A hardware-maker allowing its devices to be physically compromised by the government is absolutely not mundane--give me one example of this news being reported elsewhere before the Snowden leaks. Our own government disagrees with you, since it has taken great lengths to warn US businesses not to use Chinese networking hardware, for fear that the Chinese would do just what it is proven our own government has done.
http://www.reuters.com/article...
"Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, at a press conference to release the report, said companies that had used Huawei equipment had reported "numerous allegations" of unexpected behavior, including routers supposedly sending large data packs to China late at night."
And international markets agree with me (and not you) on the gravity of this news for Cisco's outlook:
http://www.businessinsider.com...
Cisco's CEO, John Chambers:
âoeI do think (the NSA revelation) is a factor in China.â In May 2014, in response to the alleged NSA spying programs, Chambers wrote the Obama Administration, âoeif these allegations are true, these actions will undermine confidence in our industry and in the ability of technology companies to deliver products globally.â
From a former NSA agent:
"The constant stream of news about NSAâ(TM)s activities has raised broader questions, particularly internationally, about the security of technologies coming from U.S. companies. This has been measurably hitting the bottom lines of companies like Cisco and Juniper and caused many companies to look to alternatives like Huawei."
How's that for "mundane"?