How a Catholic Group Doxed Gay Priests

Plus: A data breach exposes Washington, Ring camera footage has a new problem, and the George Santos scandal slips into the world of cybercrime.

Congressman Darin LaHood Says FBI Targeted Him With Unlawful 'Backdoor' Searches

Representative Darin LaHood's claim that he was the subject of “backdoor” searches comes at a dicey moment for the bureau.

The FBI Just Admitted It Bought US Location Data

Rather than obtaining a warrant, the bureau purchased sensitive data—a controversial practice that privacy advocates say is deeply problematic.

How Denmark’s Welfare State Became a Surveillance Nightmare

Once praised for its generous social safety net, the country now collects troves of data on welfare claimants.

This Algorithm Could Ruin Your Life

A system used by the Dutch city of Rotterdam ranked people based on their risk of fraud. The results were troubling.

What to Do When Your Boss Is Spying on You

Employee monitoring increased with Covid-19’s remote work—and stuck around for back-to-the-office.

This Hacker Tool Can Pinpoint a DJI Drone Operator's Exact Location

Every DJI quadcopter broadcasts its operator's position via radio—unencrypted. Now, a group of researchers has learned to decode those coordinates.

Security News This Week: Sensitive US Military Emails Exposed

Plus: Iran’s secret torture black sites, hacking a bank account with AI-generated voice, and Lance Bass’ unhinged encounter in Russia.

You Can’t Trust App Developers’ Privacy Claims on Google Play

Mozilla researchers found that apps often provide inaccurate data use disclosures, giving people “a false sense of security.”

How to Protect Yourself From Twitter’s 2FA Crackdown

Twitter is disabling SMS-based two-factor authentication. Switch to these alternatives to keep your account safe.

How to Unlock Your iPhone With a Security Key

Passcodes are out.

How to Make Sure You’re Not Accidentally Sharing Your Location

Keep your movements private.

North Korean Hackers Are Attacking US Hospitals

Plus: Deepfake disinformation spotted in the wild, Android privacy problems in China, Reddit gets phished, and more.

The FBI’s Most Controversial Surveillance Tool Is Under Threat

A review of the FBI’s access to foreign intelligence reveals troubling misuse of powerful surveillance tech.

Meet the Creator of North Korea’s Favorite Crypto Privacy Service

The world’s most prolific crypto thieves have used Sinbad.io to launder tens of millions. Its creator, “Mehdi,” answers WIRED’s questions.

Want to Delete Your Twitter DMs? Good Luck With That

People in Europe are making GDPR requests to have their private messages erased, but Elon’s team is ignoring them.

The Political Theater Behind the State of the Union Data Privacy Push

Biden’s speech calling for better data protections got a standing ovation from both sides of the aisle. So, where’s a federal privacy law?

How the US Can Stop Data Brokers' Worst Practices—Right Now

Legal experts say a key law should already prevent brokers from collecting and selling data that’s weaponized against vulnerable people.

Biden’s SOTU: Data Privacy Is Now a Must-Hit US State of the Union Topic

Biden’s speech proves that protecting personal info is no longer a fringe issue. Now, Congress just needs to do something about it.

Inside Safe City, Moscow’s AI Surveillance Dystopia

Moscow promised residents lower crime rates through an expansive smart city project. Then Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

Googling for Software Downloads Is Extra Risky Right Now

Plus: The FTC cracks down on GoodRx, Microsoft boots “verified” phishing scammers, researchers disclose EV charger vulnerabilities, and more.

A Link to News Site Meduza Can (Technically) Land You in Russian Prison

Plus: Hive ransomware gang gets knocked offline, FBI confirms North Korea stole $100 million, and more.

ADS-B Exchange, the Flight Tracker That Powered @ElonJet, Sold to Jetnet

ADS-B Exchange, beloved for resisting censorship, was sold to a company owned by private equity—and now even its biggest fans are bailing.

Flaw in Diksha App Exposed the Data of Millions of Indian Students

A mandatory app exposed the personal information of students and teachers across the country for over a year.

How to Encrypt any File, Folder, or Drive on Your System

Trust us, it’s safer this way.

The Biggest US Surveillance Program You Didn’t Know About

Plus: A leaked US “no fly” list, the SCOTUS leaker slips investigators, and PayPal gets stuffed.

Spy Cams Reveal the Grim Reality of Slaughterhouse Gas Chambers

Animal rights activists have captured the first hidden-camera video from inside a carbon dioxide “stunning chamber” in a US meatpacking plant.

All the Data Apple Collects About You—and How to Limit It

Cupertino puts privacy first in a lot of its products. But the company still gathers a bunch of your information.

Russian Ransomware Gang Attack Destabilizes UK Royal Mail

Plus: Joe Biden’s classified-documents scandal, the end of security support for Windows 7, and more.

In the Fight Against Scams, ‘Cyber Ambassadors’ Enter the Chat

Police in the Indian state of Telangana have found a novel way to help people avoid getting swindled online: grassroots education.

A Police App Exposed Secret Details About Raids and Suspects

SweepWizard, an app that law enforcement used to coordinate raids, left sensitive information about hundreds of police operations publicly accessible.

Slack Discloses Breach of Its Github Code Repository

Plus: Russian spies uncovered in Europe, face recognition leads to another wrongful arrest, a new porn ID law, and more.

Twitter Data Leak: What the Exposure of 200 Million User Emails Means for You

The exposure of hundreds of millions of email addresses puts pseudonymous users of the social network at risk.

WhatsApp Launches a Proxy Tool to Fight Internet Censorship

Amid internet shutdowns in Iran, the encrypted messaging app is introducing proxy connections that can help people get online.

The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2022

From SBF to the GRU, these were the most disruptive forces of online chaos this year.

Everyone Is Using Google Photos Wrong

Ever-expanding cloud storage presents more risks than you might think.

Russians Hacked JFK Airport Taxi Dispatch in Line-Skipping Scheme

Plus: An offensive US hacking operation, swatters hacking Ring cameras, a Netflix password-sharing crackdown, and more.

Elon Musk and the Dangers of Censoring Real-Time Flight Trackers

Elon Musk claims plane-tracking data is a risky privacy violation. But the world loses a lot if this information disappears—and that's already happening.

Lensa AI and ‘Magic Avatars’: What to Know Before Using the App

Are you thinking about uploading some selfies and buying a pack of ‘Magic Avatars’? Consider these expert tips first.

Apple Kills Its Plan to Scan Your Photos for CSAM. Here’s What’s Next

The company plans to expand its Communication Safety features, which aim to disrupt the sharing of child sexual abuse material at the source.

Apple Expands End-to-End Encryption to iCloud Backups

The company will also soon support the use of physical authentication keys with Apple ID, and is adding contact verification for iMessage in 2023.

The Dangerous Digital Creep of Britain's ‘Hostile Environment’

The UK's use of technology to enforce its hard-line immigration policy brings the border into every facet of migrants' lives.

China’s Police State Targets Zero-Covid Protesters

Plus: ICE accidentally doxes asylum seekers, Google fails to uphold a post-Roe promise, and LastPass suffers the second breach this year.

Google Moves to Block Invasive Spanish Spyware Framework

The Heliconia hacking tool exploited vulnerabilities in Chrome, Windows Defender, and Firefox, according to company security researchers.

Apple Tracks You More Than You Think

Plus: WikiLeaks’ website is falling apart, tax websites are sending your data to Facebook, and cops take down a big phone-number-spoofing operation.

Redacted Documents Are Not as Secure as You Think

Popular redaction tools don’t always work as promised, and new attacks can reveal hidden information, researchers say.

A Leak Details Apple's Secret Dirt on Corellium, a Trusted Security Startup

A 500-page document reviewed by WIRED shows that Corellium engaged with several controversial companies, including spyware maker NSO Group.

A Destabilizing Hack-and-Leak Operation Hits Moldova

Plus: Google’s location snooping ends in a $391 million settlement, Russian code sneaks into US government apps, and the World Cup apps set off alarms.

Telehealth Sites Put Addiction Patient Data at Risk

New research found pervasive use of tracking tech on substance-abuse-focused health care websites, potentially endangering users in a post-Roe world.

Inside the ‘Election Integrity App’ Built to Purge US Voter Rolls

True the Vote’s IV3 app is meant to catch election cheaters. But it has a fundamental flaw.

The Secret Ballot Is US Democracy’s Last Line of Defense

Voter intimidation has cropped up in places across the nation, but the voting booth remains the one place where nobody can get to you.

TikTok Admits Staff in China Can Access Europeans’ Data

Plus: Liz Truss’ phone-hacking trouble, Cash App’s sex-trafficking problem, and the rising cost of ransomware.

Soccer Fans, You're Being Watched

Stadiums around the world, including at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, are subjecting spectators to invasive biometric surveillance tech.

When Your Neighbor Turns You In

Authoritarian societies depend on people ratting each other out for activities that were recently legal—and it's already happening in the US.

China Operates Secret ‘Police Stations’ in Other Countries

Plus: The New York Post gets hacked, a huge stalkerware network is exposed, and the US claims China interfered with its Huawei probe.

If Musk Starts Firing Twitter's Security Team, Run

What's next for the social network is anyone's guess—but here's what to watch as you wade through the privacy and security morass.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Bails on Starlink Funding for Ukraine

Plus: Hackers hit the Mormon Church, Signal plans to ditch SMS for Android, and a Fat Bear election erupts in scandal.

Celsius Exchange Data Dump Is a Gift to Crypto Sleuths—and Thieves

By releasing half a million users’ transactions in a bankruptcy court filing, the company has opened a vast breach in its users’ financial privacy.

Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Pack New Android VPN and Tensor G2, Titan M2 Chips

The company says it hardened the security of its new flagship phones—and plans to release a built-in Android VPN.

How to Protect Yourself If Your School Uses Surveillance Tech

Colleges and K-12 campuses increasingly monitor student emails, social media, and more. Here’s how to secure your (or your child’s) privacy.