DEF CON Franklin project enlists hackers to harden critical infrastructure

The Register's piece about DEF CON Project Franklin, helmed by Harris faculty lecturer Jake Braun, describes the two-fold project.

1. To create a 'Hackers Almanac' that can guide lawmakers and policy experts to inform cybersecurity and infrastructure, and
2. To build a corps of hacker volunteers to help protect the United States' water systems and ensure cybersecurity in schools. 

The Register also described the experience of Braun bringing Harris graduate students to DEF CON: 

"Braun, who left a job in the Biden administration as acting principal deputy national cyber director in late June to both head up the Franklin project and return to teaching at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, said he has a squad of his public policy graduate students darting between DEF CON villages to scope out research and get some face time with hackers who might be hard to pin down otherwise."

They've been talking to village heads and speakers for talks we thought were particularly interesting," Braun said. "They're literally just going around the villages saying, okay - what are you doing, can you explain this to me … who's doing the most interesting shit here? 

Read the full story here: https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/12/def_con_franklin_project_hopes_hackers/