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Harvard’s Schneier Gives Lawmakers a Tour Through DOGE-Driven AI Risks
The Trump administration’s DOGE initiative to revamp federal systems and scale back the workforce has involved unvetted uses of artificial intelligence to comb through sensitive data and has exacerbated the government’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities, according to computer scientist, activist and Harvard Kennedy School lecturer Bruce Schneier.
“Data security breaches present significant dangers to everyone in the United States, from private citizens to corporations to government agencies to elected officials,” Schneier testified at a June 5 House Oversight hearing…
What Magic Johnson and Bruce Schneier Taught Us at RSAC 2025
At first glance, Bruce Schneier and Magic Johnson have about as much in common as a firewall and a fast break. But last week was the annual RSAC confab, where the agendas can read like someone spun a roulette wheel loaded with cyber policy, threat intel—and apparently, NBA legends.
Last Tuesday, Schneier delivered his keynote on “AI, Security, and Trust,” a cerebral clinic on why the tech world is barreling toward a cliff. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson took the stage with “The Art of the Assist,” where he served business wisdom with a side of charisma. It’s the kind of conference whiplash RSAC has perfected: one minute you’re deep in machine learning risk models, the next you’re in a standing ovation for a guy who redefined the no-look pass…
A Hacker’s Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend Them Back (2023) by Bruce Schneier
Bottom Line:
Hall of Fame Candidate; I recommend this nonfiction book for the Cybersecurity Canon Hall of Fame.
Review:
When we think of a hacker, we think of a person wearing a black hoodie with a skull logo on the front. That is because we associate hacking with criminals and technology. However, that is not always the case, according to Bruce Schneier. In his latest book, “A Hacker’s Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend Them Back,” the author, a seasoned security professional, defies this common notion. Schneier explains that hacking does not have to be associated only with technology and criminals. He explains that whenever we bend rules or find loopholes in the system, we are hacking the system…
DOGE Is Putting the Country’s Data and Computing Infrastructure at Risk, HKS Expert Argues
Cyber security expert Bruce Schneier worries that DOGE’s access to highly sensitive information is giving bad actors a chance to take advantage.
Before the Trump administration took office, what has become known as DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, was touted as a tool for injecting private sector efficiencies into the federal workforce. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, DOGE has taken an unexpectedly radical tack—it has initiated mass layoffs and the wholesale shuttering of federal offices and agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development. Perhaps less visible are the effects of DOGE’s unprecedent access to many highly sensitive federal databases and payment tools. Bruce Schneier, a security technologist and lecturer at the Kennedy School, wrote about this for The Atlantic and Foreign Policy. We spoke with him to learn more about the risks to federal data…
Nearly 10 Years After Data and Goliath, Bruce Schneier Says: Privacy’s Still Screwed
“In 50 years, I think we'll view these business practices like we view sweatshops today”
It has been nearly a decade since famed cryptographer and privacy expert Bruce Schneier released the book Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World—an examination of how government agencies and tech giants exploit personal data. Today, his predictions feel eerily accurate.
At stake, he argued then, was a possibly irreversible loss of privacy, and the archiving of everything. As he wrote, science fiction author Charlie Stross described the situation as the “end of prehistory,” in that every facet of our lives would be on a computer somewhere and available to anyone who knew how to find them…
Video: The Social Responsibility of the Technologist
Watch the Video on YouTube.com
Technologists have a responsibility to be aware of the impact of their activities. This discussion with Bruce Schneier considers artificial intelligence and democracy, cybersecurity, modern warfare, government data leaks and the internet of things, along with Bruce’s belief that a hacker’s mindset will help people better understand their lives and the world today.
“Have a Good Bullshit Detector,” Advises Computer Security Expert Bruce Schneier
Cyberspace seems more insecure than it has for a long time. In an interview, security guru Bruce Schneier proposes a radical solution: Top-tier managers should have to go to prison if they fail to protect their company networks against hacker attacks.
Summary
- Bruce Schneier, security expert, says improved defense measures against cyberattacks are urgently needed.
- Quantum computers do not pose a fundamental threat to cryptosecurity, Schneier says, but cryptographic agility will be important.
- The main problems in the field of cybersecurity are economic and regulatory, he says, rather than technological shortcomings.
Cybersecurity is facing a tough challenge. Hospitals, schools and companies are constantly falling victim to ransomware attacks. Criminals are draining life savings from unsuspecting citizens through “pig-butchering” attacks. Even American government systems do not seem immune to hackers—Chinese attackers recently penetrated the largest telecommunications networks in the U.S. and …
Researchers Find Some Worry, Some Hope for AI in Democracy
Experts say intense focus on artificial intelligence as a misinformation tool can miss the mark
When it comes to the 2024 election season, the democratic sky didn’t fall because of artificial intelligence, Harvard researchers say, with candidates using the technology to reach voters in helpful new ways. But, they warn, it is still worth keeping a wary eye on some of AI’s most insidious possible applications.
New Englanders may recall the use of artificial intelligence to mimic President Joe Biden’s voice to dissuade voters from participating in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. More than a dozen states, including Massachusetts, have adopted or …
Audio: Does AI Interfere in Our Democracy?
Listen to the Audio on CommonWealthBeacon.com
This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon’s Jennifer Smith is joined by Bruce Schneier, fellow and lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Nathan Sanders, fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. They discuss how AI has the power to strengthen civic engagement in elections and policymaking, the importance of transparency it its use, and how it can be developed to prioritize democratic values.
Audio: Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Episode 100 Special
Listen to the Audio on FirewallsDontStopDragons.com
The first episode of Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Podcast aired on March 8, 2017 – almost 8 years ago now. Over that time, I’ve interviewed over 135 unique and amazing people, covered countless cybersecurity and privacy stories, and offered 100s of tips for protecting your devices and data. To celebrate this momentous occasion, world-renowned cryptography guru Bruce Schneier has returned to for our traditional Podcentennial interview! We discuss several timely topics including the Crowdstrike incident, the pager bombing and supply attacks more generally, US election security, the open market for cyber vulnerabilities, US intelligence agencies’ focus on offense versus defense, how AI might actually benefit democracy and much more!…
Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.