Anthropic’s chatbot tries blackmail — May 31st, Hour 2
When your AI starts threatening you … yikes. Also, an app for faking workouts, Apple rumors, and why Amazon suddenly owes people money. Plus, Sarah from Connecticut watched her dog have a seizure on a pet cam — and her other pup rescued him!
💻 Smile, you’re on candid malware: Remember when you’d get an email that you were recorded on your webcam watching porn but the threat was a fake? It’s now real. New malware called Stealerium watches for NSFW sites, then screenshots your screen and snaps a pic through your webcam. It sends both to a hacker, who likely will use them for blackmail. Reminder: Cover your webcam; a pack of covers is less than 5 bucks.
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📷 Cover your webcam: If hackers get into your PC, they might spy on you through the camera and blackmail you later. Skip the messy tape, and use a webcam cover instead. You can get a three-pack for under $5 (28% off) that also fits an iPad. Oh, and don’t trust the green “on” light. They can trick that, too.
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🕳️ Who left the door open? Texas-based adoption agency Gladney left 1.1 million records sitting in an open 2.5 GB database like it was a lemonade stand. Data about kids, parents, even employees, all up for grabs, no password. Could’ve been weaponized for scams, blackmail or the worst Facebook friend request ever. It’s now locked, but the damage? TBD.
Tape over your webcam? Hackers can hijack your webcam, spy on you and use the footage for blackmail. But tape leaves a sticky mess. Grab a webcam cover. This two-pack ($7) fits most laptops and tablets. Pro tip: You can’t always trust that little green light to tell you if your camera is on or off.
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Peeping Tom caught in the act
Target shoppers saw him slip a phone under a woman’s dress (ew). Plus, get updates on the TikTok ban, dark web blackmail, and a major ground beef recall. We also talk with popular YouTuber Kitboga about taking on scammers by wasting their time.
Tech pants, guns and social media, restaurant scams
Are we seeing a fashion tech revolution? Here’s how to become a trailblazer. Plus, restaurant owners are in danger. Scammers might blackmail you with one-star reviews. Also, if you want a gun in New York, prepare for your social media accounts to be scrutinized.