Zack Whittaker

Zack Whittaker

Zack is the author of ~this week in security~.
04
Sep
'26

Vigilantism comes for Flock

More Americans than ever are destroying Flock license plate cameras amid rising backlash against the company. Is the tide turning on intrusive U.S. mass surveillance, and where does the privacy fight go next?
9 min read
a photo of a Flock camera on a pole, with a solar panel, cut down and surrounded by green shrubbery, on the side of the road with grass and weeds.
30
Aug
'26

this week in security — august 30 2026 edition

Boston Scientific knocked offline in major hack, U.S. seizes Chinese botnet, Australia arrests PCPTeam hackers, U.S. water hacks broader than first disclosed, Grand Theft Auto VI hit by leaks, Russia warned not to attack NATO, and more.
10 min read
23
Aug
'26

this week in security — august 23 2026 edition

Mystery solved of how cops cracked Encrochat, Flock code leak looks beyond license plates, Apple spyware alert hits 'unprecedented' number of users, Windows lock-screen hack, why residential proxy networks are a major threat, and more.
10 min read
22
Aug
'26

How residential proxy networks are hiding hackers in your home

Security researchers say residential proxy networks present a major threat by allowing hackers to commandeer home and office networks for cybercrime.
14 min read
a photo of the back of a network box, featuring a bunch of red cables and flashing lights.
16
Aug
'26

this week in security — august 16 2026 edition

U.S. government to allow private companies to launch cyberattacks, Taiwan hit by AI-driven hack, Flock admits it flucked up, new Windows zero-day, Wi-Fi spoofing incident on Delta plane, a North Korean in the U.S. government, and more.
11 min read
14
Aug
'26

This quick question can still expose North Korean spies in an instant

Companies are increasingly relying on asking unusual interview questions to weed out sanctioned North Koreans who seek fraudulent employment.
2 min read
a photo on the back of my laptop with a sticker, featuring a cartoon of Kim Jong Un crying, with the words: "Don't hire a spy, say something to make Kim cry." I made this sticker!
09
Aug
'26

this week in security — august 9 2026 edition

Hackers descend on Las Vegas, U.S. water system hacks are spreading, Samsung bans resproxy apps, offline hardware wallet hacked and crypto stolen, inside a Chinese police surveillance dashboard, AI notetaker app exposed calls, and more.
12 min read
09
Aug
'26

The top highlights from Black Hat, Def Con, and BSides Las Vegas 2026, if you couldn't make it in person

Live vicariously through 2026's top cybersecurity conferences with live streams.
7 min read
a photo of a glitchy-art look over the Def Con 34 badge, featuring an orange circuit board
07
Aug
'26

Microsoft wins 'lamest vendor' at Pwnie Awards 2026 for threatening security researchers with legal action

"This is a shame award. Don't forget to feel that shame."
3 min read
a screenshot from the Pwnie Awards live stream, which reads: "You found this? We'll see you in court," naming Microsoft.
04
Aug
'26

Online advertising giant Adform was hacked, proving once again why ad blockers are necessary

The hacked digital advertiser was caught serving malicious ads that allowed hackers to steal a victim's cryptocurrency.
3 min read
a screenshot of red text from a browser console log, which reads "Failed to load resource: net::ERR_BLOCKED_BY_AD" signifying the use of an ad-blocker.
02
Aug
'26

this week in security — august 2 2026 edition

Iran accused of U.S. water hacks, Anthropic admits its AI also hacked others, front-line defenders describe few AI threats, bug exposes data centers to compromise, hacked advertiser served malware, U.S. ban on foreign-made robots, and more.
10 min read
31
Jul
'26

When AI chatbots and LLMs get legal, check your privilege

Using AI tools and LLMs for sensitive matters, such as for legal and medical uses, raises important questions about where that data goes and who can access it.
4 min read
a close-up of a smartphone with ChatGPT interface on a speckled surface, highlighting technology and AI.