Robin Hanson Warns AI Hacking Bots Will End Cybersecurity's Détente, Breaking Software
jd_pressman · x · 2026-10-24
Economist Robin Hanson argues in 'The Coming Hackastrophe' that software security long relied on a détente: finding and exploiting flaws was too laborious at scale. AI tools that find and use vulnerabilities are breaking this balance, and within a year or two widely available hacking bots could cause years of 'greatly reduced software availability.' Practical advice: password managers, passkeys, authenticator-app 2FA, prompt updates, uninstalling unused apps. jdpressman adds that shedding features and simplifying code paths will be a first defense, since simpler code is easier to verify.
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