Bugs have been crippling digital technology since its inception. Some of them are security bugs, which can allow unintended users to access restricted computer systems and modify, delete or even exfiltrate data. This talk discusses how mere technical flaws have become one of the major global concerns of our time and situate the various cybersecurity actors, who have reshaped digital technologies into numerous collective risks and threats. Among these actors are hackers, who have been playing a central role in these processes, both by compromizing as well as securing digital technology. By focusing on the role of hackers, this presentation portrays sociopolitical dynamics at play in security hacking and defense.

David Bozzini is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Fribourg. After conducting research on surveillance and security in Africa for more than a decade, he has been exploring security hacking, digital vulnerabilities and bug bounties for the last few years.