airbnb Airbnb Mandates Verification for All 7 Million Listings Amid Safety Concerns Following a fatal Halloween shooting, Airbnb commits to verifying every listing for accuracy, safety, and cleanliness. The company also introduces a 24/7 neighbor hotline and enhanced reservation screening.
facebook California Sues to Force Facebook to Hand Over Cambridge Analytica Documents California's attorney general accuses Facebook of ignoring subpoenas related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and asks a court to compel the company to produce the requested evidence.
google Google Forms App Defense Alliance to Combat Malicious Android Software Google partners with ESET, Lookout, and Zimperium to create the App Defense Alliance, an effort to better detect and block harmful apps before they reach users.
microsoft Microsoft Aims for One Billion Users with Rebuilt Edge Browser Microsoft is betting big on its new Chromium-based Edge browser, setting an ambitious goal of one billion users. The company rebuilds the browser to tackle modern problems in privacy, security, and enterprise compatibility.
openai OpenAI Releases Full GPT-2 Text Model After Safety Concerns Fade OpenAI makes its complete GPT-2 language model available to the public after finding no strong evidence of misuse. The AI generates convincing but flawed text, demonstrating both its capabilities and its limitations.
nhs Exposed Webcam Leaks Live U.K. Patient Data from Decoded Pager Signals An unsecured webcam in London inadvertently broadcasts real-time medical emergencies and patient details decoded from NHS pager transmissions. A security researcher discovers the feed and alerts the internet provider to shut it down.
whatsapp WhatsApp Sues Israeli Spyware Maker NSO Over Mass Phone Hacking WhatsApp files a federal lawsuit against NSO Group for allegedly developing malware that hacked 1,400 devices by exploiting an audio-calling vulnerability. The attack targets journalists and human rights defenders by infecting phones even when users do not answer the calls.
android Dozens of Android Apps Secretly Serve Adware to Millions of Users Security researchers discover 42 Android apps on the Google Play store that infect millions of devices with adware. The malicious apps hide their icons, mimic legitimate software, and actively avoid detection by Google's security systems.
mozilla Firefox 70 Introduces Personalized Privacy Reports After Blocking 450 Billion Trackers Mozilla releases Firefox 70 with a new personalized privacy dashboard that shows users exactly how many trackers the browser blocks. This update highlights Firefox's clear advantage over Chrome in default privacy protection.
doordash DoorDash Confirms Massive Data Breach Affecting Nearly 5 Million Users DoorDash reveals that hackers stole the personal information of 4.9 million customers, workers, and merchants through a third-party service provider. The company faces questions over a five-month detection delay and previous unexplained account compromises.
dji DJI Unveils Agricultural Drones and Public Safety Partnerships DJI introduces two new industrial drones for farming alongside a new initiative that equips U.S. first responders with advanced hardware and software. These partnerships expand DJI's reach despite ongoing national security concerns and a military ban.
kik Kik Messenger Shuts Down Amid Ongoing SEC Cryptocurrency Battle Kik Interactive is closing its popular messaging app and laying off over 100 employees to survive an SEC lawsuit targeting its Kin cryptocurrency. The drastic shift reduces the company's burn rate by 85 percent as it prepares for a legal fight over whether Kin is an illegal security.
twitter Twitter Expands Rules to Directly Ban Financial Scams Twitter introduces a new policy that explicitly prohibits financial scams, targeting schemes like crypto fraud and phishing. Violators face permanent suspension from the platform.
drones Cheap Autonomous Drones Usher in a Dangerous New Era of Warfare Recent drone attacks on oil facilities highlight a terrifying shift in global warfare as autonomous drones become cheaper and more accessible. The emerging arms race between attackers and defenders leaves soft targets highly vulnerable.
facebook Facebook Suspends Tens of Thousands of Apps Over Data Hoarding Concerns Facebook suspends tens of thousands of apps created by 400 developers for improperly collecting and exposing user profile data. The sweeping ban reflects the ongoing fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal and increasing regulatory scrutiny.