The security & privacy stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Shopify's Fall '26 update lets store owners approve what AI assistants say about their business, and adds fraud tools and new ways for customers to pay.
Read more: Shopify adds fraud tools, new payment options and AI shopping helpAttackers are using a perfect-score flaw in Node-RED, a tool common in factories, to install a Linux bot. Exposed systems need a check today.
Read more: Hackers exploit a top-severity flaw in a factory automation toolA local sheriff's office is warning families of jail inmates about scam calls that push them to send money fast. Checking with the jail first is the safest move.
Read more: Sheriff's office warns inmate families about scam phone callsWhatsApp is reportedly testing its own cloud for chat backups, with 2GB free and mandatory encryption, which could mean less reliance on Google or Apple.
Read more: WhatsApp Tests Its Own Cloud Storage for Chat BackupsThe UK's cyber agency says AI-built malware will 'highly likely' hit a hospital, airport or power plant by 2028, and old unpatched software is the easy way in.
Read more: UK cyber agency expects AI-built malware to hit hospitals and power plants by 2028A hacker got into a Connecticut Medicaid payment account, exposing billing and insurance details for about 41,000 people. Social Security numbers were not included.
Read more: 41,000 Connecticut Medicaid Patients Had Billing Details ExposedPolice in Crawley are looking into a fraud report in which someone posing as a detective got jewellery. Here is why it matters and how to protect yourself.
Read more: Police probe report of fake detective getting jewellery in CrawleyMercado Bitcoin paused deposits and withdrawals after a breach Arkham puts at $46.4 million. Customers who keep crypto on exchanges should take note.
Read more: Brazil's biggest crypto exchange freezes withdrawals after a breachGoogle's November 2026 system notes mention photo backup from Android with Quick Share for Windows, but the notes may not mean it has reached your phone yet.
Read more: Google lists phone photo backup to Windows in November updateScammers posing as Merseyside Police made calls that showed the force's real switchboard number. A familiar number on your screen is no proof of who is calling.
Read more: Scam callers fake police number to pose as officersAbrigo took its Sageworks loan software offline after suspicious activity. If your bank uses it, here is what is known and what to watch for.
Read more: Software used by 2,400 U.S. banks goes dark after suspicious activityThe FBI says North Korean hackers stole a record $6.43 billion from Binance. The same weekly roundup lists dozens of software flaws to patch.
Read more: North Korea behind record $6.43 billion crypto theft from BinanceThe Better Business Bureau expects more political scams as Election Day nears, with fake campaigns and charities going after your money and personal details.
Read more: Better Business Bureau warns of more political scams before Election DayA researcher showed that a booby-trapped text can knock out an Android phone's cellular service. Google's October update fixes it, but older phones may be left out.
Read more: A single text message can crash some Android phonesA Southern California police department says scammers can fake a local number on your phone, so a caller who looks official may not be real.
Read more: Police warn: scam calls can fake the number of your local policeSouth Africa's new National Opt-Out Registry is free and aims to stop unwanted sales calls, texts and emails, but sign-up may not be fully open yet.
Read more: South Africa launches free registry to stop unwanted sales callsGoogle says Videostrong built a hidden backdoor into its Android TV boxes on purpose. The takedown hit 1.3 million devices, and owners cannot fix the boxes themselves.
Read more: Google says a TV box maker sold criminals access to 1.3 million devicesA new leak says the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra will get a brighter Privacy Display that blocks side views, but the cheaper S27 models will not.
Read more: Samsung's next top phones may get a brighter screen that blocks side viewsVigilo, a Toronto startup, screens an older relative's calls, texts and email for scams in the background, and it is now available in Canada and the US.
Read more: New service screens scam calls, texts and emails for aging parentsGermany says officials who got an Apple threat notice should assume their iPhones are compromised, a warning that applies to any user who sees one.
Read more: Germany tells politicians to treat their iPhones as hackedThe Better Business Bureau says scammers are posing as insurers during open enrollment, when families and business owners are choosing health plans.
Read more: Better Business Bureau warns of health insurance scams this seasonThe FTC is asking people to report fake ads that copy trusted brands and agencies, because one wrong click can cost you money or personal details.
Read more: The FTC wants to hear about fake ads pretending to be real brandsAT&T lost call and text records for 109 million customers in 2024, and carriers can keep such records for years. Here is what that means for you.
Read more: Your phone carrier may keep your call records for yearsAARP warns that robocall scammers can fake caller ID, so a local or familiar number is no proof a call is safe. Letting unknown numbers ring protects your money.
Read more: Robocalls can be scams, and a familiar number does not mean it's safe
