An army of volunteer hackers to help protect American water systems, schools

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Aug. 9, 2024, 6:30 PM EDT


LAS VEGAS — DEF CON, the world’s largest hacker conference, is trying to put its legions of experts to work by creating a volunteer army to help protect America’s vulnerable water systems and schools.

The project is part of a larger attempt to harness the talent of the roughly 30,000 hackers who now make the annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas. It also aims to help the broader public access the cybersecurity research the hackers produce during the conference each year.

“There’s a very small number of people that can do this,” said Jeff Moss, who founded DEF CON in 1993. “So how do we best help them help other people?”

The project has two main elements. The first involves publishing a detailed report of what hackers disclose at the conference, in the hopes that the information can be used to better U.S. cybersecurity policy. The second is connecting hackers with places that are in desperate need of cybersecurity help, starting with water and wastewater facilities and schools.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/army-volunteer-hackers-help-protect-american-water-systems-schools-rcna165461

[ananda]

1. And elections, hopefully.

I remember when Anonymous unhacked Ohio for Obama.

[EarthFirst]

2. The idea that this volunteer effort is even necessary...

…speaks volumes to the necessity to defeat the Project 2025 Heritage Foundation agenda to further dismantle the underfunded agencies charged with these responsibilities.