The Low-Stakes Race to Crack an Encrypted German U-Boat Message
A ramshackle team of American scientists scrambled to decode the Nazi cipher before the time ran out. Luckily, they had a secret weapon.
Security / National Security
This Tool Lets Hackers Dox Almost Anyone in the US
The US Secret Service’s relationship with the Oath Keepers gets revealed, Tornado Cash cofounders get indicted, and a UK court says a teen is behind a Lapsus$ hacking spree.
Donald Trump’s Mug Shot Matters in a World of Fakes
The first booking photo of a US president stands out among a sea of photoshops and AI-generated images online.
Trump’s Prosecution Is America’s Last Hope
Social norms—not laws—are the underlying fabric of democracy. The Georgia indictment against Donald Trump is the last remaining tool left to repair that which he’s torn apart.
The Last Hour Before Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Plane Crash
Russia tightly controls its information space—making it hard to get accurate information out of the country. But open source data provides some clues about the crash.
How X Is Suing Its Way Out of Accountability
The social media giant filed a lawsuit against a nonprofit that researches hate speech online. It’s the latest effort to cut off the data needed to expose online platforms’ failings.
The Mystery of Chernobyl’s Post-Invasion Radiation Spikes
Soon after Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, sensors in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone reported radiation spikes. A researcher now believes he’s found evidence the data was manipulated.
How AI May Be Used to Create Custom Disinformation Ahead of 2024
Generative AI won’t just flood the internet with more lies—it may also create convincing disinformation that’s targeted at groups or even individuals.
The NSA Is Lobbying Congress to Save a Phone Surveillance ‘Loophole’
The National Security Agency has urged top lawmakers to resist demands that it obtain warrants for sensitive data sold by data brokers.
China’s Breach of Microsoft Cloud Email May Expose Deeper Problems
Plus: Microsoft expands access to premium security features, AI child sexual abuse material is on the rise, and Netflix’s password crackdown has its intended effect.