Twitter’s Encrypted DMs Are Deeply Inferior to Signal and WhatsApp

The social network’s new privacy feature is technically flawed, opt-in, and limited in its functionality. All this for just $8 a month.

How to Reclaim Your Online Privacy

We talk to the Signal Foundation’s Meredith Whittaker about how the surveillance economy is newer than we all might realize—and what we can do to fight back.

How To Delete Your Data From ChatGPT

OpenAI has new tools that give you more control over your information—although they may not go far enough.

SafeGraph Lands US Air Force Contract After Targeting Abortion Clinics

Documents obtained by WIRED show SafeGraph, which sold location data related to Planned Parenthood visits, is now pursuing contracts with the US Air Force.

Your Twitter Feed Sucks Now. These Free Add-Ons Can Help

A  few simple tools can help filter out most Twitter Blue users (but still see the ones you like).

Russian ‘Ghost Ships’ Identified Near the Nord Stream Blasts

Plus: Apple and Google plan to stop AirTag stalking, Meta violated the FTC’s privacy order, and how to tell if your car is tracking you.

Google Is Rolling Out Passkeys, the Password-Killing Tech, to All Accounts

The tech industry’s transition to passkeys gets its first massive boost with the launch of the alternative login scheme for Google’s billions of users.

American College of Pediatricians Leak Exposes 10,000 Confidential Files

A Google Drive left public on the American College of Pediatricians’ website exposed detailed financial records, sensitive member details, and more.

Cops Just Revealed a Record-Breaking Dark Web Dragnet

Operation SpecTor likely drew on leads from multiple dark web market busts, including the secret takedown of Monopoly Market in 2021.

A US Bill Would Ban Kids Under 13 From Joining Social Media

The legislation would insert the government into online platforms’ age-verification efforts—a move that makes some US lawmakers queasy.

Google’s Authenticator App Now Lets You Sync 2FA Codes Across Devices

You can now sync sign-in codes across devices—but they aren’t end-to-end encrypted.

Criminals Are Using Tiny Devices to Hack and Steal Cars

Apple thwarts NSO’s spyware, the rise of a GPT-4 black market, Russia targets Starlink internet connections, and more.

How ChatGPT—and Bots Like It—Can Spread Malware

Generative AI is a tool, which means it can be used by cybercriminals, too. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Used Routers Often Come Loaded With Corporate Secrets

More than half of the enterprise routers researchers bought secondhand hadn’t been wiped, exposing sensitive info like login credentials and customer data.

ICE Records Reveal How Agents Abuse Access to Secret Data

Documents obtained by WIRED detail hundreds of investigations by the US agency into alleged database misuse that includes harassment, stalking, and more.

Security Roundup: Leak of Top-Secret US Intel Risks a New Wave of Mass Surveillance

Plus: Hackers claim to have stolen 10 TB from Western Digital, a new spyware has emerged, and WhatsApp gets a fresh security feature.

How to Use Apple’s New All-In-One Password Manager

Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac now have a built-in password feature, complete with two-factor authentication.

Pinduoduo, a Top Chinese Shopping App, Is Laced With Malware

Plus: 119 arrested during a sting on the Genesis dark-web market, the IRS aims to buy an online mass surveillance tool, and more.

Free VPN Amnezia Helps Users Avoid Censorship in Russia

Amnezia, a free virtual private network, allows users to set up their own servers, making it harder for Moscow to block this portal to the outside world.

ChatGPT Has a Big Privacy Problem

Italy’s recent ban of Open AI’s generative text tool may just be the beginning of ChatGPT's regulatory woes.

ICE Is Grabbing Data From Schools and Abortion Clinics

An agency database WIRED obtained reveals widespread use of so-called 1509 summonses that experts say raises the specter of potential abuse.

Mullvad VPN and Tor Project Create New Privacy-Focused Mullvad Browser

Mullvad Browser, a collaboration between the nonprofit and Mullvad VPN, offers an anti-tracking browser designed to be used with a VPN.

‘Vulkan’ Leak Offers a Peek at Russia’s Cyberwar Playbook

Plus: A major new supply chain attack, Biden’s spyware executive order, and a hacking campaign against Exxon’s critics.

Porn ID Laws: Your State or Country May Soon Require Age Verification

An increasing number of states are passing age-verification laws. It’s not clear how they’ll work.

How Good Smile, a Major Toy Company, Kept 4chan Online

Documents obtained by WIRED confirm that Good Smile, which licenses toy production for Disney, was an investor in the controversial image board.

They Posted Porn on Twitter. German Authorities Called the Cops

Regulators are using an AI system to scan websites and messaging apps to find pornography. Creators face fines and potential prison sentences.

The TikTok Hearing Revealed That Congress Is the Problem

The interrogation of CEO Shou Zi Chew highlighted US lawmakers’ own failure to pass privacy legislation.

Bug in Google Markup, Windows Photo-Cropping Tools Exposes Removed Image Data

Image-editing tools from Google and Microsoft contain the “aCropalypse” bug, which can reveal information users intentionally removed.

I Got Investigated by the Secret Service. Here's How to Not Be Me

Don't drink and tweet.

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.