What Do Those Pesky 'Cookie Preferences' Pop-Ups Really Mean?

We asked the engineer who invented cookies what they mean and how to handle them.

DuckDuckGo Isn’t as Private as You Think

Plus: A $150 million Twitter fine, a massive leak from a Chinese prison in Xinjiang, and an ISIS plot to assassinate George W. Bush.

You Need to Update iOS, Chrome, Windows, and Zoom ASAP

Plus: Google patches 36 Android vulnerabilities, Cisco fixes three high-severity issues, and VMWare closes two “serious” flaws.

The Race to Hide Your Voice

Voice recognition—and data collection—have boomed in recent years. Researchers are figuring out how to protect your privacy.

The Fight Against Robocall Spam and Scams Heats Up in India

A new proposal by India's telecom regulator aims to make accurate caller ID mandatory, but critics say it may be fundamentally flawed.

Your Tim Hortons Coffee App Knew Where You Were at All Times

The Canada-based company illegally collected “vast amounts of location data,” such as every time a person entered or left their home, workplace, or another coffee shop.

Google May Owe You a Chunk of $100 Million

Plus: The US admits to cyber operations supporting Ukraine, SCOTUS investigates its own, and a Michael Flynn surveillance mystery is solved.

AlphaBay Is Taking Over the Dark Web—Again

Five years after it was torn offline, the resurrected dark web marketplace is clawing its way back to the top of the online underworld.

Period-Tracking and Fertility Apps Can Put Women Seeking Abortions at Risk

Apps collect sensitive data that could be subpoenaed by law enforcement or sold by data brokers.

A Long-Awaited Defense Against Data Leaks May Have Just Arrived

MongoDB claims its new “Queryable Encryption” lets users search their databases while sensitive data stays encrypted. Oh, and its cryptography is open source.

How a Saxophonist Tricked the KGB by Encrypting Secrets in Music

Using a custom encryption scheme within music notation, Merryl Goldberg and three other US musicians slipped information to Soviet performers and activists known as the Phantom Orchestra.

The Tricky Business of Elon Musk Getting Twitter Fire-Hose Access

Twitter has reportedly given the billionaire access to its full stream of tweets and related user data. Is your privacy in jeopardy?

Shanghai’s Censors Can’t Hide Stories of the Dead

Many people reportedly died after struggling to access medical care during a brutal lockdown. The families want to make sure these deaths are counted.

Cops Will Be Able to Scan Your Fingerprints With a Phone

Contactless fingerprinting uses a smartphone camera to capture your prints—and opens up a whole new set of privacy concerns.

Brave Now Lets You Customize Search Results—for Better or Worse

The privacy-focused company's new Goggles tool allows users to weed out the noise—whatever that might mean.

Parents Need to Know What’s Going On Inside Their Day Care Apps

After months of digging into privacy and security issues around these apps, I have some serious concerns.

How to Move Your WhatsApp Chats Across Devices and Apps

It's never been easier to switch between iPhone and Android—and to get your messages out of the Meta ecosystem entirely.

The Post-Roe Privacy Nightmare Has Arrived

Plus: Microsoft details Russia’s Ukraine hacking campaign, Meta’s election integrity efforts dwindle, and more.

‘Supercookies’ Have Privacy Experts Sounding the Alarm

A German ad-tech trial features what Vodafone calls “digital tokens.” Should you be worried?

Is Your New Car a Threat to National Security?

Putting sensor-packed Chinese cars on Western roads could be a privacy issue. Just ask Tesla.

The Worst Hacks and Breaches of 2022 So Far

From cryptocurrency thefts to intrusions into telecom giants, state-backed attackers have had a field day in the year’s first half.

End-to-End Encryption's Central Role in Modern Self-Defense

With abortion set to be criminalized in more than half the US, encryption has never been more important for protection—and civil disobedience.

Apple’s Lockdown Mode Aims to Counter Spyware Threats

Starting with iOS 16, people who are at risk of being targeted with spyware will have some much-needed help.

The Danger of License Plate Readers in Post-Roe America

Known as ALPRs, this surveillance tech is pervasive across the US—and could soon be used by police and anti-abortion groups alike.

A Privacy Panic Flares Up in India After Police Pull Payment Data

Nonprofit donors had their information given to law enforcement without consent, highlighting limited data protections in the world’s largest democracy.

A New Attack Can Unmask Anonymous Users on Any Major Browser

Researchers have found a way to use the web's basic functions to identify who visits a site—without the user detecting the hack.

Amazon Handed Ring Videos to Cops Without Warrants

Plus: A wild Indian cricket scam, an elite CIA hacker is found guilty of passing secrets to WikiLeaks, and more of the week's top security news.

The Most Popular Period-Tracking Apps, Ranked by Data Privacy

Under increased scrutiny, certain period-tracking apps are seeing a surge of new users. Which are as safe as they claim to be?

The DHS Bought a ‘Shocking Amount’ of Phone-Tracking Data

The ACLU released a trove of documents showing how Homeland Security contracted with surveillance companies to scour location information.

Congress Might Pass an Actually Good Privacy Bill

A bill with bipartisan support might finally give the US a strong federal data protection law.

How to Safely Lend Someone Else Your Phone

The next time someone wants to borrow your device to make a call or take a picture, take these steps to protect your privacy.

Interstate Travel Post-Roe Isn’t as Secure as You May Think

Despite the DOJ vowing to protect people's ability to travel out of state for abortion care, legal experts warn not to take that freedom for granted.

Russia Is Quietly Ramping Up Its Internet Censorship Machine

Since Vladimir Putin blocked Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in March, Russia has been pushing away from the global internet at a rapid pace.

All the Data Amazon's Ring Cameras Collect About You

The popular security devices are tracking (and sharing) more than you might think.

The US Emergency Alert System Has Dangerous Flaws

Plus: A crypto-heist extravaganza, a peek at an NSO spyware dashboard, and more.

How to Use Lockdown Mode in iOS 16 to Make Your Phone More Secure

Whether you want to turn off link previews or block unwanted FaceTime calls, here's what you need to know.

A Phone Carrier That Doesn’t Track Your Browsing or Location

The new Pretty Good Phone Privacy service for Android hides the data linking you to your mobile device.

Will Europe Force a Facebook Blackout?

Regulators are close to stopping Meta from sending EU data to the US, bringing a years-long privacy battle to a head.

Meta Just Happens to Expand Messenger’s End-to-End Encryption

The company says an expansion of privacy features in Messenger is unrelated to a high-profile Nebraska abortion case.

This Anti-Tracking Tool Checks If You’re Being Followed

The Raspberry Pi-powered device can scan for phones around you. If it keeps spotting the same one, it’ll send you an alert.

How to Create a Secure Folder on Your Phone

Keep private photos, videos, and documents away from prying eyes.

The Android 13 Privacy Settings You Should Update Now

Google’s new mobile operating system has arrived. Take back some control with these privacy and security tips.

The Family That Mined the Pentagon's Data for Profit

The Freedom of Information Act helps Americans learn what the government is up to. The Poseys exploited it—and became unlikely defenders of transparency.

iOS Can Stop VPNs From Working as Expected—and Expose Your Data

A security researcher claims that Apple mobile devices keep connections open if they are created before a VPN is activated.

Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation’ Can Crash Old Hard Drives

Plus: The Twilio hack snags a reporter, a new tool to check for spyware, and the Canadian weed pipeline gets hit by a cyberattack.

The Low Threshold for Face Recognition in New Delhi

Police in India's capital say they only require an 80 percent accuracy rate for matches, raising new alarm bells for civil liberty advocates.

The Privacy Flaw Threatening US Democracy

Without robust federal protections, the country's widespread mass surveillance systems could be used against citizens like never before.

Scans of Students’ Homes During Tests Are Deemed Unconstitutional

An Ohio judge ruled that such surveillance to prevent cheating could form a slippery slope to more illegal searches.

You’re Not Stringer Bell, but You May Still Need a Burner Phone

Prepaid phones are looking good as privacy worries peak.

Careless Errors in Hundreds of Apps Could Expose Troves of Data

Researchers found that mobile applications contain keys that could provide access to both user information and private files from unconnected apps.

The US May Soon Learn What a ‘Kid-Friendly’ Internet Looks Like

The California Age-Appropriate Design Code would launch a huge online privacy experiment. And it won’t just affect children.

Police Across US Bypass Warrants With Mass Location-Tracking Tool

Plus: An unsecured database exposed face recognition data in China, ‘Cuba’ ransomware knocks out Montenegro, and more.

It’s Time to Get Real About TikTok’s Risks

US lawmakers keep warning about the popular app. But until they can explain what makes it uniquely dangerous, it’s difficult to tailor a resolution.

Apple’s Killing the Password. Here’s Everything You Need to Know

With iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, Apple is introducing passkeys—a more convenient and secure alternative to passwords.

This Clever Anti-Censorship Tool Lets Russians Read Blocked News

Samizdat Online syndicates banned news sites by hosting them on uncensored domains—allowing people to access independent reporting.

iOS 16 Has 2 New Security Features for Worst-Case Scenarios

Safety Check and Lockdown Mode give people in vulnerable situations ways to quarantine themselves from acute risks.

How Whistleblowers Navigate a Security Minefield

Exposing wrongdoing is risky on the best of days. Whistleblower Aid cofounder John Tye explains the extensive steps needed to keep people safe.

The Twitter Whistleblower’s Testimony Has Senators Out for Blood

Peiter “Mudge” Zatko’s allegations about the social media platform renewed a sense of urgency for lawmakers to rein in Big Tech.

The Shaky Future of a Post-Roe Federal Privacy Law

The American Data Privacy and Protection Act could protect people across the country. But first, it has to get past Nancy Pelosi.

US Border Agents May Have a Copy of Your Text Messages

Plus: An AI artist exposes surveillance of Instagram users, the US charges Iranians over a ransomware campaign, and more.