Using Your Technical Skills to Save Lives

By Ell Marquez

Elevator Pitch

Technology runs the world and as a part of that many argue that it runs our lives. However what happens when technology is used to oppress, violate and ruin lives? When we hear these stories we may feel powerless to help but the fact is we are a community who can use our skills for good.

Description

While we’re fighting for our security and privacy, some are being left behind. Our current advice for securing our digital lives assume that the user is able to take control of their own own lives and are permitted to keep certain facts secret in order to authenticate to a service or device. For those whose threat models include former or current intimate partners their proximity to their attacker means that many security solutions are ineffective and, in some cases, even harmful to implement. This talk will explore cases where traditional security measures fail an already-vulnerable population and how we can use our skills to help offer a life line.