Decoder with Nilay Patel Recode Decode: Obama's cybersecurity chief Michael Daniel
Oct 2, 2019
Michael Daniel, former cybersecurity coordinator for President Obama and current CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance, dives deep into the state of US cybersecurity as the 2020 elections approach. He discusses the challenges posed by election hacking and the misleading safety measures that could arise. Daniel emphasizes the critical need for trust among election officials, government, and tech industries, and highlights the urgency to address misinformation and data privacy issues in the digital sphere. His insights shed light on international cyber threats and the potential for catastrophic accidents.
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Snowden's Impact
- Michael Daniel recounts having to speak in Germany after the Snowden revelations, highlighting the tension between national security and tech companies.
- He labels Snowden a traitor but acknowledges that certain revealed practices needed fixing.
Shift in Russian Tactics
- Russian online behavior shifted around 2013-2014, becoming more aggressive and contesting control of networks.
- This coincided with Russia's broader geopolitical aggression, like in Ukraine and Crimea.
Tech's Naivete
- Many tech platforms initially failed to anticipate malicious uses of their products.
- Michael Daniel describes a conversation where a CEO seemed genuinely surprised by the possibility of data misuse for intelligence recruitment.