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DEF CON 25 - John Sotos - Genetic Diseases to Guide Digital Hacks of the Human Genome

DEFCONConference · talk · Watch on YouTube

Security & hackingEvolution & geneticsBiology & biotechnology

What it is

John Sotos, a physician and former Intel chief medical officer, argues at DEF CON 25 that genetic diseases are exploitable vulnerabilities in the genome. He warns that CRISPR and related tools will make malicious genome hacks and targeted bioweapons feasible.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Recommended whenever DNA testing, CRISPR or bioweapons come up, often as the talk that made commenters decide to keep their DNA out of databases.

  • 11 people recommended it
  • 8 different months
  • 4 strong recommendations
  • first 2017, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “it's in my top ten of the best talks I've been to in the eleven years I've been going to DEF CON”

    Covers dangers of gene editing technology well

    patcheudor, 2017-12 · Strong recommendation · in “New Model Warns About Crispr Gene Drives in the Wild”

  2. “I'd highly recommend watching the following Defcon Talk”

    Illuminating, borderline terrifying talk on genetic engineering risks

    detritus, 2018-01 · Strong recommendation · in “Welcome to Pleistocene Park”

  3. “The talk is absolutely amazing, probably the most captivating talk I have ever watched”

    Advises keeping your genome private; captivating talk

    globuous, 2018-01 · Strong recommendation · in “DNA Testing Botched My Family's Heritage”

  4. “I remember deciding that I never want to ever have my DNA in any database after watching this talk”

    Changed commenter's mind about putting DNA in any database

    ghj, 2023-12 · Strong recommendation · in “23andMe hackers accessed a whole lot of user's personal data”

  5. “It's a talk about the dangers of man made viruses by Intel's chief medical officer”

    Talk on dangers of man-made viruses by Intel's chief medical officer

    Houshalter, 2017-12 · Recommendation · in “US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted”

  6. “This defcon talk on the some of the ways that gene editing can be used and abused might change your mind.”

    Talk on how gene editing can be used and abused

    loeee, 2018-01 · Recommendation · in “Why CRISPR-Edited Food May Be in Supermarkets Sooner Than You Think”

  7. “There is a much more convincing talk on the dangers of bioengineering”

    Convincing talk on dangers of bioengineering and targeted bioweapons

    zawerf, 2018-08 · Recommendation · in “Hackable humans and digital dictators: Q&A with Yuval Noah Harari”

  8. “You may find interesting this presentation from John Sotos on DEF CON”

    Interesting presentation on genome hacking

    bgaluszka, 2019-02 · Recommendation · in “CRISPR machines that can wipe out entire species”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: crispr, bioweapons, dna privacy, def con, genetic engineering

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