I hope that this was offered as an example of the sorts of broken thinking that justifies this sort of backdoor that eventually leaks/is discovered by others.

1. Key based backdoors are as good as it gets, but in order to be useful to most large entities, they have to be at least somewhat exposed internally, making them prime targets for leakers. 2. Hackers routinely take over routers. Ask Juniper. 3. Telcos get hacked. 4. Hackers are curious fuckers who are interested in the most obscure things. 5. Also the most impressive boxes, someone will either find a way to emulate it or someone from the team will find it impossible not to build one at home on the weekend 6. See wireshark also the automated protocol dissector research 7. Vendors are owned, hackers get early access too.