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Recode Decode: Obama's cybersecurity chief Michael Daniel

Decoder with Nilay Patel · with Michael Daniel · October 2, 2019 · 66 min

Summary

In this episode, former Obama cybersecurity chief Michael Daniel discusses the precarious state of U.S. cybersecurity, focusing on the vulnerabilities and threats surrounding the 2020 elections. He reveals how seemingly beneficial security measures, such as vote tracking, can introduce new risks, famously stating, "If you can track your vote, I can track your vote." The discussion underscores the complex interplay between election integrity, voter privacy, and the evolving landscape of cyber threats.

Key takeaways

Themes

founder & leadershipai & automation

Topics covered

election securityforeign interferencecyber warfaredisinformation campaignsthreat intelligence sharingvoter privacy

Episode description

Barack Obama's former cybersecurity coordinator Michael Daniel, now the CEO of the nonprofit Cyber Threat Alliance, talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher about the state of US cybersecurity heading into the 2020 elections. Daniel says the proposed solutions to election hacking may just cause new problems: "If you can track your vote," he says, "I can track your vote." Featuring: Michael Daniel (@CyAlliancePrez), president and CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance Hosts: Kara Swisher (@karaswisher), Recode co-founder and editor-at-large More to explore: Subscribe for free to Pivot, Kara’s podcast with NYU Professor Scott Galloway that offer sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. About Recode by Vox: Recode by Vox helps you understand how tech is changing the world — and changing us. Follow Us: Newsletter: Recode Daily Twitter: @Recode and @voxdotcom ... But enough about us We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Election security measures like vote tracking, while intended to increase transparency, can paradoxically create new vulnerabilities that foreign actors can exploit.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
The balance between voter privacy and election transparency is a critical and delicate one; enhancing one often comes at the cost of the other, requiring careful policy decisions.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Cybersecurity in elections extends beyond技术 safeguards to include combating disinformation campaigns and protecting voter registration databases from manipulation.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Threat intelligence sharing between government entities, private sector cybersecurity firms, and international alliances is crucial for a robust defense against sophisticated state-sponsored cyberattacks.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Policymakers and tech companies must collaborate to develop adaptive defense strategies that can counter the continuously evolving methods of cyber attackers aiming to undermine democratic processes.

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