Posts

Showing posts from May, 2025

A Hacker May Have Deepfaked Trump’s Chief of Staff in a Phishing Campaign

Plus: An Iranian man pleads guilty to a Baltimore ransomware attack, Russia’s nuclear blueprints get leaked, a Texas sheriff uses license plate readers to track a woman who got an abortion, and more. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/9A7cpmn

Cops in Germany Claim They've ID'd the Mysterious Trickbot Ransomware Kingpin

The elusive boss of the Trickbot and Conti cybercriminal groups has been known only as “Stern.” Now, German law enforcement has published his alleged identity—and it’s a familiar face. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/6oRchQ2

A Swedish MMA Tournament Spotlights the Trump Administration's Handling of Far-Right Terrorism

A member of a California-based fight club seems to have attended an event hosted by groups with ties to an organization the US government labeled a terrorist group. Will the Trump administration care? from Security Latest https://ift.tt/lpSTQXL

The US Is Storing Migrant Children’s DNA in a Criminal Database

Customs and Border Protection has swabbed the DNA of migrant children as young as 4, whose genetic data is uploaded to an FBI-run database that can track them if they commit crimes in the future. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/g2djfXb

The Privacy-Friendly Tech to Replace Your US-Based Email, Browser, and Search

Thanks to drastic policy changes in the US and Big Tech’s embrace of the second Trump administration, many people are moving their digital lives abroad. Here are a few options to get you started. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/SauHfWI

A Starter Guide to Protecting Your Data From Hackers and Corporations

Hackers. AI data scrapes. Government surveillance. Thinking about where to start when it comes to protecting your online privacy can be overwhelming. Here’s a simple guide for you—and anyone who claims they have nothing to hide. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/4dSKCMT

The US Is Building a One-Stop Shop for Buying Your Data

Plus: A mysterious hacking group’s secret client is exposed, Signal takes a swipe at Microsoft Recall, Russian hackers target security cameras to spy on aid to Ukraine, and more. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/0vpDBKC

Feds Charge 16 Russians Allegedly Tied to Botnets Used in Ransomware, Cyberattacks, and Spying

A new US indictment against a group of Russian nationals offers a clear example of how, authorities say, a single malware operation can enable both criminal and state-sponsored hacking. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/YTNjVam

Why 3D-Printing an Untraceable Ghost Gun Is Easier Than Ever

On today’s episode of ‘Uncanny Valley,’ we discuss how WIRED was able to legally 3D-print the same gun allegedly used by Luigi Mangione, and where US law stands on the technology. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/jvgqRZJ

Mysterious Database of 184 Million Records Exposes Vast Array of Login Credentials

The trove has now been taken down but included users’ logins for platforms including Apple, Google, and Meta, plus services from multiple governments. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/ChITxPH

Authorities Carry Out Elaborate Global Takedown of Infostealer Heavily Used by Cybercriminals

US, European, and Japanese authorities, along with tech companies including Microsoft and Cloudflare, say they’ve disrupted Lumma, an infostealer popular with criminal gangs. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/Z19yP0H

3 Teens Almost Got Away With Murder. Then Police Found Their Google Searches

An arson attack in Colorado had detectives stumped. The way they solved the case could put everyone at risk. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/gMGtRno

What to Expect When You’re Convicted

When a formerly incarcerated “troubleshooter for the mafia” looked for a second career he chose the thing he knew best. He became a prison consultant for white-collar criminals. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/frU1cmX

How to Win Followers and Scamfluence People

Format Boy makes a living teaching Yahoo Boys, notorious West African scammers, how to use AI and deepfake technology to ensnare their next victims. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/lozU3DF

How the Signal Knockoff App TeleMessage Got Hacked in 20 Minutes

The company behind the Signal clone used by at least one Trump administration official was breached earlier this month. The hacker says they got in thanks to a basic misconfiguration. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/25eirI7

Coinbase Will Reimburse Customers Up to $400 Million After Data Breach

Plus: 12 more people are indicted over a $263 million crypto heist, and a former FBI director is accused of threatening Donald Trump thanks to an Instagram post of seashells. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/NLwogQj

The Internet's Biggest-Ever Black Market Just Shut Down Amid a Telegram Purge

Following a WIRED inquiry, Telegram banned thousands of accounts used for crypto scam money laundering, including those of Haowang Guarantee, a black market that enabled over $27 billion in transactions. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/apTqSmU

CFPB Quietly Kills Rule to Shield Americans From Data Brokers

Russell Vought, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has canceled plans to more tightly regulate the sale of Americans’ sensitive personal data. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/WjAkxao

North Korean IT Workers Are Being Exposed on a Massive Scale

Security researchers are publishing 1,000 email addresses they claim are linked to North Korean IT worker scams that infiltrated Western companies—along with photos of men allegedly involved in the schemes. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/obSchRM

Google's Advanced Protection for Vulnerable Users Comes to Android

A new extra-secure mode for Android 16 will let at-risk users lock their devices down. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/PYcbzj6

Google Is Using On-Device AI to Spot Scam Texts and Investment Fraud

Android’s “Scam Detection” protection in Google Messages will now be able to flag even more types of digital fraud. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/Ru5AvU6

An $8.4 Billion Chinese Hub for Crypto Crime Is Incorporated in Colorado

Before a crackdown by Telegram, Xinbi Guarantee grew into one of the internet’s biggest markets for Chinese-speaking crypto scammers and money laundering. And all registered to a US address. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/Ex5q7k9

Deepfakes, Scams, and the Age of Paranoia

As AI-driven fraud becomes increasingly common, more people feel the need to verify every interaction they have online. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/isVSj92

ICE’s Deportation Airline Hack Reveals Man ‘Disappeared’ to El Salvador

Plus: A DOGE operative’s laptop reportedly gets infected with malware, Grok AI is used to “undress” women on X, a school software company’s ransomware nightmare returns, and more. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/U7uctOF

US Customs and Border Protection Plans to Photograph Everyone Exiting the US by Car

A CBP spokesperson tells WIRED that the agency plans to expand its program for real-time face recognition at the border, potentially aiding Trump administration efforts to track people who self-deport. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/tiMIRr2

US Customs and Border Protection Quietly Revokes Protections for Pregnant Women and Infants

CBP's acting commissioner has rescinded four Biden-era policies that aimed to protect vulnerable people in the agency's custody, including mothers, infants, and the elderly. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/CBnpHWv

Customs and Border Protection Confirms Its Use of Hacked Signal Clone TeleMessage

CBP says it has “disabled” its use of TeleMessage following reports that the app, which has not cleared the US government’s risk assessment program, was hacked. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/iWacKFS

The Trump Administration Sure Is Having Trouble Keeping Its Comms Private

In the wake of SignalGate, a knockoff version of Signal used by a high-ranking member of the Trump Administration was hacked. Today on Uncanny Valley, we discuss the platforms used for government communications. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/FWbZeKo

The Signal Clone Mike Waltz Was Caught Using Has Direct Access to User Chats

A new analysis of TM Signal’s source code appears to show that the app sends users’ message logs in plaintext. At least one top Trump administration official used the app. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/lEL1i8H

Tulsi Gabbard Reused the Same Weak Password on Multiple Accounts for Years

Now the US director of national intelligence, Gabbard failed to follow basic cybersecurity practices on several of her personal accounts, leaked records reviewed by WIRED reveal. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/VjKxLBg

US Border Agents Are Asking for Help Taking Photos of Everyone Entering the Country by Car

Customs and Border Protection has called for tech companies to pitch real-time face recognition technology that can capture everyone in a vehicle—not just those in the front seats. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/aQlAqb2

Signal Clone Used by Mike Waltz Pauses Service After Reports It Got Hacked

The communications app TeleMessage, which was spotted on former US national security adviser Mike Waltz's phone, has suspended “all services” as it investigates reports of at least one breach. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/xvGaXhP

Security Researchers Warn a Widely Used Open Source Tool Poses a 'Persistent' Risk to the US

The open source software easyjson is used by the US government and American companies. But its ties to Russia’s VK, whose CEO has been sanctioned, have researchers sounding the alarm. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/TNbXRxu

Hacking Spree Hits UK Retail Giants

Plus: France blames Russia for a series of cyberattacks, the US is taking steps to crack down on a gray market allegedly used by scammers, and Microsoft pushes the password one step closer to death. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/tPS4eG6

Mike Waltz Has Somehow Gotten Even Worse at Using Signal

A photo taken this week showed Mike Waltz using an app that looks like—but is not—Signal to communicate with top officials. "I don't even know where to start with this," says one expert. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/8n5rZ31

Think Twice Before Creating That ChatGPT Action Figure

People are using ChatGPT’s new image generator to take part in viral social media trends. But using it also puts your privacy at risk—unless you take a few simple steps to protect yourself. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/927TeVh

North Korea Stole Your Job

For years, North Korea has been secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies. With AI, their schemes are now more devious—and effective—than ever. from Security Latest https://ift.tt/cRlMWZA