The cat-and-mouse game over 3D-printed guns has begun
Defense Distributed creator Cody Wilson has developed 'Hochulization,' a tool designed to bypass government-mandated software that detects 3D-printed gun files. This marks a new phase in the conflict between regulators attempting to restrict ghost guns and open-source advocates.
Why it matters
The development highlights the difficulty of enforcing digital regulations on physical manufacturing when open-source tools can easily circumvent detection algorithms.
The creator of the world’s first 3D-printed gun claims he’s developed a way to thwart government-mandated software meant to block 3D printers from making firearms. It’s an opening volley in what’s shaping up to be an evolving battle between regulators trying to stem the tide of ghost guns and individuals trying to create workarounds.
Cody Wilson, who claims to have made the detection-defying tool, is calling it “Hochulization” as a direct jab at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who pushed through the nation’s first law mandating gun file detection software on new printers earlier this year. “New York is trying to reach into the internet and police how open-source 3D printing is done,” Wilson, who’s based out of Austin, Texas, told The Verge. “I think of it as a self-defense measure.”
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