AI’s Promise and Peril

Artificial Intelligence - in particular, Large Language Models (LLMs) or "chatbots" - are increasing in power at an astonishing pace. In fact, the latest models from Anthropic (Claude Mythos) and OpenAI (ChatGPT 5.4 Cyber) are so good at reading software code and finding vulnerabilities, that their makers have strictly limited initial access to manufacturers of the most popular software so that they have a head start in finding exploitable bugs. But it's not all doom and gloom. I'll highlight the promise of this powerful new technology, as well.

Article Links

Brussels launched an age checking app. Hackers say it takes 2 minutes to break it.: https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-brussels-launched-age-checking-app-hackers-say-took-them-2-minutes-break-it

FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database: https://www.404media.co/fbi-extracts-suspects-deleted-signal-messages-saved-in-iphone-notification-database-2

Iran built a vast camera network to control dissent. Israel turned it into a targeting tool: https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-security-cameras-surveillance-5f9a1fe5845d94894f3edd50af560d3a

Iranian hackers are targeting American critical infrastructure, US agencies warn: https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/07/iranian-hackers-are-targeting-american-critical-infrastructure-u-s-agencies-warn

LinkedIn secretly scans 6,000+ browser extensions and fingerprints your device: https://thenextweb.com/news/linkedin-browsergate-extension-scanning-privacy-fingerprint

The Pixel Trap: Online Marketing Is a Silent PII Harvesting Machine: https://www.secureworld.io/industry-news/pixel-marketing-pii-harvesting

Republican Mutiny Sinks Trump's Push to Extend Warrantless Surveillance: https://www.wired.com/story/republican-mutiny-sinks-trumps-push-to-extend-warrantless-surveillance

India drops proposal to mandate national ID app Aadhaar on smartphones after pushback: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-drops-proposal-mandate-national-id-app-aadhaar-smartphones-after-pushback-2026-04-17

What I learned by vibe-coding my own word processor: https://www.fastcompany.com/91528164/claude-code-vibe-code-word-processor

On Anthropic's Mythos Preview and Project Glasswing: https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/on-anthropics-mythos-preview-and-project-glasswing.html

Tip of the Week: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/ai-promise-peril/ 

Further Info

Support the Internet Archive: https://www.savethearchive.com/authors/ or https://www.savethearchive.com/journalists/ 

Contact your representatives on Section 702 reforms: https://act.eff.org/action/congress-has-until-april-20-to-take-action-on-702-tell-them-not-to-drop-the-ball 

My book: https://fdsd.me/book 

My newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 

Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 

Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 

Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 

Table of Contents

0:00:08: Intro

0:00:37: Internet Archive needs your help

0:02:00: Router ban update

0:02:33: News rundown

0:05:46: New EU age app has bugs

0:10:46: FBI extracts Signal messages

0:16:33: Iran public cameras hacked by Israel

0:22:46: Iran hackers target US, Israel

0:26:11: LinkedIn scans your devices

0:37:06: TikTok Meta pixel madness

0:43:25: Section 702 on the ropes

0:50:56: India drops ID app mandate

0:53:42: Vibe-coding my own word processor

1:04:07: Schneier on Mythos, Glasswing

1:07:37: Tip of the Week

1:21:59: Patron podcast preview

1:22:24: Looking ahead