Ransomware Payments Hit a Record $1.1 Billion in 2023
After a slowdown in payments to ransomware gangs in 2022, last year saw total ransom payouts jump to their highest level yet, according to a new report from crypto-tracing firm Chainalysis.
Security / Cyberattacks and Hacks
What It’s Like to Use Apple’s Lockdown Mode
If you’re at high risk of being targeted by mercenary spyware, or just don’t mind losing iOS features for extra security, the company’s restricted mode is surprisingly usable.
Google Fixes Nearly 100 Android Security Issues
Plus: Apple shuts down a Flipper Zero Attack, Microsoft patches more than 30 vulnerabilities, and more critical updates for the last month of 2023.
The Worst Hacks of 2023
It was a year of devastating cyberattacks around the globe, from ransomware attacks on casinos to state-sponsored breaches of critical infrastructure.
The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2023
From Sam Altman and Elon Musk to ransomware gangs and state-backed hackers, these are the individuals and groups that spent this year disrupting the world we know it.
Facebook Marketplace Is Being Ruined by Zelle Scammers
I tried to sell a futon on Facebook Marketplace and nearly all I got were scammers.
A Major Ransomware Takedown Suffers a Strange Setback
After an 18-month rampage, global law enforcement finally moved against the notorious Alphv/BlackCat ransomware group. Within hours, the operation faced obstacles.
Google Just Denied Cops a Key Surveillance Tool
Plus: Apple tightens anti-theft protections, Chinese hackers penetrate US critical infrastructure, and the long-running rumor of eavesdropping phones crystallizes into more than an urban legend.
McDonald’s Ice Cream Machine Hackers Say They Found the ‘Smoking Gun’ That Killed Their Startup
Kytch, the company that tried to fix McDonald’s broken ice cream machines, has unearthed a 3-year-old email it says proves claims of an alleged plot to undermine their business.
Microsoft’s Digital Crime Unit Goes Deep on How It Disrupts Cybercrime
Ten years in, Microsoft’s DCU has honed its strategy of using both unique legal tactics and the company’s technical reach to disrupt global cybercrime and state-backed actors.