Security
I Spy
Russia-Backed Media Outlets Are Under Fire in the US—but Still Trusted Worldwide
The US government says outlets like RT work closely with Russian intelligence, and platforms have removed or banned their content. But they’re still influential all around the world.
Vittoria Elliott
Security Roundup
Iranian Hackers Tried to Give Hacked Trump Campaign Emails to Dems
Andy Greenberg, Lily Hay Newman, and Dhruv Mehrotra
Knock-On Effects
First Israel’s Exploding Pagers Maimed and Killed. Now Comes the Paranoia
Andy Greenberg
Your Phone Won’t Be the Next Exploding Pager
Thousands of beepers and two-way radios exploded in attacks against Hezbollah, but mainstream consumer devices like smartphones aren’t likely to be weaponized the same way.
Lily Hay Newman and Matt Burgess
Did a Chinese University Hacking Competition Target a Real Victim?
Participants in a hacking competition with ties to China’s military were, unusually, required to keep their activities secret, but security researchers say the mystery only gets stranger from there.
Kim Zetter
The Mystery of Hezbollah’s Deadly Exploding Pagers
At least eight people have been killed and more than 2,700 people have been injured in Lebanon by exploding pagers. Experts say the blasts point toward a supply chain compromise, not a cyberattack.
Lily Hay Newman and Matt Burgess
Apple’s New Passwords App May Solve Your Login Nightmares
Apple is launching its first stand-alone password manager app in iOS 18. Here’s what you need to know.
Matt Burgess
A Creative Trick Makes ChatGPT Spit Out Bomb-Making Instructions
Plus: New evidence emerges about who may have helped 9/11 hijackers, UK police arrest a teen in connection with an attack on London’s transit system, and Poland’s spyware scandal enters a new phase.
Lily Hay Newman
Apple Vision Pro’s Eye Tracking Exposed What People Type
The Vision Pro uses 3D avatars on calls and for streaming. These researchers used eye tracking to work out the passwords and PINs people typed with their avatars.
Matt Burgess
Apple Intelligence Promises Better AI Privacy. Here’s How It Actually Works
Private Cloud Compute is an entirely new kind of infrastructure that, Apple’s Craig Federighi tells WIRED, allows your personal data to be “hermetically sealed inside of a privacy bubble.”
Lily Hay Newman
What You Need to Know About Grok AI and Your Privacy
xAI’s generative AI tool, Grok AI, is unhinged compared to its competitors. It’s also scooping up a ton of data that people post on X. Here’s how to keep your posts out of Grok—and why you should.
Kate O'Flaherty
How Apple Intelligence’s Privacy Stacks Up Against Android’s ‘Hybrid AI’
Generative AI is seeping into the core of your phone, but what does that mean for privacy? Here’s how Apple’s unique AI architecture compares to the “hybrid” approach adopted by Samsung and Google.
Kate O'Flaherty
How to Spot a Business Email Compromise Scam
In this common email scam, a criminal pretending to be your boss or coworker emails you asking for a favor involving money. Here’s what do to when a bad actor lands in your inbox.
Justin Pot
A Guide to RCS, Why Apple’s Adopting It, and How It Makes Texting Better
The messaging standard promises better security and cooler features than plain old SMS. Android has had it for years, but now iPhones are getting it too.
David Nield
AI Is Your Coworker Now. Can You Trust It?
Generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot are becoming part of everyday business life. But they come with privacy and security considerations you should know about.
Kate O'Flaherty
Walkie-Talkies Explode in New Attack on Hezbollah
In a second attack on Hezbollah members, two-way radios detonated around Lebanon on Wednesday, causing injuries and multiple deaths.
Matt Burgess and Lily Hay Newman
Elon Musk Is a National Security Risk
Musk’s now-deleted post questioning why no one has attempted to assassinate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris renews concerns over his work for the US government—and potential to inspire extremist violence.
Andrew Couts
‘Terrorgram’ Charges Show US Has Had Tools to Crack Down on Far-Right Terrorism All Along
The federal indictment of two alleged members of the Terrorgram Collective, a far-right cell accused of inspiring “lone wolf” attacks, reveals the US is now using a “forgotten” legal strategy.
Ali Winston
Hackers Threaten to Leak Planned Parenthood Data
Plus: Kaspersky’s US business sold, Nigerian sextortion scammers jailed, and Europe’s controversial encryption plans return.
Matt Burgess and Andrew Couts
Latest
achievement unlocked
YubiKeys Are a Security Gold Standard—but They Can Be Cloned
Dan Goodin, Ars Technica
Bad to Worse
Russia’s Most Notorious Special Forces Unit Now Has Its Own Cyber Warfare Team
Andy Greenberg
Espionage
Notorious Iranian Hackers Have Been Targeting the Space Industry With a New Backdoor
Lily Hay Newman
Risky Business
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s Arrest Linked to Sweeping Criminal Investigation
Lily Hay Newman
Strike One
Stadiums Are Embracing Face Recognition. Privacy Advocates Say They Should Stick to Sports
Caroline Haskins