Privacy Through the Lens of Code: Using Static Analysis for Privacy Bug Detection

Explore how to build privacy-respecting applications by examining data collection and privacy protection at the code level in this 32-minute conference talk from NorthSec. Learn why current approaches to data security and privacy, which primarily burden consumers with consent management, are insufficient. Discover how static analysis techniques can be used to identify and address privacy bugs during development, rather than treating privacy as an afterthought. Examine the limitations of existing privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA in providing concrete engineering guidelines, and understand how focusing on the specific lines of code responsible for data collection and generation can lead to more effective privacy protection. Gain insights into creating applications where privacy is an integral part of the development process, moving beyond traditional database-centric approaches to data protection.