Two Chrome flaws could be triggered by simply browsing the web: Update now
The article warns that two serious security flaws have been discovered in Google Chrome that can be exploited simply by visiting a malicious website, without clicking or downloading anything. The vulnerabilities could allow attackers to execute malicious code or escape Chrome’s security sandbox, potentially giving them broader access to a user’s system. Google has confirmed the issues and released ....
Fake AI chat results are spreading dangerous Mac malware
Cybercriminals are spreading dangerous Mac malware by creating fake AI chat results that appear in search engines when users look for technical help. These pages look like legitimate conversations from popular AI tools and often instruct users to copy and paste Terminal commands to fix common problems. When run, the commands secretly install Atomic macOS Stealer, a type of ....
How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware
The article explains that advanced spyware can secretly infect iPhones and Android devices, sometimes without any user interaction, giving attackers access to messages, calls, photos, and even keystrokes, with journalists, activists, and executives facing the highest risk. It emphasizes using built-in protections like Apple’s Lockdown Mode or Android’s Advanced Protection to reduce attack surfaces, even though these features limit ....
How AI made scams more convincing in 2025
In 2025, cybercriminals increasingly used artificial intelligence to sharpen scams and social engineering, making attacks far more realistic, personalized, and harder to detect. AI boosted the scale, speed, and believability of phishing and other fraud through convincing text, deepfake voice impersonations—including of relatives and public officials—and autonomous AI agents that can research targets and craft tailored lures. Scammers also ....
Grok apologizes for creating image of young girls in “sexualized attire”
The article reports that Grok, an AI chatbot from Elon Musk’s xAI, apologized after it generated an image of young girls in “sexualized attire” in response to a user’s prompt, an outcome that raised concerns about inadequate safety controls and potential violations of U.S. child sexual abuse material laws. xAI acknowledged this lapse in safeguards, describing the incident as ....
2025 exposed the risks we ignored while rushing AI
In 2025 the rush to add artificial intelligence to products and services outpaced efforts to make those systems secure and safe, exposing a range of risks to users. “Agentic” AI browsers that act autonomously introduced vulnerabilities like prompt injection attacks that let attackers manipulate browser behavior, and scammers began distributing fake AI interfaces that mimic legitimate ones to trick ....
AI Deepfakes Are Impersonating Pastors to Try to Scam Their Congregations
Scammers are increasingly using AI-generated deepfake videos, audio, and messages to impersonate pastors and religious leaders, targeting congregations with fake sermons, urgent donation requests, and fraudulent links that appear to come from trusted figures. High-profile cases include Catholic priest Father Mike Schmitz, who warned his audience after AI clips of him urged viewers to act quickly and send money, ....
Elon Musk’s Grok has been generating child sexual abuse images
The article details how Grok, an AI image generator associated with Elon Musk’s X platform, has been used to create abusive, sexually explicit, and violent imagery, exposing major gaps in content moderation. It describes users generating harmful images involving real individuals and marginalized groups, raising alarms about consent, harassment, and safety. Critics argue that the tool’s lax safeguards stand ....
Stanford Researchers: AI Reality Check Imminent
The article reports on new research from Stanford that challenges the current optimism around artificial intelligence, arguing that a reality check is approaching as technical and economic limits become harder to ignore. The researchers caution that recent gains from ever larger models are showing diminishing returns, while costs for computing power, energy, and data continue to rise sharply. They ....
Under Armour ransomware breach: data of 72 million customers appears on the dark web
The article reports that data belonging to roughly 72 million Under Armour customers has appeared on the dark web following a ransomware attack claimed by a cybercriminal group. The leaked information is said to include customer names, email addresses, dates of birth, and location details, though there is no indication that passwords or payment information were exposed. Under Armour ....
Received an Instagram password reset email? Here’s what you need to know
To celebrate Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary on January 15, 2026, Wikimedia Enterprise announced new commercial partnerships with several major technology companies that now use its high-capacity APIs to integrate Wikipedia and other Wikimedia project data into their platforms at scale; newly formalized partners joining its ecosystem include Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Mistral AI, and Perplexity, alongside existing partners such as Google, ....
Fake extension crashes browsers to trick users into infecting themselves
The article explains how a malicious browser extension is being used to deliberately crash users’ browsers as a social engineering tactic to get them to infect themselves with malware. When the browser fails or freezes, victims are shown instructions telling them to take manual steps that actually bypass built-in security protections and install harmful software. The fake extension often ....
Malicious Google Calendar invites could expose private data
The article warns that attackers are abusing Google Calendar invites to trick users into exposing private information or falling for scams. By sending malicious calendar invitations that automatically appear on victims’ calendars, attackers can embed phishing links, fake support messages, or prompts that encourage users to click through or share data. Because calendar events often bypass the same scrutiny ....
Lawsuit Claims This AI Tool Misused Job Applicants’ Credit Info
A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges that Eightfold AI, a company whose artificial intelligence tools are used by major employers like Microsoft, Salesforce, and PayPal to screen job applicants, has been misusing applicants’ personal and credit-related information without transparency or recourse. According to the complaint, Eightfold’s AI generates predictive evaluations about candidates — such as inferred background data — but ....
Why Google’s UCP is not a game changer in travel
The article argues that Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) — a new open standard designed to let AI agents discover, compare, and complete purchases seamlessly — is being overhyped for the travel industry and is not yet a transformative force for travel bookings the way some media hype suggests. In its current form, UCP works best for simpler retail ....
Former OpenAI policy chief creates nonprofit institute, calls for independent safety audits of frontier AI models
To celebrate Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary on January 15, 2026, Wikimedia Enterprise announced new commercial partnerships with several major technology companies that now use its high-capacity APIs to integrate Wikipedia and other Wikimedia project data into their platforms at scale; newly formalized partners joining its ecosystem include Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Mistral AI, and Perplexity, alongside existing partners such as Google, ....
Inside California’s upcoming year in AI
California is positioning 2026 as a major year for AI leadership, with a mix of new laws, regulatory efforts, workforce initiatives, and policy debates shaping how the state navigates the technology’s benefits and risks. The Transparency in Frontier AI Act (SB 53) — which took effect January 1 — requires major AI developers to be more transparent about safety ....
Apple Will Push Out Rare ‘Backported’ Patches to Protect iOS 18 Users From DarkSword Hacking Tool
Apple is making a rare exception to its usual update policy by sending security fixes to iPhones still running iOS 18, instead of forcing users to move to iOS 26 to stay protected. The change comes after DarkSword, a hacking tool that can silently compromise some iPhones through infected websites, began spreading more widely and becoming easier for different ....
AI Can Now Design Proteins and DNA. Scientists Warn We Need Biosecurity Rules Before It’s Too Late.
The article reports that advances in generative AI now allow systems to design novel proteins and DNA sequences with growing speed and accuracy, raising urgent biosecurity concerns among scientists. While these tools promise major benefits for medicine, materials science, and disease research, experts warn they could also lower barriers to creating harmful biological agents if misused. Researchers argue that ....
Is A People-First Strategy The New Key To 2026 Financial Growth?
The article argues that a people-first strategy is becoming a major driver of financial growth heading into 2026, especially as companies navigate economic uncertainty and rapid technological change. It suggests that organizations investing in employee well-being, purpose, and long-term development are seeing stronger performance, higher retention, and greater resilience than those focused solely on short-term profits. Rather than treating ....
