✈️ Get back in line: American Airlines is considering new boarding tech that sounds a really loud beep when you try to cut the line and board without your group. It’s being tested now in Albuquerque, Tucson and Washington, D.C. I’ll spare you a plane joke (it won’t take off), but if you need a laugh, watch George Carlin talk about the boarding process. So funny.
Chinese researchers broke encryption
Look at these two headlines:
- “China’s Quantum Computer Scientists Crack Military-Grade Encryption” (Newsweek, Oct. 18, 2024)
- “Debunking Hype: China Hasn’t Broken Military Encryption With Quantum” (Forbes, Oct. 16, 2024)
So, who’s right?
To figure that out, let’s talk about quantum computers. Now, before your eyes glaze over and you think, “Come on, Kim, I can barely find the duplicate photos on my phone” (here’s my walkthrough!), you’re going to start hearing a lot more about these futuristic, ultra-powerful machines, and I want you to be in the know.
You see, quantum computers were just used to decipher part of the encryption we all rely on for protecting our banking info, private messages and more. I know it sounds scary — and it kinda is — but I don’t want you to panic because of the misinformation some bloggers and sites are spreading online.
What the heck is a quantum computer, anyway?
Think of your everyday laptop or desktop as a runner who takes one step at a time, even if it’s really, really fast. It’s all about processing those ones and zeros in a sequence — one calculation, then another. Today’s computers can juggle lots of tasks at once, but they’re still doing one thing after another, just at lightning speed.
Quantum computers, on the other hand, are like having a whole marathon of runners all sprinting in different directions at the same time. Instead of ones and zeros, they use quantum bits, aka qubits, which can be a one, a zero or both simultaneously (thanks, weird quantum physics). This allows them to process massive amounts of data at once.
How about another analogy? In a chess game, a regular computer thinks about each move one at a time. A quantum computer can consider all possible moves and multiple games at once. It’s like someone playing 10 chess matches simultaneously and still winning every single one.
Why aren’t we all using these yet?
Quantum computers are huge, complex machines that operate in labs at super-cold temperatures. Even in these ideal settings, keeping those qubits stable is tricky. So, for now, only researchers have access to this kind of tech — not everyday cybercriminals.
‘Should I be worried?’
Security camera warning: Hackers found two security flaws in PTZOptics’ livestreaming cameras, used primarily in business, industrial and health care settings. Once inside, hackers can fully control the cameras, install malware, interrupt the feeds or use a camera as a gateway to other devices on the network. Have one? Contact your vendor to confirm its firmware is up to date.
👁️ Coming to a store near you: Facial recognition that spots suspicious friendliness. “Sweethearting” is when employees slip discounts or freebies to people they know. The system monitors how closely customers stand to staff and whether they always choose the same employee. If something seems off, store security gets alerted.
WTH? The Colorado Department of State posted a spreadsheet with partial passwords to its voting machines on its website. No biggie, they say, since each machine has two unique passwords, needs physical access and is stored in an ID-only area. Someone needs to get fired — now.
Android folks, watch out for this: FakeCall malware is targeting over 20 banks. It starts with an infected app that becomes the default calling app on your phone. The next time you call your bank, it redirects to the attacker’s number with a fake screen and everything. Remember, you should only download apps from the official Google Play Store.
📍 Secret Service agents spilling secrets: How? By using the GPS fitness app Strava, which is more like a social media site. Sure, agents can’t use their personal devices while on duty, but it’s OK off the clock. Agents’ Strava profiles gave away the locations of President Biden and his wife, former President Trump and his wife, and Vice President Harris. If you use Strava, set your privacy to the “Only You” setting. You’d think that the Secret Service’s top brass would’ve known about this. FWIW, I’ve been warning about this app for years.
🚨 It’s not him: Elon Musk isn’t pitching crypto investments with obscene returns all over social and YouTube — they’re deepfake videos. A Michigan resident who lost $700,000 to scammers grew suspicious when, after he sent his money, he couldn’t find any info about the crypto company. Another victim in Nevada lost $220,000. Come on … you have to be smarter than to fall for this.
⛽ New pain at the pump: When you swipe a credit card at a gas station, it usually checks for a $1 balance, lets you fill up, then charges the full amount. Thieves have caught on. They can use practically any stolen card to rack up hundreds of dollars in free gas. To not get taken, use Apple Pay, Google Pay or the gas station’s app.
Snow White loves taking photos; someday, her prints will come: Disney is replacing its expensive focus groups with AI. Imagine facial analysis tech that watches your face when you exit a ride or see a character — every smile, smirk or exhale. Spoiler: Everyone paying to get in isn’t exactly happy about it.
🇨🇳 Communist China tapping phones: The FBI and CISA confirmed Chinese hackers have breached multiple U.S. telecom providers to tap specific Americans’ phone calls. Details are slim, but I’m sure it’s why Verizon, AT&T and others were down. PSA: If you’re running for office, use a burner phone.
Don’t Google these words: A couple searched for “pressure cooker” and “backpacks” on the husband’s work laptop. (I know, right?) Of course, this search got flagged by his IT department … because they’re both homemade bomb ingredients. Just a reminder: Your IT department knows everything you do on a company-issued device.
💳 ICYMI, a PayPal update: Starting Nov. 27, PayPal will share all your purchasing data with third-party merchants — think products, preferences, sizes and styles. Yes, you can stop it. In the app, tap your profile photo at the top right, followed by Data and privacy. Under Manage shared info, tap Personalized shopping and toggle off the switch. On desktop, click the settings gear icon in the top right, then select Data & Privacy > Personalized shopping to toggle off the slider. It never stops …
🚨 PSA: Slow down: A 65-year-old woman in Maine lost $23,000 to a scammer posing as Bank of America. The thief tricked her by saying they needed her to share her screen to stop an unauthorized transaction, then they had her complete a wire transfer to “protect” her money. If you get one of these “act now” calls, don’t bite. Hang up and call your bank.
ICYMI, check your email address: This month, hackers stole the sensitive info of 31 million Internet Archive users. Details are scarce so far, but we know they grabbed email addresses and encrypted passwords. Hackers left a message on the homepage: “See 31 million of you on HIBP,” aka Have I Been Pwned. Click this link to see if you’re on their list.
⚠️ Targeting older adults: A 76-year-old man was duped out of $740,000 by criminals pretending to be government officials (paywall link). He had trouble logging into his retirement account and received a message from the firm (complete with a legit logo), telling him to call the fraud department. He sent money via bitcoin, wire transfers and gold to “secure” places. PSA: Government agencies will never call and tell you to move your money.
🚨 Mac warning: Microsoft researchers found a serious macOS security bug that lets hackers access your private data. It bypasses Safari’s protections, meaning your search history, camera, microphone and location are all at risk. The good news? There’s already a patch. Don’t wait — go to System Settings > General > Software Update > Update Now.
🏠 Phony landlords: Scammers are flooding Facebook Marketplace with fake rental listings. They use real addresses and legit-looking pics at prices that seem like a steal, and they’ll even let you check it out in person. Major red flag: They’ll demand an application fee upfront via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.
Not the sharpest hacker for sure: Back in January, the SEC’s X account was hacked to post fake news about bitcoin, causing its value to spike. Now, a man’s been arrested, and court docs show some pretty incriminating searches. One gem? “What are some signs the FBI is after you?” You’d think a hacker would know how to hide their search history.
🚨 AI voice scams spreading: An elderly father was duped out of $25,000 after scammers called him using an AI-generated voice of his son. The caller, his “son,” claimed he’d hit a pregnant woman while driving and needed bail money ASAP. The father withdrew the cash, an Uber picked it up, and the con artists disappeared. Reminder: Scammers thrive on fear and urgency, so always verify phone numbers and set up a family safe word for emergencies.