap service for security minded people.
Of course no one can verify their lies because lastpass uses proprietary software license.
I have saved the versions of the android app and have verified this. If you want the app versions to verify this, email me and I will post them.
- AnonymousNovember 5, 2013 at 9:13 AM
great job!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 7, 2013 at 6:37 AM
As a former paying customer of both LastPass & Xmarks, just want to let you know like so many others here that this blog post is not enough to alleviate the concerns of LP customers. Not when you're headquartered in NSA's backyard in Virginia.ReplyDelete
Having access to the data in the "cloud" is the first step to decryption. Like the Unknown poster above (Nov. 5) said, LP could very well have been an NSA-decoy since Day #1. I'd like to trust you as well since the universal sync feature, especially when one's mobile is very useful. However, until and unless you provide more guarantees I'm switching over to local and wishing well for your future endeavors.
- AnonymousDecember 24, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Open Source is Over-Rated, LastPass doesn't need to be opensource, it's fine the way it is. So what if you can't see the code, why should you? When you buy a happy meal at McDonalds, do you tell them, you want to see the ingredients?ReplyDeleteReplies
No one buys a Happy Meal expecting top-shelf, quality ingredients.Delete
Further, the nutritional information is indeed listed.
For crypto, Open Source is essential, as it means the user need not trust the publisher. As it is, while I believe LastPass is acting in the best interests of its customers, the strength of that belief is bounded by how much I trust the company to continue to do so.
- AnonymousJanuary 1, 2014 at 11:53 AM
Total lies. First, when you start the latest version it opens a second browser window to Google. Why? Because Google browser cookie's are being used to circumvent your security. Don't believe me do a week search for "NSA Google Cookies". There is no reason for that second browser window to automatically open on first run and while you can turn it off, by then the damage is done if you opened the window once and it download the Google cookie.ReplyDelete
Second, it has always been suspicious that when you type your last pass master password the letter you type is not obfuscated for a half a second. Both 3rd party hackers and the NSA use screen grab technology through browser hacks (last pass is now all browser oriented) and thus they have your master password by screen grabbing it as you type. Plenty of other apps do not show the letter or number you just typed before putting the * over each so one must assume they did it intentionally to allow for screen grabs. There are several other intentionally built in vulnerabilities which are present that all lead to one conclusion: Lastpass may of not intentionally built in back doors, but there is enough evidence to make a reasonable conclusion they left Lastpass vulnerable intentionally to allow for interception of your master password.
Adding to the suspicion it's not open source, the location of its HQ is next to the NSA HQ building, and the founders background. I am done with paying for Last pass. This last update to a complete browser base including your refusal to hide passwords as people type leaving a master password susceptible to screen grabbing is way too suspicious. It's bad enough the spying is going on but I am not going to pay for it to be done.
Don't believe me? Proof is on the way but for now just watch; they will delete this post and never fix the exploit where it shows the password characters as you type. Just because they didn't put a back door doesn't mean they didn't cooperate.
Double talking. It's what they do best at; half truths.
"we would consider shutting down the service" - This statement means nothing, nada zero.ReplyDelete
I would consider Christmas on Mars.
Thank you for addressing this question directly. I am much less trusting of Google Chrome these days than in the past, and I was curious if Chrome could access my plugin information. Obviously it can, but then I was curious if there was any information out there concerning Lastpass and the Snowden leaks.ReplyDelete
A quick search brought me to this page. It's quite refreshing to see a company approach issues like this in a direct and matter-of-fact way.
All these people complaining about the code and if it should or shouldnt be available and the inability to trust lastpass etc.
Why are you using a hosted service anyway?
If you are concerned, truely, about your security then remember them and dont store them anywhere.
If you want an open source product then go and get it.
Keep up the great work Lastpass.
The argument, "why are you using a hosted service anyway?" is flawed. If the security implementation is without flaw, it does not matter where the data resides. You can give it to your enemies and they will not be able to extract the data. LastPass would then be something like Dropbox; a bit-based diff-merge utility.ReplyDelete
Without open source. This requires 100% trust of what LastPass says; 100% trust of programmers who have access to the code. 100% trust the owner can keep the integrity of the code (preventing malicious, intended or otherwise, inserts), and 100% trust they themselves audit the code.
With open source, you still have these issues. However, you can take advantage of crowd-sourcing. Anyone can take the code and compile it from source.
As a non-premium user, I would absolutely pay for a minimum 10 premium accounts for life if the source code was open source. I understand this would allow copycats, but hopefully LastPass can build a development model that supports open source code.
- AnonymousFebruary 25, 2014 at 8:47 PM
Without Lastpass being open source I will have to trust the statements of a company that can be forced to comply with NSA requests and I assume, did so in the past: Why would it be otherwise necessary to start offering users keeping their data on European servers?! No need to escape from NSA jurisdiction if the data would be indeed secure on US servers (AFAIK the URLs are not even encrypted).ReplyDelete
Without Lastpass being open source, the true level of Lastpass security remains unknown - trust is no replacement for security.
- AnonymousApril 14, 2014 at 5:17 PM
I just downloaded last pass. Personally, I liked the sentence in this article where they claimed:ReplyDelete
"In short, we have not weakened our product or introduced a backdoor, and haven't been asked to do so. If we were forced by law to take these actions, we'd fight it. If we were unable to successfully fight it, we would consider shutting down the service. We will not break our commitment to our customers."
I, for one, am happy to see this and hope that the company would shut down if asked for back door support.
- AnonymousApril 18, 2014 at 3:51 PM
Open cryptography may not be perfect, but if cryptography is not open, it's useless.ReplyDelete
There is not one shred of evidence to suppose that what you write above (i.e., that there is no NSA back door to your system) is true.
Indeed, if it was not true, that is exactly what you would write.
- AnonymousApril 24, 2014 at 1:52 AM
Well, there are companies that act as independent neutral third parties, providing auditing, verification etc. services. LastPass could ask a few such companies from abroad (not so easily influencable by NSA) to perform an yearly audit of their software and live systems and give a verdict of whether they think LastPass does what it claims. Of course it's easy to just switch to a "clean" version for auditing and back to "backdoored" afterwards, if that's the case. Furthermore, LastPass could allow such a third party to supervise their operations continually, making surprise checks of anything, etc. etc.ReplyDelete
I would love to see an update to this. Lots of new information in the past few months. I would like to know if you've received any security letters in the past few months. Thank you.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 10, 2014 at 6:26 PM
If Lastpass would have received a NSL, they would be unable to talk about it. The only chance is moving to a country where freedon of speech exists.ReplyDelete
- MatthiasAugust 30, 2014 at 6:41 AM
Reading all the concerns about LastPass not disclosing all of their code and being a company under US legislation (with all the potential consequences) it seems that there now is serious alternative available where instead of complaining you may act and prove how much concerned you really are.ReplyDelete
Mitrio, which up to recently just has been a start-up company offering a service similar to LastPass, has released their entire source code (server and clients) under the GPL license on https://github.com/mitro-co/mitro)at the end of July 2014.
As it seems they decided to close their business down and move on to work on different projects at Twitter instead. Read their announcement at http://labs.mitro.co/2014/07/31/mitro-is-joining-twitter/ and EFF's announcement at https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/07/mitro-a-new-free-password-manager.
So if you you are truly concerned about LastPass' legal situation and their refusal to disclose the full source code, but would like to continue to use a similar service, based on an fully disclosed code base that can be hosted by yourself or someone you fully trust, here is your chance to act.
Join this open source project and help the mitrio community to audit the code, streamline server installation and maintenance as well as adjusting client configuration to an extent that will make it possible for average sysadmins and users to switch over to mitrio.


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Considering the 70+ degree weather we are having it's hard to believe that just a week ago we were plunging into the frigid waters of Lake Calhoun for the 2012 Polar Bear Plunge. Team "Frostitute" comprised of Midwest Staffing members and the staff and friends from Regions Hospital will assure you though, that March 3, 2012 was nothing less than a typical wintry MN day.
As we contemplate our level of sanity and try to come up with any excuse not to plunge, we are reminded of the great cause that brought us all together, the Special Olympic Athletes. It is through them that we find the motivation and the courage to take the plunge. This year the 25 member team raised $5,298 which will impact the lives of over 7,000 Special Olympic Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities across the state of Minnesota.
We will continue to create awareness and support for the Special Olympics Minnesota and encourage everyone to take the plunge. To see more pictures of the event visit Midwest Staffing facebook page or you can still donate here.
"What has been will be again, What has been done will be done again; There is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9
For those who are unemployed these days it hard sometimes to stand out from the crowd. There's not much in business that most of us haven't already seen. There is a basic list of ideas that people do that has been recycled and rehashed for year and years. There are only so many types of career paths or job opportunities and sooner or later you realize that there are only so many ways to stand out and recognized.
I was leaving the health club the other day and forgot where I parked. I was looking for a black Mazda 3 with a license plate SPK129. I found a black Mazda 3 but when I looked at it's license plate, it had the characters SPK135. "How many cars are currently on the road in Minnesota?" I wondered. Well, as it turns out there were over 3.3 million licensed vehicles in Minnesota back in 2010. I don't know how many there are in 2012 but I imagine it's about the same. There are only 10 numbers and 26 letters used on the plates but somehow they create over 3.3 million unique plates. Wow!
Did you know there are only 7 whole notes in a musical scale? A,B,C,D,E,F and G. There are also half steps between them (sharps and flats) as well as octaves of the same note but essentially there are only 7 notes. Every piece of music you've ever heard or every will hear, every song ever written now or in the future will be created with some variation of the same 7 notes. Why don't all songs sound the same?
7 notes, 26 letters, 10 numbers, nothing new under the sun. Patterns in human behavior repeat themselves, and the fundamental building blocks of all creation are the same now as they have been for thousands of years. HOWEVER, we are capable of creating infinite combinations with these building blocks. Music becomes infinite by changing the way that the notes are combined and layered with other notes. Written communication becomes infinite by changing the sequence and combination of words with other words.
One of my favorite things about sales is the infinite creative possibilities. There are so many tools at our disposal. Our worlds become infinite by changing the way we combine and layer the things we imagine. Don't get caught in the rut of believing that there are only a few basic elements that have to be repeated and rehashed year after year. Create something new!
In business a word comingly heard is synergy. Synergy is taking ideas and combining them. Make a list of ideas you've used before and begin to overlap and combine them with each other. This creates new breakthroughs you may not have imagined. Take two favorite ideas, goals, themes, etc from last year and send them into a head-on collision. Take the mangled mesh that they create and see what new thing you have discovered. You might be disappointed, you might be surprised. But you will begin understanding one of the secrets of creation.
Be Original!
During a recent meeting with a client, we were asked if we were aware of the EEO's opinion letter on high school diploma job requirements and discrimination under the Americans with Disability Act. We found the conversation to be very relevant given the fact that many employers have a standard hiring practice that generally requires a high school diploma.
Recently the EEOC issued an informal opinion letter stating that a high school diploma job requirement could be considered discrimination under the Americans with Disability Act. In their informal opinion letter, the EEOC stated the qualification standard that screens out individuals on the basis of a disability must be job-related and consistent with business necessity, or it may violate the ADA. Under the ADA, a qualification standard, test, or other selection criterion, such as a high school diploma requirement, that screens out an individual or a class of individuals on the basis of a disability must be job related for the position in question and consistent with business necessity. A qualification standard is job related and consistent with business necessity if it accurately measures the ability to perform the job's essential functions (i.e. its fundamental duties). Even where a challenged qualification standard, test, or other selection criterion is job related and consistent with business necessity, if it screens out an individual on the basis of disability, an employer must also demonstrate that the standard or criterion cannot be met, and the job cannot be performed, with a reasonable accommodation. See 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(6); 29 C.F.R. §§ 1630.10, 1630.15(b) and (c); 29 C.F.R. pt. 1630, app §§ 1630.10, 1630.15(b) and (c).
This means that for each position, the employer must take multiple steps to ensure they are not discriminating under the ADA. First, the employer must determine if the qualification standard of a high school diploma is job-related and consistent with business necessity. If the employer determines a high school diploma is job related, the employer must then determine whether the individual applicant whose learning disability kept him or her from obtaining a diploma can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
Employers should keep in mind, that, if they are going to use this kind of qualification standard, they need to have a specific job related reason based in the qualifications for the position itself. Employers need to look at individuals on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is some type of reasonable accommodation that might allow the person to successfully perform the job.
Midwest Staffing is always glad to be a resource to our clients regarding the latest employment related legislation. If you have any questions regarding this issue or any others, please feel free to contact your local branch office.
In October's article we shared a story about "A Safe Golfing Journey" which detailed Midwest Staffing's Second Annual Golf Classic, which was hosted along with Firstat to enhance fundraising efforts for SafeJourney. At the Second Annual Golf Classic Midwest Staffing and Firstat were able to raise $1170 for SafeJourney which earned the companies a sponsorship table at SafeJourney's 12th annual Celebration of Courage Event held on November 17th, 2011 at The Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis.
Attendees from Firstat were Zach Knox and Christine Maxwell and Midwest Staffing was represented by myself, Michael Thoemke, Kelly Weedman and Josie Schwake. Besides being the Director of Sales at Midwest Staffing, I am a volunteer advocate for SafeJourney where I am a benefit board member and on call two shifts each month to support victims of domestic violence. With the support of the Midwest Staffing and Firstat Nursing team, along with many others in the community, this was the largest and most successful year in SafeJourney's twelve year history of hosting this event.
Highlights of the evening included a social hour and silent auction that included a large list of items ranging from a handmade quilt, tickets to sporting events, various art works and electronics. Followed by an elegant dinner and a Live auction which also included 10 great items, such as an IPad2, a private helicopter ride, and 75,000 sky miles with a camera and $200 VISA for spending money to name a few.
If you would like to learn more about SafeJourney or become a volunteer you may call 763-520-4151 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Photographs were provided by Melissa Rosky photography/Facebook. Click here to visit her facebook page.
Midwest Staffing Group and Firstat Nursing continue their commitment to giving back to the communities in which we work.
The job market is fierce. The competition is plentiful and the opportunities are few. When looking for a job there are the usual avenues to explore, Craigslist, Monster.com, the local newspaper, etc., and you may even have success with any or all of these options. They didn't work for me, however.
After being out of work for almost two months, and spending entire days online scouring the websites listed above only to be either beat to the door by someone else, ignored or rejected I decided I had to find another avenue to go down. I knew that I needed to find some contacts in my field of web design, since I had already exhausted the ones I had. You can only email and call people so many times before they start to get annoyed.
With everyone turning to social media to stay in touch it seemed like as good a place as any to put the word out that I was looking for work and to do some fancy networking as well. I started with my Facebook account, hoping that between all my 261 "friends" someone would see my desperate cry for employment and either hire me or pass my name on to someone that would. While I did have some friends take notice of my dilemma on Facebook the advice that ultimately landed me a job was to make use of Linked In.
Linked In is the ultimate in networking. I signed on and entered the most detailed profile I could, and then uploaded my address book and got to work. I was amazed by the connections I found through people I already knew. It turns out that the reason I didn't have any success through the people I had already approached was that it was someone in my outer circle that had the connection I needed and was able to introduce me to my new employer.
If you are looking for work, I highly recommend looking towards social media and developing your own network. Not only is it easy, it's fast. I found a job through Linked in within 48 hours after wasting months looking the conventional way.
Have you been considering giving your employees a gift card or other small gift item during this Holiday season? If so, you may need to consider the tax issues associated with these fringe benefits. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) advises employers that all fringe benefits, like gift cards are considered taxable wages unless they are excluded by a section of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).
You may be wondering if there are any non-taxable gifts that you can safely give during this Holiday season. According to the IRS, employers can provide items that are considered de minimis. Examples of these gifts include tickets to a sporting event/concert/theater event, a Holiday group meal, flowers and other low priced traditional gifts that don't have a cash value.
For example, the employer can provide a small gift on during the Holidays such as a mug with hot chocolate without any taxable issues to the employee. However, if the employer gives the employee a gift certificate to a coffee shop to purchase the items, it could create a situation where the employee could receive cash back. In this situation, the gift card/certificate would not be considered a non-taxable gift.
If you have any questions regarding the IRS Code, please contact your branch office or legal counsel. As an additional resource, you can reference the following guides published by the IRS: Taxable Fringe Benefit Guide and the Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits, Publication 15-B.
On Monday, November 1 from 10:30AM to 1PM Midwest Staffing team members, Chris Kratochvil, Justin Smith, Dan Webinger and Mary Verdeja along with Firstat's Brian Thoemke, attended "Celebrate Opportunity" an Opportunity Partners event. The event was an executive networking and business recognition luncheon to celebrate and learn how people with disabilities enhance our workplace. Midwest Staffing and Firstat donated $1,250 to help people with disabilities add value to the Twin Cities area.
The "Celebrate Opportunity" networking luncheon was hosted by Frank Vascellaro from WCCO-TV with keynote speaker Randy Lewis, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management for Walgreens. Walgreens the largest pharmacy chain in the United States is one of the strongest supporters of Opportunity Partners by integrating people with disabilities into their workforce, marketplace and supplier chain. Randy discussed the success Walgreens has had by integrating Opportunity Partners workers into their distribution channels. They plan to increase the employment percentage of employees with disabilities by 20 percent. This is Walgreens secret to success; with this in mind your business should consider contacting Opportunity Partners.
Other than having the privilege of listening to Guest speaker Randy Lewis, the luncheon also included a speed networking session. Speed networking is similar to speed dating, a timed round robin where professionals meet to exchange contact information and their companies goals and history. Afterwards professionals decide on whom they will connect with or where they can utilize their product or service. A few businesses that Chris Kratochvil of Midwest Staffing connected with were Graybow HD, Minnesota Life College and Anchor Insurance Agency.
Besides a great networking event Midwest Staffing and Firstat fully intend to participate in this event again November 1, 2012. Not only to connect with other business professionals but to support the added value and the impact Opportunity Partners has on our community.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has postponed the effective date of its new rule that mandates private employers post a notice of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The rule was originally scheduled to go into effect on November 14, 2011 has been postponed to January 31, 2012. The NLRB felt the additional eleven weeks will help employers prepare to comply.
According to the NLRB, the postponement will allow for, "enhanced education and outreach to employers, particularly those who operate small and medium sized businesses." The board determined that some employers were confused over which businesses were required to comply with the statute. The posting requirements of the NLRB depend on the extent in which a company engages in interstate commerce. Because the posting requirements are rather complex, almost all private-sector employers are subject to the act and should prepare to be in compliance on or before January 31, 2011. A printer friendly version of the government issued publication can be found here.
If your organization has any compliance questions, your local Staffing office is always a resource. Please feel free to contact any of our offices with questions or concerns!
My younger sister Jonica transferred from Central Lakes College to St. Cloud State University for the 2011 Fall Semester to pursue a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Once arriving in St. Cloud she was faced an issue that plagues thousands of Americans… finding a job.
Jonica spent several days/weeks filling out applications to local restaurants and retail stores and hadn't heard from any of them and never received a single interview. Finally she reached out to me for support. Jonica was doing the most important step by taking the initiative of completing the application and placing it in the manager's hands. However she was dropping the ball in one major area. Jonica wasn't utilizing her network, one of the most important reasons for her inability to acquire an interview. Once she began contacting first and second degree connections, she quickly landed two interviews, one for "Grizzly's Bar and Grill" and the other "Red Lobster".
The "Red Lobster" connection was made through our Brother's > Girlfriend's > Dad's > Girlfriend. Yes that is a long degree of a connections but the outcome was rewarding. The second interview with "Grizzly's Bar and Grill" she received because of a long line of connections she wasn't utilizing, including myself, my sister, my brother and my wife. Even though Jonica's application included our sister's name Jenae who had been an excellent employee there for many years and still well know with the current management, her application was overlooked among the stack of other capable applicants. Once I heard that she was applying at "Grizzly's Bar and Grill" I quickly reminded her that my brother, my wife and I play volleyball with one of the managers one of whom she herself has played with.
While in the interview the manager was surprised to learn that Jonica was Jenae's sister and was overlooked. This is a prime example on why it is important for everyone to follow up and reach out to your connections.
If you are a job seeker you probably aware of the grueling application process especially if you are facing this alone. Alleviate some of the struggle by reaching out to friends, family, neighbors and even your parent's > neighbor's > friend's > Cousins to help get your foot in the door.
On Thursday September 22, 2011 Midwest Staffing held their Second Annual Golf Classic. This year's Golf Classic was located at the Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale, MN. To enhance our fundraising efforts for SafeJourney this year, Midwest Staffing has partnered with their sister company Firstat Nursing and raised $1170 for this great cause. SafeJourney is a nonprofit organization at North Memorial Medical Center focusing on assisting domestic abuse victims and has helped 1,295 victims in 2010.
Chris Kratochvil, Director of Sales for Midwest Staffing Group, is a volunteer for SafeJourney and a benefit board member for SafeJourney. Chris is on call once per month to assist and support victims of domestic violence. Chris provides guidance and counseling to help the victims, and free their life from violent situations and most importantly he listens to them.
The Golf Classic consisted of teams of 4 at different hole starting with shotgun start simultaneously and was a best ball scramble. The men's team had a course breaking record score of 53 and won the grand prize of 4 lower level tickets to the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Denver Broncos donated by Michael Thoemke and Midwest Staffing. Other prizes were awarded for longest drive by a woman and a man, the longest putt and ball closest to the pin on a drive.
Participating donors: Minnesota Timberwolves and Jim Buffo - 4 Lower Level Timberwolves tickets and a team signed basketball. Oak Marsh and Midwest Staffing - 4 gift cards to the Oak Marsh Pro Shop. Health Partners - Notebooks, toothbrushes, cell phone disinfectant and pens.
If you missed this opportunity to help SafeJourney another opportunity is coming up at their annual fundraiser "A Celebration for Courage". On Thursday, November 17th, 2011 at The Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis the event entails an elegant dinner, social hour, silent and live auction and a SafeJourney presentation. If you would like to attend, donate or contribute to the auction, please contact Jenny Kratochvil at 763-520-4151 or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
To see photos from the event visit our facebook page. Also if you want to be notified about future events sign up to our monthly newsletter. Finally a special thank you, to all participants, sponsors and Oak Marsh Golf Course that made this event successful.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Society of Women Engineers at Louisiana Tech is hosting its 4th annual Future Engineers' Day event for all 2nd through 6th graders. Enjoy a day of experiments, demonstrations, and design competitions!
To learn more about this event, contact Nicole Roberts at email@example.com. Come celebrate the fun of science and engineering!
Home | For Girls | Volunteer | For Parents | Newsletter | Search | About Us | Program | Camping | Cookies & More | Donate Now | Contact Us | Calendar of Events | Customer Service
© Copyright 2014, Girl Scouts of Louisiana - Pines to the Gulf. All rights reserved.


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NEW YORK –The Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, today welcomed the appointment of Ambassador Mark R. Dybul as the new Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
"I have known Mark for a long time. He is not only one of the key people involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but also one of the most talented global health leaders I've ever met," said Dr. Osotimehin. "Being a medical doctor and a researcher, I am confident he will be able to handle his new responsibilities, both as a competent scientific expert and as a strategically minded administrator. His career achievements show us the caliber of his leadership and vision. We are very glad about this new appointment and we look forward to a continued fruitful collaboration between the Global Fund and UNFPA."
As one of the ten co-sponsors of UNAIDS, UNFPA works closely with the Global Fund to intensify and scale up HIV prevention efforts, using rights-based and evidence-informed strategies, including attention to gender inequalities that add fuel to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.


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The Backup Plus portable drive for Mac from Seagate is the simple way to protect and share your entire digital life — without getting in the way of the rest of your life.
- Mac OS and Time Machine™ ready out of the box
- Save photos automatically from your social networks
- Share photos and videos to social networks with a click
- Increase transfer speeds easily by upgrading to Thunderbolt™ technology
What is Backup Plus?
Backup Plus is the amazing line of external drives from Seagate that lets you do more with photos and films, protect everything in your digital life, and manage it all from a single, intuitive dashboard.
- Flexible backup that is fully compatible with Time Machine software
- Save the photos that you have shared online — automatically
- Share photos and videos on social networks such as Facebook and Flickr
- Upgrade your connection instantly with swappable adapters
Time Machine ready
Set it up for easy automatic backups on your Mac. Since it is Mac formatted out of the box, simply plug it in, set it and forget it.
Also works with PCs
Use the drive interchangeably on your PC or Mac computer without reformatting.
USB 3.0 plug and play
You can also easily upgrade to Thunderbolt™ technology or FireWire® 800, with add-on adapters (sold separately.)
Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the USA and/or other countries.
Photos, videos and more – on the go.
Life is full of amazing moments that you want to remember for ever. The Backup Plus for Mac portable drive goes where you go, and works perfectly with Apple's Time Machine® software to provide easy backups. So no matter where "life happens", your memories are always protected.
Your social life with a click.
Think of how many photos you have shared on Facebook or Flickr. With Backup Plus, it is easy to download them right to your Backup Plus drive, so even more of your life is safe and sound.
Your favourite moments instantly.
With Backup Plus, your memories are not "trapped" in your drive. Just a click lets you share photos and videos to Facebook, Flickr or YouTube right from your Backup Plus drive.
Your connectivity instantly.
Getting a new Mac with Thunderbolt™ technology? Not a problem. Changing your connectivity is as easy as plugging in a new adapter.* So when you upgrade, your Backup Plus drive can be upgraded right along with you.
*Additional adaptors sold separately.
Prefect for
- Store or back up photos, movies, music and documents
- Download and share content that is posted on your social networks
- Share your digital memories to your social networks with a click
What's in the box?
- Seagate Backup Plus drive
- Seagate Dashboard preloaded on drive
- USB 3.0 interface adapter
- 18 inch (45cm) USB 3.0 cable
- Quick start guide
- 2-year limited warranty


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If you synchronize your phone with your work Exchange ActiveSync account, you can read,
manage, and send email in the same easy way as with a POP3/IMAP account. However, you
can also access some powerful Exchange features.
For information on setting up an Exchange ActiveSync account, see Synchronizing with a Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync account.
You can set your Out of Office status and auto-reply message right from your
You can set the priority for an email message you send with your Exchange ActiveSync


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Additional Categories for Dog
Frontline Plus for Dogs By MHB International
Available in 3 dose packs for each of the 4 weight divisions.
Adams Plus Pyrethrin Dip By Farnam Pet Products
Kills and repels ticks, lice, gnats, mosquito's, and flies.
Bio Guard Shampoo 12 oz. By Farnam Pet Products
Guard Shampoo washes up pets without washing out their flea control.
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Every day more veterinarians and pet lovers discover the benefits of Bitter Apple taste-deterrent.
Color Flea Collar - Dog By Farnam Pet Products
Kills fleas and Lyme disease-carrying ticks for up to 5 months.
Comfort Zone D.A.P.Refill By Farnam Pet Products
Helps reduce destructive behavior in 91% of dogs.
Comfort Zone W/D.A.P. By Farnam Pet Products
Comfort Zone Diffuser and bottle. Helps reduce destructive behavior in 91% of dogs.
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Flea & Tick Shampoo 17oz. By Synergy Labs
Made in Florida. Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Fooey! Ultra Bitter Spray 8oz. By Synergy Labs
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Groomer's Blend Flea & Tick Shampoo 17 oz. By Synergy Labs
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Natural Flea & Tick Spray for Dogs 24 oz. By Natural Chemistry
Will not affect "spot-on" flea & tick protection.


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if u got the gold and the time, why not ..
hell i've spent about a dozen hours making my fishing RP set, why not make a prot dps set.
First of all the qualifiers:
1. This does not include soloing/boss fights. In some cases, alternate gear is highly beneficial.
2. This does not include any current or future 'magical resist' sets or special 'required to down certain foes' pieces.
3. This does not include future speculation of raids and dungeons not yet implemented.
4. This is not about gear ranking, gear guides, or armories. Just the straight 'concept' thereof
I was wondering if I'm the only one morbidly asking myself about gear swapping for trash. I mean, in general, naxx trash, OS trash, vault trash, and even heroic trash with a few exceptions can be rammed through like a square peg in a round hole. However, I hear so much suggestion of people regearing/trinket swapping/what have you for trash. I mean, it's not the killer trash of BC anymore (example: Void Reaver's room.) I don't know how much they're amping construct wing of naxx25, but honestly, mowing through it is more then a casual annoyance then SSC bog-lord frustration.
I carry a block set for sar+drakes and the boss fights that may require them, but I must know,
do many people regear for trash?
I mean, the reason why you would is sound. However, I did some testing and some swaps, then went to ask my healers and the response they got is "either way we pretty much are asleep back here till the next boss fight." I don't want to sound like a callous idiot or anything. Just kinda boggling the idea of if I'm doing a disservice by not changing after each boss fight in a wing in naxx (with some exceptions. Block set helps in the post-heigan supression room, as well as lotheb.) Am I doing something wrong?
if u got the gold and the time, why not ..
hell i've spent about a dozen hours making my fishing RP set, why not make a prot dps set.
I've replaced "trash set" with DPS/TPS set that has far higher threat output but little bit less avoidance than boss tanking set, basically some block value gear gemmed with +str. Probably will be using that set more and more, worked wonders on Malygos 25 because DPS is just doing silly amounts of damage on P1 which makes you appreciate all extra threat you can get.
TBC style trash set with high block rating doesn't seem all that necessary now, in my opinion you're better off investing in threat gear.
Crommi | Archaic Order | Lightning's Blade EU
I wear a High Block set for trash, and most everything else now myself.
I run two sets of gear. The first one is my high hit (251) and expertise (36) gear that I use for tanking all bosses. When I am tanking trash, I wear a set of gear that has high block value (1500) and block rating (42%). I think every bit of AOE agro helps the DPS let loose, and let loose early.
You should absolutely change gear when you're tanking trash mobs. My trash mob set consists of 535 Def (this is the crit cap for 82 and below mobs), and High Crit for making trash bleed with every Thunderclap and Shockwave crit. If the healers are falling asleep, the best you can do is wear a set that allows you to help kill the mobs faster with DPS. Find the set that makes you speed through trash without stressing the healers out too much.
Stay strong. Stay smart. All heart.
high BV/BR for trash along with threat so you can tank and hold large groups of trash. I totally min max for block, expertise and hit at the cost of everything else for trash.
I charge into a pack of 5 mobs, blow my shield block ability, then blow my block trinket, and its all gravy.
This is nowhere near as effective when using my heavy boss gear, which has very high stam armor and avoidance with lower block.


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Customer Reviews
7 Item(s)
- SEE MORE REVIEWS Review by Video Administrator
(Posted on 5/11/2010)
- Editor's Pick of the Day Review by Dan Schmidt, Editor, Deer & Deer Hunting
This is a timeless video that you will watch over and over. The amazing whitetail footage features behavior scenes that will help improve your depth of understanding tenfold. All at ridiculously low price.
(Posted on 4/28/2010)
- Whitetail Behavior At It's Best! Review by Jerry Ciuk
What a GREAT DVD! It's packed with some really amazing footage, information, and tips! I really enjoyed this DVD and I think that any die hard hunter will too! It has some real important comprehensive information on whitetail: sight, sound, smell, and even taste. It is well worth the money and I would highly recommend it to any hunter!
(Posted on 1/30/2010)
- whitetail behavior Review by jim sheets
once again d&dh has hit a home run. i only wish this kind information was avaiable 20 years ago when i started chasing whitetails.my learning curve would hve been much much shorter.todays newbies have it so easy.
(Posted on 1/29/2010)
- worth the $$$ Review by Randy Winchester
The price is right and the material is great. I really liked the fact this was not a bunch of re-used footage from the TV show. An excellent resource for the beginning deer hunter.
(Posted on 1/24/2010)
- Excellent DVD Review by Glenn
Besides the cinematography being very good and the dvd was just fun to watch, it was very informative as well. A very good tool to instruct someone in whitetail behavior and a good refresher for someone who has hunted for years.
(Posted on 1/21/2010)
- Whitetail Behavior Review by Darren
If you are a whitetail junkie like me, this DVD is a great source of information. We tend to think that deer see, hear, smell and react like humans do but this DVD does a great job of explaining how they really do these things. Whether you are a hunter or just like watching deer in the wild, this DVD will help you enjoy it more than ever. Lots of great information on deer communication as well. I highly recommend it.
(Posted on 1/17/2010)
7 Item(s)


text: How Are Canadians Affected By The USA Patriot Act And Cloud Computing? Whether Canadians like it or not, they are affected by the US Patriot Act. While some of the previous issues have been settled already, some new issues are already popping up – issues with cloud computing. The US Patriot Act, otherwise known as


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One would think that a congressional resolution of praise for Pope Francis in advance of his scheduled visit to America next year would not likely face any opposition.
Stuttgart Police Department reports published in the Wednesday, July 30, edition of the Stuttgart Daily Leader:
Funeral services are to be held on Saturday morning, Aug. 2, at 11 a.m. at New Bethel AME Church in Stuttgart with Rev. Thomas Gipson Jr. officiating.
61, of Humphrey
Something to Talk About
When John Michael McDonagh walked onto the set of �Calvary,� the story of a good priest in contemporary Ireland whose life is threatened by an angry parishioner who long ago was a victim of pedophilia, it was only his second time directing a film.
If your garden plants are flopping instead of flourishing, the problem could well be your soil. Many enthusiastic amateur...
Israeli tank shells slammed into a crowded U.N. school sheltering Gazans displaced by fighting on Wednesday, killing 15 and wounding 90 after tearing through the walls of two classrooms, a spokesman for a U.N. aid agency and a health official said.
- Events Calendar


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Fernando Rodney took his fourth blown save in giving up a Jose Bautista solo homer Wednesday against the Jays.
Marlins acquired RHP Aaron Crow from the Royals in exchange for LHP Brian Flynn and RHP Reid Redman.
Royals re-signed RHP Jason Frasor to a one-year, $1.25 million contract with a $2 million mutual option for 2016.
ESPN's Buster Olney reports that Melky Cabrera's preference is to not re-sign with the Blue Jays.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians are "out" on free agent Chase Headley.
MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports that the Diamondbacks have signed Cuban defector Yasmany Tomas to a six-year contract worth $68.5 million.
According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Padres and Dodgers have discussed a Matt Kemp trade.
ESPN's Jayson Stark heard from two sources that the Yankees offered the Phillies "a utility player" for shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
Rays designated INF/OF Sean Rodriguez for assignment.
Rays signed RHP Ernesto Frieri to a one-year, $800,000 contract.
Ryan Braun said Wednesday that his right thumb is back to 100 percent since surgery.
According to Clark Spencer and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Marlins have inquired about trades for Chris Davis of the Orioles and Evan Gattis of the Braves.


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Latest update : 2011-05-19
Syria's Facebook Wars
Facebook has become an indispensable tool for anti-government activists across North Africa and the Middle East. Now governments are reportedly using the social networking service to fight back. Syria is allegedly hacking Facebook accounts in a bid to target demonstrators and their 'friends.'


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If you're after a big instrument with a full sound, get your hands on a fine Fender jumbo cutaway model.
Get Fender at your fingertips with our interactive iPad version of Fender Magazine.
Copyright © 2014 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.Terms of Use | Privacy PolicySupply Chain Transparency


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"This is WrestleMania 30. I've pinned Hogan once and he's never pinned me. From a fan's perspective, and WWE Universe and Vince McMahon, it never had closure. The business that would be done, the interviews and stuff would be coming from the heart. We could try to outraise the bar of the WWE entertainment machine in our sport, if they let us go toe to toe and don't script us. The fans will see really how it got started and why, and then they'll see the conclusion. They are asking can I get in shape. I am already in shape! They are asking Hulk Hogan. But there is a fear, I guess, of whether we can pull off the performance."
- Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper pitched a Wrestlemania idea to WWE, where he would team up with a heel against Hulk Hogan and John Cena. Piper wanted the partner to be CM Punk, but it appears that management is currently against the idea of turning him back to a heel.
Rumors going around right now is that WWE is going to be inducting the main event of the very first Wrestlemania into the hall of fame this year. It would open the doors for the company to have more inductions and feature performers multiple times.
Aside from ruining an on screen segment with Chris Jericho, another issue between Roddy Piper and WWE was the fact that the company wanted to restrict his ability to make appearances on other shows, which Piper refused to agree to since it might hurt his son's MMA career.
The latest wrestling legend to to find their way on to the Steve Austin podcast is Roddy Piper, who revealed that the two WWE legends really do not know one another all that well despite crossing paths a few times throughout their careers.
There are speculations going around right now that Hulk Hogan will be making an appearance on the next episode of Monday Night Raw, in order to start building up some sort of program for Wrestlemania 30, which might also feature Roddy Piper as well.
During his Piper's Pit segment on Monday Night Raw, Roddy Piper, who was spotted with handwritten notes on his the back of his hand, was said to have forgotten some discussion topics while interviewing Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.
Word going around is that WWE has forgiven Roddy Piper and is working with him again because they want to utilize him in a match at Wrestlemania 30. Piper himself pitched the idea of a tag team match, where he and Hulk Hogan would be on opposite sides.
There are talks within WWE of utilizing Roddy Piper in a match at Wrestlemania 30 now that the heat on him has died down. Some of the plans being discussed even has him possibly working with Hulk Hogan, either as a teammate or opponent, as well.
While it has been years since his heyday as a professional wrestler and actor, sources are stating that Roddy Piper still has a net worth of $4 million right now. The belief is that he made quite a bit of money during his time with WCW and has invested well.
Roddy Piper received some backstage heat within WWE after some unusual behavior during an interview segment with Chris Jericho back in 2012, but it appears that the company has decided to forgive him and bring him back for the Old School Raw episode next week.
While he is open to making a guest appearance, WWE still has no interest in using Roddy Piper after what he did during his last stint.
Roddy Piper will be doing a Piper's Pit segment with Jimmy Hart at an independent wrestling show in New York this weekend.