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If the code is never put into a public project I don't see how this would have any effect. I'm not required to abide by every license on everything I slap together on my laptop, it's when I distribute it or allow others (outside my organization) to use it that matters.

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It depends on what kind of license it is: if it's an end-user license, then yes, you do (in theory) have to abide by it.

You're right that if it's just a copyright on the source code, then it's probably a restriction on redistribution, which means you couldn't _use_ that code for evil and then share it with others. But using it for evil for yourself: totally fine.

For an end-user license, sure. But even so the license restrictions only apply to the _recipients_. So if I'm the NSA and use GPL code, and only distribute it to NSA colleagues, I only have to provide my NSA colleagues with the license and code. (IANAL, but seems pretty clear to me on this)

The notion that the NSA would deem it worth their while to go out of their way to honor GPL legalese seems not a little …optimistic.

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