NSA Is Buying Your Browser History, Says U.S. Senator

The National Security Agency (NSA) is purchasing Americans’ internet records, according to government documents made public on Friday. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, wrote a letter claiming the NSA goes through backchannel avenues to purchase your browsing records and location data, which government agencies typically require a search warrant to obtain. Alex … Read more

The Pentagon Tried to Hide That It Bought Americans’ Data Without a Warrant

United States officials fought to conceal details of arrangements between US spy agencies and private companies tracking the whereabouts of Americans via their cell phones. Obtaining location data from US phones normally requires a warrant, but police and intelligence agencies routinely pay companies instead for the data, effectively circumventing the courts. Ron Wyden, the US … Read more

Ring Will Stop Giving Cops a Free Pass on Warrantless Video Requests

Reached for comment, Markey’s office directed WIRED to the senator’s statement posted to X, in which he called the shuttering of the RFA tool “good.” “I’ve been sounding the alarm for years on Amazon Ring’s privacy and security failures,” Markey added. “We cannot allow Americans’ home security systems to become surveillance tools for law enforcement. … Read more

Amazon’s Ring App Will No Longer Make It Easy for Cops to Get Video Footage

Ring, Amazon’s home surveillance company, will stop letting police departments request video footage directly from users in its app, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday. However, that doesn’t change the massive amount of footage the company, itself, shares with law enforcement. Ring has historically shared tons of footage with cops, and Amazon … Read more

King Charles announced news of his surgery to protect Kate Middleton’s ‘privacy’

King Charles’ surgery announcement was made just an hour after it was revealed that Kate Middleton is in hospital King Charles announced news of his surgery to protect Kate Middleton’s ‘privacy’ King Charles made the announcement of his prostate surgery within two hours of Kesington Palace unveiling the news of Kate Middleton’s hospitalization to protect … Read more

7 Slack privacy settings you should check right now

It’s a “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge,” and we’re just living in it. Slack knows all your secrets. Your trash talking DMs, your business plans made with the boss, numerous untold corporate musings — they all fill the San Francisco-based company’s servers, waiting to be viewed by a nosey CEO, a skilled hacker, … Read more

How to find a hidden camera in a hotel room or house? We tested 5 ways

Hidden cameras are being found in hotel rooms, house rentals, cruise ships, and even airplane bathrooms, leaving many travelers to wonder: “Could a hidden camera be watching me?” Spycams, as they’re called, are getting smaller, harder to find and easier to buy. From alarm clocks to air fresheners, water bottles and toothbrush holders, cameras come … Read more

Cryptographers Are Getting Closer to Enabling Fully Private Internet Searches

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. We all know to be careful about the details we share online, but the information we seek can also be revealing. Search for driving directions, and our location becomes far easier to guess. Check for a password in a trove of compromised data, and we … Read more

Security News This Week: US Agencies Urged to Patch Ivanti VPNs That Are Actively Being Hacked

A major coordinated disclosure this week called attention to the importance of prioritizing security in the design of graphics processing units (GPUs). Researchers published details about the “LeftoverLocals” vulnerability in multiple brands and models of mainstream GPUs—including Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD chips—that could be exploited to steal sensitive data, such as responses from AI systems. … Read more