Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
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surveillance, privacy, cybersecurity, tech policy, drones, internet freedom
Real-time historian of the late cyber capitalist era, writing about the intersection of hackers, human rights, and spies.
Writing a book about Hacking Team.
Articles by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
Cops Can Bypass iPhone’s Automatic Reboot to Get Into Locked Phones, Leaked Video Claims
A company that makes phone hacking devices claims to have developed a solution that freezes iPhones in a state that lets cops more easily access sensitive data inside them, according to a video obtained by 404 Media. This is the latest salvo in the never-ending battle between Apple and companies that help cops — sometimes those in authoritarian countries — break into iPhones.
How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools
By Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai • Sep 01, 2026 Earlier in August, cryptography professor Matthew Green wrote a controversial thread on X and a longer blog post that went viral within the cybersecurity community.
How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools
Earlier in August, cryptography professor Matthew Green wrote a controversial thread on X and a longer blog post that went viral within the cybersecurity community.
Here’s all the times AI has gone rogue and hacked other companies
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Here’s all the times AI has gone rogue and hacked other companies
In July, OpenAI admitted that one of its agents tasked with completing a cybersecurity experiment broke out of containment and hacked AI dataset platform Hugging Face. That incident, which got a full accounting from OpenAI yesterday, was the first publicly reported case where an LLM went rogue and autonomously hacked a third party. Since then, that unprecedented sci-fi-esque event turned out to be far less rare than anyone would hope for.
Alabama launches investigation into OpenAI’s hack of Hugging Face
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Alabama launches investigation into OpenAI’s hack of Hugging Face
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Alabama launches investigation into OpenAI’s hack of Hugging Face Original
Alabama’s Attorney General announced Monday that it sent a subpoena to OpenAI as part of an investigation into the company’s alleged “complete lack of oversight and adequate safeguards” in the Hugging Face incident. The investigation comes weeks after OpenAI admitted that one of its unreleased and guardrail-free cybersecurity models had escaped an isolated environment, connected to the internet, and hacked AI dataset platform Hugging Face.
‘Unprecedented’ number of Apple users received recent spyware alert, say investigators
An unprecedented number of Apple customers have reported receiving a recent threat notification alerting them to suspected spyware attacks targeting their devices, according to experts who investigate these types of incidents. Several people publicly and privately reported receiving Apple’s spyware alerts over the weekend, after Apple sent out a new wave of notifications on Friday alerting customers in 110 countries that they had been targeted with powerful spyware.
Senator asks US government watchdog to review how feds use hacking tools
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Senator asks US government watchdog to review how feds use hacking tools Original
Democratic senator Ron Wyden is asking the U.S. government to review how federal law enforcement agencies use hacking tools and spyware against Americans, citing a lack of transparency into how often or for what reasons these tools are deployed.
Someone targeted security researchers using a fake crypto conference as a lure
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Someone targeted security researchers using a fake crypto conference as a lure
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Someone targeted security researchers using a fake crypto conference as a lure
If you are a malicious hacker, cybersecurity professionals may very well be the worst people in the world to try to hack, as there is a very good chance they are going to catch you. A person pretending to work for a leading crypto news site targeted several cybersecurity professionals around the time of the hacking conferences Black Hat and Def Con earlier this month.
Researchers say OpenAI revoked their access to limited cyber program
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Researchers say OpenAI revoked their access to limited cyber program
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Researchers say OpenAI revoked their access to limited cyber program
Several security researchers say OpenAI suddenly revoked their access to a limited-access program that removes some restrictions on using its AI tools for cybersecurity research. OpenAI confirmed that the issue was caused by an error. On Wednesday, multiple researchers on OpenAI’s official support forums and on X reported having their access to the Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC) program revoked.
'Unprecedented' number of Apple users received recent spyware alert, say investigators
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‘Unprecedented’ number of Apple users received recent spyware alert, say investigators
An unprecedented number of Apple customers have reported receiving a recent threat notification alerting them to suspected spyware attacks targeting their devices, according to experts who investigate these types of incidents. Several people publicly and privately reported receiving Apple’s spyware alerts over the weekend, after Apple sent out a new wave of notifications on Friday alerting customers in 110 countries that they had been targeted with powerful spyware.
How to tell if your AI platforms’ accounts have been hacked
Skip to content SPECIAL THREATS TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN IRAN CONFLICT | READ MORE → Powered by the McCrary Institute at Auburn University Get your cyber briefing Straight from our experts to your inbox
How to tell if your AI platforms’ accounts have been hacked
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How to tell if your AI platforms’ accounts have been hacked
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
How to tell if your AI platforms’ accounts have been hacked
1 day ago The rare US-China partnership comes as Apple prepares to roll out its on-device generative AI service in China. Apple has reportedly trained a custom AI model for the China market alongside domestic tech giant Alibaba, a rare cross-border partnership that cuts across growing tensions between …
How to tell if your AI platforms’ accounts have been hacked
Just like any other online service, hackers can target and break into your accounts on popular AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. TechCrunch has created a comprehensive guide to help you protect yourself if you suspect someone has broken into your account on one of the internet’s most popular platforms, social networks, or messaging apps. Now, we’re here to show you how to check whether your accounts on AI platforms have been hacked.
What we know about the alleged Iranian hacks on US water utilities
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What we know about the alleged Iranian hacks on U.S. water utilities Original
Since the end of last month, several water utilities in the United States have been hit by cyberattacks, causing alarm in the country. For years, water utilities and other critical infrastructure facilities in the power sector, for example, have been targeted by hackers, whether government-backed or individuals. What makes this recent series of attacks—allegedly carried out by Iran—particularly concerning was how widespread they have been, hitting targets in around a dozen states.
US courts will start publishing how often the government uses spyware Original
The FBI has been using hacking techniques and tools, such as spyware, since at least 1998, but to date there is no public data counting how often the feds were deploying them. That’s about to change — at least for the use of for tapping into someone’s real-time communications.
Flock says its new tool will help identify police abuse, but hasn’t explained how it works
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Flock says its new tool will help identify police abuse, but hasn’t explained how it works
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Flock says its new tool will help identify police abuse, but hasn’t explained how it works
Surveillance technology startup Flock announced a series of new policies and tools on Thursday, claiming they will help curb abuse of its automated license plate camera reader systems and help keep its law enforcement customers accountable. Flock is now recommending police departments retain data for seven days rather than the previous 30 days.
FBI says cybercriminals are hacking into victims’ online accounts to steal their intimate pictures
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FBI says cybercriminals are hacking into victims’ online accounts to steal their intimate pictures
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
FBI says cybercriminals are hacking into victims’ online accounts to steal their intimate pictures Original
The FBI is warning that cybercriminals are hacking into the social media accounts of adults and children to steal their intimate explicit images and videos. The perpetrators rely largely on social engineering tactics to target people, the alert said, and victims are often extorted, or their stolen content published online.
Delta investigating after someone set up fake Wi-Fi network mid-flight
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Delta investigating after someone set up fake Wi-Fi network mid-flight
An unidentified passenger allegedly created a fake Wi-Fi network on a Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Monday, prompting pilots to alert air traffic control, according to the airline and public broadcasts from the plane. “[The] safety of flight was never in question and no aircraft operating systems were affected,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant told TechCrunch, adding that the in-flight network was not compromised.
Google’s top hacker hunter explains why hacking groups get codenames
For more than a decade, the cybersecurity industry has been assigning names to different hacking groups. Some of them, like Fancy Bear, have crossed over into the mainstream because of their prominent hacks and memorable names. Others are only known within the cybersecurity industry. Oftentimes, even industry insiders can’t keep track. In part, that’s because every company names hacking groups differently.
Computer maker Framework notifies ‘all customers’ of a data breach
Framework, a company that makes modular repairable computers, said it has notified all of its customers that hackers stole their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses, due to an incident at a company that provides business intelligence. On Thursday, several Framework customers said on social media that they had received an email from the company notifying them of the data breach.
Chinese AI model Kimi escaped its cybersecurity testing environment, researchers say
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Chinese AI model Kimi escaped its cybersecurity testing environment, researchers say
In Brief 7:28 AM PDT · August 7, 2026 Image Credits:Lam Yik/Bloomberg / Getty Images Chinese AI model Kimi escaped its cybersecurity testing environment, researchers say Kimi K3, the latest AI model made by Chinese company Moonshot, escaped an environment set up to test its cyber capabilities, researchers said in a blog post published on Friday. The news shows once again that companies and independent organizations are struggling to contain their AI models designed for hacking.
Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims
Even in the age of AI-powered autonomous cyberattacks , the crude, tried and tested, hacking techniques of tricking victims into doing things they shouldn't are still producing great results. Groups of unknown hackers are targeting and breaking into large financial and investment firms in the United States with the goal of stealing sensitive data to extort the victims with the threat of publishing it, Google's security researchers wrote in a report on Thursday.
Hacker pleads guilty to stealing data from more than 165 Snowflake customers Original
Connor Moucka, a 26-year-old Canadian citizen, has pled guilty to hacking more than 165 companies, stealing billions of records, and extorting several companies and individuals. Over the years, Moucka and his accomplices received more than $2.5 million in ransom payments. The hacker also received around $500,000 for selling victims’ data on hacking forums such as the notorious BreachForums. Victims of Moucka and his accomplices’ hacks suffered $9.5 million in losses, according to the DOJ.
PSA: Apple's Private Relay can leak your real IP address
Apple's Private Relay, an opt-in feature designed to hide a user's IP address when they browse the internet with Safari, can be circumvented to reveal the supposedly hidden IP address due to a series of flaws. Researchers revealed the issues in a blog post on Tuesday. The researchers also set up a website where anyone can check if their real IP address leaks, even if they use Private Relay . In a test on Tuesday, TechCrunch verified that the site was able to reveal our real IP address.
Hackers steal over $130 million by exploiting bug in offline hardware wallets
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Hackers steal over $130 million by exploiting bug in offline hardware wallets
Hackers are in the midst of a massive theft of cryptocurrency from supposedly secure offline hardware wallets, according to blockchain security firms monitoring the heists. At least a dozen different hackers are said to be targeting Bitcoin owners who use the hardware crypto wallet Coldcard, made by Coinkite. At this point, it’s unclear who is behind the digital robberies, and it appears like there’s more than one group of hackers, according to Galaxy Research.
Who’s legally to blame for Anthropic and OpenAI’s autonomous AI hacks? It’s complicated
(Steve Johnson / Unsplash) By Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai and Zack Whittaker • Aug 04, 2026 Can autonomous AI agents be sued or prosecuted for hacking? It’s no longer a question for sci-fi movies. It’s a question human lawyers and judges may soon have to grapple with. Under current U.S. hacking laws, a human can face criminal charges for breaking into someone else’s computer without permission.
Apple challenges UK government's latest demand for iCloud backdoor: report
Apple is challenging another legal demand by the U.K. government to access the encrypted data of its users in the country, according to the Financial Times The company reportedly filed a complaint with the U.K.'s Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a court that hears cases related to government surveillance, after the government last year issued a “technical capability notice” . The notice is a secret government legal order for demanding access to users' data, even if the data is encrypted.
Who's legally to blame for Anthropic and OpenAI's autonomous AI hacks? It's complicated
Can autonomous AI agents be sued or prosecuted for hacking? It's no longer a question for sci-fi movies. It's a question human lawyers and judges may soon have to grapple with. Under current U.S. hacking laws, a human can face criminal charges for breaking into someone else's computer without permission. But when an AI agent autonomously hacks into a company's computers, determining who is liable is much murkier.
Who’s legally to blame for Anthropic and OpenAI’s autonomous AI hacks? It’s complicated
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Who’s legally to blame for Anthropic and OpenAI’s autonomous AI hacks? It’s complicated
6 hours ago For one, a lack of punctuation is a more likely indicator of AI text, according to ‘The Economist.’ As AI-generated content takes over the internet, humans are becoming more and more vigilant about telling bot-written copy from genuine human writing. Last week, LinkedIn even became the first major …
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