Security

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Use Cases

How Mexico's ‘CJNG’ Drug Cartel Embraced AI, Drones, and Social Media

Drug kingpin Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes may be dead, but the Jalisco cartel he ran for years will likely outlive him—thanks, in part, to the criminal group’s embrace of technology.

Hand It Over

Here’s What a Google Subpoena Response Looks Like, Courtesy of the Epstein Files

Security Roundup

Password Managers Share a Hidden Weakness

Cyberattacks and Hacks

A Vast Trove of Exposed Social Security Numbers May Put Millions at Risk of Identity Theft

A database left accessible to anyone online contained billions of records, including sensitive personal data that criminals appear to have not yet exploited.

Ring Kills Flock Safety Deal After Super Bowl Ad Uproar

Plus: Meta plans to add face recognition to its smart glasses, Jared Kushner named as part of whistleblower’s mysterious national security complaint, and more.

Moltbook, the Social Network for AI Agents, Exposed Real Humans’ Data

Plus: Apple’s Lockdown mode keeps the FBI out of a reporter’s phone, Elon Musk’s Starlink cuts off Russian forces, and more.

Notepad++ Users, You May Have Been Hacked by China

Suspected Chinese state-backed hackers hijacked the Notepad++ update infrastructure to deliver a backdoored version of the popular free source code editor and note-taking app for Windows.

Privacy

DHS Wants a Single Search Engine to Flag Faces and Fingerprints Across Agencies

Homeland Security aims to combine its face and fingerprint systems into one big biometric platform—after dismantling centralized privacy reviews and key limits on face recognition.

Metadata Exposes Authors of ICE’s ‘Mega’ Detention Center Plans

Comments and other data left on a PDF detailing Homeland Security’s proposal to build “mega” detention and processing centers reveal the personnel involved in its creation.

How to Organize Safely in the Age of Surveillance

From threat modeling to encrypted collaboration apps, we’ve collected experts’ tips and tools for safely and effectively building a group—even while being targeted and tracked by the powerful.

CBP Signs Clearview AI Deal to Use Face Recognition for ‘Tactical Targeting’

US Border Patrol intelligence units will gain access to a face recognition tool built on billions of images scraped from the internet.

Security Advice

How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance

Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.

8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and Privacy

Meta’s end-to-end encrypted messaging app is used by billions of people. Here’s how to make sure you’re one of the most locked-down ones out there.

How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware

Being targeted by sophisticated spyware is relatively rare, but experts say that everyone needs to stay vigilant as this dangerous malware continues to proliferate worldwide.

The WIRED Guide to Digital Opsec for Teens

Practicing good “operations security” is essential to staying safe online. Here's a complete guide for teenagers (and anyone else) who wants to button up their digital lives.

Security News

‘Narco-Submarine’ Carrying 4 Tons of Cocaine Captured by Mexico's Navy

Following increased surveillance and patrols of routes used by transnational drug-trafficking networks, Mexican authorities have seized approximately 10 tons of cocaine in the past week alone.

Jeffrey Epstein’s Ties to CBP Agents Sparked a DOJ Probe

Documents say customs officers in the US Virgin Islands had friendly relationships with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction, showing how the infamous sex offender tried to cultivate allies.

An FBI ‘Asset’ Helped Run a Dark Web Site That Sold Fentanyl-Laced Drugs for Years

A staffer of the Incognito dark web market was secretly controlled by the FBI—and still allegedly approved the sale of fentanyl-tainted pills, including those from a dealer linked to a confirmed death.

The El Paso No-Fly Debacle Is Just the Beginning of a Drone Defense Mess

Fears over a drug cartel drone over Texas sparked a recent airspace shutdown in El Paso and New Mexico, highlighting just how tricky it can be to deploy anti-drone weapons near cities.