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ICE Plans to Acquire Electric Shock Gloves for Agents, Manual Warns of "Sudden Death" Risk
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to spend up to $20 million to equip agents with CTG 5 GLOVEs, specialized devices that deliver electric shocks. These gloves, manufactured by Compliant Technologies, are described as "Conductive Distraction and De-escalation" (CD3) devices. A user manual for the G.L.O.V.E. devices indicates that they may increase physiological changes that "can cause sudden death."
LG Display Unveils FLiPP OLED Manufacturing Method for Brighter, Longer-Lasting Panels
LG Display introduced FLiPP, a new OLED manufacturing method that eliminates the need for fine metal masks, resulting in panels that are brighter, more efficient, and have extended lifespans. This technology could enable OLED displays of various sizes, from small wearables to large TVs, and will first be applied to IT products.
Head Mare Exploits TrueConf Server Flaws to Distribute Backdoored Client Installers
The hacktivist group Head Mare exploited vulnerabilities in unpatched TrueConf video conferencing servers to replace legitimate client installers with malicious versions containing PhantomCore and PhantomGraph backdoors. These attacks, discovered by Kaspersky in July, targeted Russian organizations across various sectors, allowing attackers to gain persistent remote access and exfiltrate data.
Slack launches collaborative coding channels with AI agent integration
Slack has introduced Slack Code, a new feature that provides dedicated channels for teams to collaborate on coding tasks with AI agents. This allows developers to work with AI agents like Anthropic's Claude or Cognition's Devin directly within Slack, streamlining the development workflow and providing visibility into the coding process.
Senators Question TikTok Over Experiment Disabling Safety Features for 15 Million Users
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have demanded answers from TikTok regarding an experiment that disabled an algorithmic safety feature for 15 million U.S. users, including minors. This safeguard, designed to prevent exposure to harmful content, was reportedly withheld to assess its impact on user engagement, raising concerns about user protection.
Over 14,500 Dahua Devices Compromised via Credential Attacks, Auth Bypasses, and P2P
Cybersecurity researchers at Hunt.io uncovered "Operation CameraSwarm," which compromised over 14,530 Dahua devices between June 17 and July 22, 2026, using credential attacks, two authentication-bypass flaws (CVE-2021-33044 and CVE-2021-33045), and a P2P relay technique. This compromise highlights the ongoing risk posed by unpatched vulnerabilities and weak credentials in IoT devices, particularly in critical infrastructure or surveillance contexts.
Google acquires Spirit Airlines operational data for AI model training
Google purchased a dataset from the defunct Spirit Airlines for $10 million to use in training its AI models. This acquisition provides Google with a large volume of real-world operational and business data, excluding personally identifiable information, to enhance its AI capabilities.
New Interrupt Injection Attack Bypasses Spectre v2 Defenses on Intel and AMD CPUs
Researchers have discovered a new attack, named Interrupt Injection or TONTOU, that bypasses existing Spectre v2 mitigations on Intel and AMD CPUs. This vulnerability allows an unprivileged local attacker to leak kernel memory, such as Linux password hashes, by exploiting a timing window during branch predictor neutralization. AMD has released a kernel patch for Linux, while Intel states no mitigation is necessary.
US Charges 17 Iranian Hackers, Offers $10 Million Rewards for Five Individuals
The US has charged 17 members of Iran's Mabna Institute for hacking into hundreds of organizations globally, including universities, companies, and government agencies. This action highlights ongoing cyber espionage efforts attributed to state-sponsored groups and the US government's response to intellectual property theft.
Amazon Makes Alexa Plus Free for All Fire TV Devices in the US
Amazon has made its Alexa Plus AI assistant available for free to all compatible Fire TV device owners in the US. Previously, access to Alexa Plus cost $19.99 per month for non-Prime members, or was included with a Prime subscription. This change expands access to conversational AI features, smart home controls, and AI-powered recommendations on Fire TV devices.
Google Plans to Move All Pixel Production Out of China by 2027
Google reportedly plans to shift all Pixel phone, watch, and earbud production out of China by 2027, moving manufacturing to Vietnam and India. This move aims to diversify its supply chain and capitalize on existing manufacturing ecosystems in other regions.
Shell investigates potential data theft after Clop ransomware gang claims 89GB stolen
Shell is investigating a potential security incident after the Clop ransomware gang claimed to have stolen 89GB of data, including engineering drawings and project plans. This incident is linked to the exploitation of CVE-2026-12569 in PTC Windchill and FlexPLM instances, a vulnerability that CISA has confirmed is actively exploited.
ABC Sues FCC Over Alleged Retaliatory Campaign Against Broadcast Licenses
ABC and its parent company Disney have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), alleging the agency is conducting a "retaliatory campaign" by threatening its broadcast licenses due to content. This legal action seeks to halt the FCC's review of its broadcast licenses, which ABC claims is an attempt to coerce and retaliate against the network for its speech.
City-Forum Campaign Targets Salesforce and ServiceNow Guest Users with Custom Tools
A campaign named 'City-Forum' is exploiting guest user access in Salesforce Experience Cloud (Aura and LWR implementations) and ServiceNow customer portals to steal data. The attacks use a custom multi-platform toolset and target telecommunications, banking, financial services, enterprise software vendors, and public-sector portals globally.
Apple Releases Emergency Fix for macOS Screen Sharing Vulnerability
Apple has issued an urgent software update for macOS to patch a critical vulnerability in the Screen Sharing feature. This flaw could allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access and control over a Mac without needing valid credentials, posing a significant security risk.
Nine PBS Regains Access to 50TB Archive After Cloud Vendor Ceases Operations
Nine PBS, a St. Louis public television station, lost access to 50TB of archival data after its cloud storage vendor, Open Source Storage (OSS), ceased operations. A judge has since ordered Iron Mountain, the data center physically housing the data, to provide Nine PBS access to the physical devices containing its 70-year archive, which includes irreplaceable historical content.
French Tax Authority Investigates Data Breach After Hacker Claims 600,000 Victims
France's Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP) confirmed a data breach in late June where an attacker accessed and extracted data on individuals and businesses. The incident became public after a hacker claimed responsibility, stating they obtained data on over 600,000 people, including personal and tax identification information.
New Mirai Variant "Evooo1Bot" Adds Stealth and Proxy Capabilities to Botnet Code
A new Mirai botnet variant, dubbed Evooo1Bot, has been actively exploiting vulnerabilities in internet-facing hardware for at least a month, according to FortiGuard Labs. This variant includes enhanced stealth features like SSH honeypot detection and a SOCKS proxy function, allowing attackers to conceal their origin and pivot into internal networks. The added capabilities make Evooo1Bot more sophisticated than previous Mirai-derived malware, posing a greater threat to network security.
Boeing Sells eVTOL Subsidiaries to Archer Aviation for 16.5% Stake
Boeing has sold its Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries to Archer Aviation in exchange for a 16.5% ownership stake in Archer. This transaction allows Boeing to focus on its core commercial airplane business while strengthening Archer's position in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and urban air mobility markets.
Apple Partners with Alibaba for China-Specific AI, Diverging from Global Strategy
Apple will use Alibaba's Qwen models to power new Siri AI features in China, a departure from its global partnership with Google's Gemini models. This decision is driven by Chinese government regulations requiring local AI partnerships, which may result in different privacy protections for users in China compared to other regions.
Samsung Galaxy Buds to gain FDA-cleared hearing aid feature; new over-ear headphones in development
Samsung will release an FDA-cleared hearing aid feature and a five-minute hearing test for Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro later this year in the US and other markets. This feature provides an over-the-counter solution for individuals aged 18 and over with mild to moderate hearing loss. Additionally, Samsung is developing new over-ear headphones, codenamed "Galaxy H1," which could launch as early as 2027.
Google Allows Users to Remove Visible Watermarks from AI-Generated Content
Google has introduced an option for users to remove visible watermarks from AI-generated images, videos, and songs created with its models, including Nano Banana, Omni, and Lyria. This change, announced by Josh Woodward, VP for Gemini, will be available in Gemini and Flow, with Search integration planned, allowing for greater creative control while maintaining invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata for content identification.
Plaintiff Used Hidden AI Prompt Injections in Court Filings to Influence Case Outcome
Matthew Elliott, a self-represented litigant in a Connecticut court, embedded hidden prompt injections in two official court filings against the New York Bariatric Group. These instructions, formatted in tiny white text, were designed to manipulate any AI model reviewing the documents to favor his position and were discovered due to unusual white space, leading to a show cause order from the judge.
New York Sues Kalshi for Illegal Gambling, CFTC Orders Continued Operation
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against prediction market platform Kalshi, alleging it operates an illegal gambling business by accepting wagers without a state license. This action follows similar lawsuits in other states, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued an emergency order for Kalshi to continue operating, citing a "market emergency" and asserting federal oversight.
Google Updates Android Backup Policy to Include All Data Types in Storage Limit
Starting July 7, Google will include all Android backup data types, such as SMS and device settings, in its Google Account storage calculations, impacting new and existing users. This change, which may increase backup sizes by 40MB on average, gives users more control over backup data and aligns with broader storage policy adjustments.
Apple Reportedly Negotiating Publisher Deals for Siri AI Content
Apple is reportedly in discussions with publishers to secure multi-year content deals for its upcoming Siri AI, expected to launch later this year. The company has proposed a variable compensation model, paying publishers when their content is used, and has considered a nine-figure budget for these payments. This initiative aims to enhance Siri AI's access to current news and information.
Samsung and SK Hynix Shares Plummet Amid Global Tech Stock Rout
The shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix experienced significant declines, over 7% and 9% respectively, amidst a global sell-off in tech stocks. This drop affected the South Korean benchmark Kospi index, highlighting investor concerns about meeting AI growth expectations. The sell-off extended to other Asian semiconductor firms, influenced by the broader downturn in U.S. semiconductor shares.
MacBook Air Faces Significant Supply Shortages Due to AI-Driven Memory Demand
Apple's MacBook Air is experiencing significant supply shortages, with delivery estimates extending into late August or September, attributed to a global memory crisis driven by high demand from AI data centers. This shortage has led Apple to prioritize MacBook Pro production and encourage customers to consider the Pro model, despite recent price increases for the MacBook Air.
Apple develops 'Reference Image' feature in iOS 27 to authenticate iPhone photos
Apple is developing a "Reference Image" feature, referenced in iOS 27 beta 5, to authenticate photos taken with an iPhone camera. This system aims to verify that an image originated from specific iPhone hardware and has not been altered, addressing concerns about AI-generated and manipulated media.
Russian Sandworm Hackers Target Ukrainian IT Workers with Malicious VPNs via Fake Job Offers
Russian military intelligence hackers, identified as Sandworm (UAC-0145), are posing as recruiters on Ukrainian job sites to trick IT professionals into installing malicious software. Active since at least May, the campaign aims to compromise systems by having victims download a modified VPN application during a fake recruitment process, allowing for command execution and further payload delivery.
Kids Online Safety Act Advances in Senate, Faces House Disagreement on 'Duty of Care'
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) advanced through the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, moving it closer to a full Senate vote. The bill, which has 76 cosponsors, aims to establish protections for children online through parental controls and by requiring social media platforms to exercise a "duty of care" to prevent harm to minors. However, a key disagreement with the House version of the bill, specifically regarding the "duty of care" provision, may hinder its passage this session.
OpenAI Expands Daybreak Cybersecurity Initiative with New Tiers and GPT-5.6-Cyber Model
OpenAI has expanded its Daybreak cybersecurity initiative, introducing Daybreak Blue and Daybreak Red tiers to provide specialized access to its AI models for defensive security work. The expansion includes a new AI model, GPT-5.6-Cyber, designed for advanced security testing and vulnerability research, addressing evolving AI-driven cyber threats.
53% of Americans Oppose AI Data Centers in Their Neighborhoods
A recent Redfin survey reveals that 53% of U.S. residents are opposed to building AI data centers in their local areas, citing concerns over resource strain and community disruption. This opposition arises despite potential benefits, such as increased local tax revenue and education spending in areas with established data centers.
Atlassian Rovo AI Vulnerabilities Allowed Data Exfiltration; One Fixed, One Remains
Atlassian's Rovo AI assistant had vulnerabilities that allowed data exfiltration from Jira and Confluence. One method, dubbed RovoBlast by Varonis Threat Labs, involved a one-click malicious link and has been fixed. Another method, discovered by PromptArmor, used indirect prompt injection via uploaded files and remains unconfirmed as fixed by Atlassian.
Google DeepMind open-sources WeatherNext AI for 15-day cyclone forecasts
Google DeepMind and Google Research have open-sourced the WeatherNext AI model, which provides 15-day forecasts for tropical cyclone track and intensity. The model uses Functional Generative Networks (FGNs) to generate forecasts in under a minute, offering an average of one day more lead time than existing models. This release allows other scientists to utilize and build upon the model, potentially improving early warning systems for hurricanes and typhoons.
Framework Customer Data Exposed in Metabase Zero-Day Breach
Framework, a modular computer manufacturer, notified all customers that their names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, and login IPs were exposed in a data breach. The incident stemmed from a zero-day vulnerability in Metabase, a business intelligence provider used by Framework, which allowed unauthorized access to customer databases.
US Pays RWE $1.2 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects, Funds Redirected to Gas
The US Department of the Interior has paid German energy company RWE $1.2 billion to terminate its offshore wind projects off the coasts of California, Louisiana, and New York. RWE will reinvest $900 million into a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Louisiana and use the remaining funds for natural gas turbines, marking a shift from offshore wind to fossil fuel investments.
White House Finalizes AI Model Testing Framework, Keeps Details Private
The White House has finalized a framework for voluntarily evaluating advanced AI models for cybersecurity risks, following President Trump's June executive order. The framework, which requires a 30-day review period for participating models, was discussed with AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, but its details will not be publicly released. This decision raises concerns about transparency and the exclusion of open-source AI models from the testing process.
Telegram Briefly Removed from App Store Over CSAM, CEO Blames Extortionist
Apple briefly removed the Telegram messaging app from its App Store after discovering content violating guidelines against child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The app was restored after Telegram removed the offending content and banned the user responsible. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov stated that an extortionist planted the CSAM in a public chat to trigger the app's removal.
X Settles Legal Dispute with World Federation of Advertisers, Continues Suit Against Brands
X Corp. and the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) have settled their multiyear legal dispute, which X initiated in 2024, accusing the WFA of orchestrating an illegal boycott. The settlement resets the relationship between the two organizations and includes the WFA discontinuing its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative. Despite this settlement, X is appealing a district court's dismissal of its lawsuit against other advertisers, seeking to revive claims of an illegal boycott.