Zack Whittaker
Security Editor
The Latest from Zack Whittaker
Google says China used YouTube to meddle in Hong Kong protests
Google has disabled 210 YouTube accounts after it said China used the video platform to sow discord among protesters in Hong Kong. The search giant, which owns YouTube, followed in the footsteps of Tw
US cell carriers team up to combat robocalls — but no deadline set
Twelve cell carriers, including the four largest — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon — have promised to make efforts to prevent spoofed and automated robocalls. Announced Thursday, the pledge
Justice Department indicts 80 individuals in a massive business email scam bust
The Justice Department has indicted dozens of individuals accused of involvement in a massive business email scam and money laundering scheme. Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office
How do you build a secure startup? Find out at TechCrunch Disrupt SF
Security is everything — more so than ever in startup land. But with the constant pressures to launch and scale, how do you build a secure startup from the ground up without slowing growth? Whether
T-Mobile hit by hours-long nationwide outage
T-Mobile customers across the U.S. said they couldn’t make calls or send text messages following an outage. We tested with a T-Mobile phone in the office. Both calls to and from the T-Mobile pho
Apple, Google and Mozilla block Kazakhstan’s browser spying tactics
Apple, Google and Mozilla have taken the rare step of blocking an untrusted certificate issued by the Kazakhstan government, which critics say it forced its citizens to install as part of an effort to
MoviePass exposed thousands of unencrypted customer card numbers
Movie ticket subscription service MoviePass has exposed tens of thousands of customer card numbers and personal credit cards because a critical server was not protected with a password. Mossab Hussein
Yubico launches its dual USB-C and Lightning two-factor security key
Almost two months after it was first announced, Yubico has launched the YubiKey 5Ci, a security key with dual support for iPhones, Macs and other USB-C compatible devices. Yubico’s newest YubiKe
Twitter says accounts linked to China tried to ‘sow political discord’ in Hong Kong
Twitter says a significant information operation involving hundreds of accounts linked to China were part of an effort to deliberately “sow political discord” in Hong Kong after weeks of p
After data incidents, Instagram expands its bug bounty
Facebook is expanding its data abuse bug bounty to Instagram . The social media giant, which owns Instagram, first rolled out its data abuse bounty in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, whic
An anonymous hentai porn site exposed over a million users’ emails
A popular hentai porn site that promises anonymity to its 1.1 million users left a user database exposed without a password, allowing anyone to identify users by their email addresses. You might not h
Amazon customers say they received emails for other people’s orders
Users have said they are receiving emails from Amazon containing invoices and order updates on other customers, TechCrunch has learned. Jake Williams, founder of cybersecurity firm Rendition Infosec,
8 million Android users tricked into downloading 85 adware apps from Google Play
Dozens of Android adware apps disguised as photo-editing apps and games have been caught serving ads that would take over users’ screens as part of a fraudulent money-making scheme. Security fir
US Cyber Command has publicly posted malware linked to a North Korea hacking group
U.S. Cyber Command, the sister division of the National Security Agency focused on offensive hacking and security operations, has released a set of new samples of malware linked to North Korean hacke
Cloudflare says cutting off customers like 8chan is an IPO ‘risk factor’
Networking and web security giant Cloudflare says the recent 8chan controversy may be an ongoing “risk factor” for its business on the back of its upcoming initial public offering. The San
What security pros need to know from Black Hat & Def Con 2019
Black Hat and Def Con came and went as quickly as it ever does. The week-long pair of back-to-back conferences, referred to as “hacker summer camp,” draws in the security crowd from across
Credit Karma glitch exposed users to other people’s accounts
Users of credit monitoring site Credit Karma have complained that they were served other people’s account information when they logged in. Many took to a Reddit thread and complained on Twitter
Ex-NSA chief Mike Rogers and Team8 founder Nadav Zafrir will be at Disrupt SF
What happens when two former spies meet the startup world? We’re about to find out. We’re pleased to announce former National Security Agency director Adm. Mike Rogers will be at Disrupt S
A new app can detect Bluetooth credit card skimmers on gas pumps
A team of computer scientists has built a new app that can wirelessly detect credit card skimmers, often found discreetly placed on gas pumps and bank ATMs. Gone are the days where entire card skimmer
Facebook transcribed users’ audio messages without permission
“The future is private.” Clearly, Facebook still has a way to go. Facebook has become the latest tech giant to face scrutiny over its handling of users’ data, following a report that