In 2022, Google TAG were awarded a "lamest vendor" award at defcon for fixing a Chrome vulnerability they discovered was being exploited in the wild... without asking for permission from the NSA first. That was the turning point for me.

Ok that's weird indeed. Here at European hacker events this action would be applauded. Getting permission from spy agencies before fixing something would be a surefire way to get lamest vendor, lol.

Most there don't trust government. And besides security holes can be used by all sides so it's imperative to fix them asap.

I think this award was satire, not to defend defcon, but yeah

A Pwnie for "unilaterally shutting down a counterterrorism operation”