Ethical Hacking News
DEF CON hackers have sounded the alarm on growing threats to democracy and human rights around the world, calling for a collective effort to combat cybercrime, address AI's escalating power in hacking capabilities, and protect against authoritarianism. The DEF CON Hackers' Almanack highlights these pressing issues and advocates for a Digital Arsenal of Democracy.
DEF CON hackers sound the alarm on growing threats to democracy and human rights worldwide.Cybercrime, AI, and authoritarianism are identified as major threats to society.Hackers emphasize the need for cooperation between hackers and policymakers to address these issues.AI capabilities pose a concern, with some tools outperforming humans in hacking competitions.Global efforts to combat cybercrime have yielded insufficient results, highlighting the need for better collaboration.The importance of preserving human rights and promoting digital freedom is highlighted by DEF CON hackers.
DEF CON hackers, known for their provocative themes and cutting-edge research, have sounded the alarm on what they see as the growing threats to democracy and human rights around the world. The creator of the first-ever Voting Machine Hacking Village at DEF CON in 2017, Jake Braun, has taken a leadership role in shaping the conversation around these pressing issues.
Braun's comments came after the release of the second volume of the DEF CON Hackers' Almanack, an annual publication that showcases the research and projects undertaken by hackers and cybersecurity experts. The almanack highlights three major threats to society: cybercrime, AI, and authoritarianism. Braun emphasizes that these threats are not new, but rather a continuation of a trend that has been underway for some time.
"Cybercrime is still a huge problem," Braun states in the context of DEF CON 33 Hackers' Almanack. "We saw society moving in the right direction for the last 500 years because of our commitment to science, human rights, etc., and that seems to be at the very least slowing down, if not reversing." He further explains that governments are failing to address these issues, which is why a concerted effort by the hacker community is needed.
One area where Braun highlights the importance of cooperation between hackers and policymakers is in the development of AI. According to Braun, there's a growing concern about when AI will surpass humans in terms of hacking capabilities. "We started seeing lots of instances where AI was winning or placing high in these hacker competitions, and that wasn't happening last year," he notes.
Anthropic researcher Keane Lucas made headlines during DEF CON 33 by participating in seven capture-the-flag contests with his company's AI coding tool Claude. The tool demonstrated exceptional skills in both offense and defense and showed off its prowess in several competitions. The research published in the DEF CON Hackers' Almanack further explores the capabilities of AI for hacking, highlighting concerns about the escalating power of AI in this domain.
In another area, Braun criticizes governments for their inability to combat cybercrime effectively. This criticism is evident as he mentions that global efforts have not yielded sufficient results. He emphasizes the need for policymakers to leverage skilled white-hat hackers, like those participating in programs such as the FBI's Confidential Human Source (CHS) program, to better address this threat.
Another major area highlighted by Braun and the DEF CON Hackers' Almanack is the challenge of authoritarianism and its impact on society. This includes efforts to protect data, communications, and culture against censorship, surveillance, and other forms of oppression. For example, hacker LambdaCalculus's off-grid mesh network, PirateBox, was mentioned as an innovative solution to promote digital freedom.
Braun also emphasizes the importance of preserving human rights, particularly in the face of authoritarian regimes that threaten democratic freedoms. He advocates for a Digital Arsenal of Democracy, comprising technologies like mesh networks, digital archives, and DNA data storage, to help oppressed communities protect their history and culture.
The DEF CON Hackers' Almanack aligns with last year's theme – access everywhere – and will carry over to this summer's focus on agency: "The ability of a citizen to have agency over their identity, data, and persona," Moses writes in an epilogue to the almanack. Braun believes that hackers are uniquely positioned to contribute to this effort.
"There's a certain thing in the hacker mindset that makes them a hacker: this commitment to freedom, transparency, science, very much Ben Franklin-esque," Braun explains. "When there's threats to that, they get super riled up. I feel like we're going to see a lot more research in this space because of what's happening around the world, including here at home."
Overall, DEF CON hackers are sounding the alarm on critical issues affecting society and global stability. By fostering collaboration between hackers, policymakers, and other stakeholders, they aim to ensure that human rights and freedoms continue to thrive.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/DEF-CON-Hackers-Unite-A-Call-to-Action-for-a-Digital-Arsenal-of-Democracy-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/02/28/def_con_jake_braun_fed_up_govt/
https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/28/def_con_jake_braun_fed_up_govt/
https://nypost.com/2025/12/09/opinion/citizens-are-fed-up-with-dem-invited-migrants-that-have-disdain-for-us-law-and-culture/
https://www.socinvestigation.com/comprehensive-list-of-apt-threat-groups-motives-and-attack-methods/
https://attack.mitre.org/groups/
Published: Sat Feb 28 06:36:10 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
