07/15/2025

Security News This Week

Four arrested over scattered spider hacking spree

Recently, WIRED reported on public records that show the United States Department of Homeland Security urging local law enforcement around the country to interpret common protest activities and surrounding logistics—including riding a bike, livestreaming a police encounter or skateboarding—as "violent tactics." The guidance could influence cops to use everyday behavior as a pretext for police action.

An AI hiring bot used on the McDonald’s “McHire” site exposed tens of millions of job applicants’ personal data because of a group of web-based security vulnerabilities—including use of the classically guessable password “123456” on an administrator account. The site’s chatbot, known as Olivia, was built by the artificial intelligence software firm Paradox.ai.

Meanwhile, in the wake of last week’s devastating floods in Texas that killed at least 120 people, conspiracy theories about the extreme weather event have gained enough traction among anti-government extremists, hard-right influencers and others with large platforms to produce real-world consequences like death threats.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.