You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
DR

David Ruiz

Privacy Expert at Malwarebytes
On the record
Represented by:
Share profile 
Link:
Bio
Edit

David Ruiz is the senior privacy advocate for Malwarebytes and a writer for Malwarebytes Labs, an online blog about cybersecurity, online privacy, hackers, data breaches, and digital rights.

He reports on online privacy legislation and analyzes upcoming policy proposals that could dramatically impact the online privacy rights of everyday Americans. He also hosts and produces the Malwarebytes podcast Lock and Code. He has spoken at several conferences and summits, including the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Technology Summit, Virus Bulletin’s “vb2020 localhost,” and the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s Cybersecurity Summit with NASDAQ.

At Malwarebytes, he directs advocacy in the company’s work with the Coalition Against Stalkerware, a group of cybersecurity vendors and domestic violence advocacy groups working together to protect users from the threats of potentially invasive apps that can spy on user activity.

As one of several co-founders of the Coalition, he has developed and offered device safety trainings for both domestic abuse survivors and the supporters who work with them, and he has met with law enforcement in the South Bay region to inform police and sheriff’s departments about the threat of stalkerware and how to find it on devices.

Before joining Malwarebytes, he was a writer and policy analyst at EFF, a nonprofit organization protecting privacy, free speech, and innovation online. He covered NSA surveillance, federal surveillance, encryption, cross-border data transfer, and anti-SLAPP lawsuits and legislation. He analyzed bills, wrote blogs, launched public engagement campaigns, and spoke with lawmakers and their staff in Washington D.C.

Before joining EFF, he reported on legal affairs in San Francisco, covering law firm mergers, in-house counsel management, and compliance with federal and state data breach, labor and employment, and cross-border investment regulations. His articles were featured in Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance and repurposed by multiple law school professors.

His work has appeared in KQED, 2600 Magazine, The East Bay Express, SFGate.com, The Sacramento Bee, and KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM. He has also been interviewed and quoted by The Associated Press, Newsweek, Gizmodo, The Dallas Morning News, WIRED, MIT Technology Review, CNET, The Register, InfoSecurity Magazine, The London Times, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, ThreatPost, Geo/Socio/Politico, and several trade publications. He also visits schools and talks to students to give presentations about political activism and the importance of digital privacy.

Employment
Sign up to view all
  • Privacy Concerns Loom Over 23andMe's Proposed Bankruptcy Sale
    David warns that the new owner of 23andMe will control its genetic data, echoing concerns from Blackstone's Ancestry acquisition. With limited legal protections, consumers must decide the value of their data. Pieter advises caution, noting data breaches occur regardless of ownership. He suggests removing personal data if possible to safeguard privacy.
  • 23andMe Sale: What Happens to Your Genetic Data?
    David warns, “The new owner of 23andMe will also own its genetic data.” Pieter advises, “Data breaches occur regardless of ownership. Avoid submitting genetic data unless necessary, and seek removal if possible.” With limited legal protections, consumers must decide how to handle their data.
  • Apple's UK Encryption Rollback: A Global Privacy Disaster?
    David warns that Apple's decision to end end-to-end encryption in the UK is a "disaster," leaving users less secure. He highlights the global risks, suggesting it may embolden other countries, including the US, to demand similar access. David questions the future of the US-UK Privacy Shield, drawing parallels to past surveillance overreaches.