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Roblox shares AI child-safety tools parents should know If your child plays Roblox , chances are plenty of their friends do too. Roblox reported an average of 123 million daily active users during the second quarter of 2026. Nearly three-quarters of its age-checked users are under 18. With that kind of reach, one of the biggest risks a child can face may begin with a conversation that seems completely harmless. Someone asks what games they like. Later, that person wants to know where else they chat. Eventually, they suggest moving the conversation to another app. That progression should sound familiar to parents who have followed online grooming cases.Earlier this year, we covered a disturbing Roblox child-safety case involving two girls, ages 12 and 14. Investigators said a Nebraska man initially contacted them through Roblox before conversations moved to Snapchat. Authorities described the case as online grooming. Now Roblox is opening up some of the artificial intelligence it uses to detect behavior that can lead to dangerous situations. TEACHER WHO SERVED AS GOP STATE LAWMAKER ALLEGEDLY USED ROBLOX TO LURE STUDENT INTO SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP On Aug. 19, Roblox announced that it is contributing updated versions of three safety models to the Robust Open Online Safety Tools, or ROOST, Model Community. The company is also releasing a new evaluation dataset so other platforms can test their own safety systems. For parents, the technical details matter less than what these tools are trying to catch. They focus on attempts to get personal information, signs of possible child endangerment and inappropriate behavior in voice chat. Here's how these new AI safety tools work, what they could mean for your child and what you can do right now to help keep your kids safer online. New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . Roblox already uses versions of these AI systems on its own platform. Now, other companies can study them and potentially adapt them for their own services. Roblox joined ROOST as a founding member in 2025 alongside Google, OpenAI, Discord and others. ROOST focuses on making open-source online safety technology available to organizations that may lack the resources to build sophisticated systems themselves.Think about how many places children communicate online today. A conversation can begin inside a game. Then it may jump to a messaging app or another social platform with different protections. No single company controls that entire journey.Sharing safety technology could give more services access to tools designed around similar warning signs. However, another company still has to adopt the technology and adapt it to its platform. So I see this as an encouraging development, but parents should not view it as a reason to lower their guard.One of the most interesting updates for families involves Roblox's PII Classifier. PII stands for personally identifiable information. That can include a phone number, email address, social media username or other information that could help someone identify or contact a child.The classifier also looks for attempts to direct players to other platforms. That is important because someone with bad intentions may try to move a conversation away from the platform where it began.Older filters often searched for obvious words or patterns. Roblox's Version 2.0 looks at the surrounding conversation instead. For example, someone could intentionally misspell the name of another app. They might split contact information across several messages. Others may use coded language they hope a filter will miss. The updated AI evaluates those messages together.Roblox says Version 2.0 expanded language support from 17 to 189 languages. The company also reports that its F1 score, a common way to measure a classifier's accuracy, improved from 63.41 to 90.52. For a parent, the takeaway is much simpler. The system is trying to understand where a conversation is heading, rather than judging each message by itself.This is one part of the announcement that jumped out at me. Asking for another username or suggesting a move to a different app can sound innocent. Kids switch between platforms all the time. However, moving a conversation can also reduce the protections around it.That is what made the Nebraska case we previously covered so unsettling. Authorities said the initial connection happened on Roblox before the communication continued on Snapchat.Parents should make this a specific conversation at home. If someone your child only knows online starts asking for another username, phone number or private way to communicate, your child should know to tell you.Roblox Sentinel tackles an even harder problem. Potential grooming can develop gradually. Someone may build trust before the conversation becomes obviously inappropriate. That means early messages can look ordinary when viewed separately.Sentinel analyzes patterns across conversations. Roblox says the system looks for early signals of potential child endangerment so suspicious interactions can be reviewed before they escalate. Human reviewers can then prioritize conversations that may require action.Roblox says that during the 12 months ending Aug. 7, 2026, nearly 70% of the child-endangerment cases it detected came through Sentinel's early detection. PARENTS PUSH CONGRESS TO ACT ON KIDS' ONLINE SAFETY AFTER JURIES FIND META AND YOUTUBE LIABLE FOR HARM Roblox is also releasing Sentinel Version 2. The changes are mainly aimed at the developers and safety teams who would use the technology. The new version gives them more ways to score suspicious behavior and determine which setup works best for their platform.Roblox says Version 2 can also provide more information about why something received a particular score. That could help teams understand what the system is detecting instead of receiving only a warning with little context.The company says the upgrade also makes the system much faster to test and tune. For parents, though, the bigger point is that Roblox wants other platforms to take this technology and use it for their own safety systems.Text messages are only one part of the picture. Kids can also communicate through voice chat, which creates a different moderation challenge. Roblox's voice safety classifier analyzes speech for policy violations in real time. When the system detects a violation, Roblox can display a warning explaining which policy may have been broken.Repeated violations can lead to a temporary voice-chat suspension of up to five minutes. More serious violations can carry stronger consequences. Roblox says its voice safety classifier has been downloaded more than 72,000 times since the company first made it open source in 2024. Version 3 now covers 30 languages and eight violation categories. Roblox reports 61% recall across those languages when operating at a strict 1% false-positive rate. That number is also a reminder that AI moderation can miss things. Even a sophisticated safety model cannot catch every dangerous conversation.There is another side of this story worth knowing. Independent researchers recently examined Roblox chat moderation and found examples of unsafe messages that made it through the platform's existing safeguards. Their study analyzed more than 2 million chat messages and identified examples involving grooming, sexualization of minors, bullying , violence and sensitive information sharing that escaped moderation.That research shows why parents should be careful about assuming automated moderation provides a complete safety net. Bad actors learn how filters work. Then they change their language or behavior to try to get around them. That makes Roblox's latest move especially relevant, because the company is improving these safety models and sharing them with other platforms so the technology can keep adapting too.This may ultimately become the bigger story. Most parents will never download an AI classifier or visit a GitHub repository. Yet the technology being released today could eventually influence apps their children use. Smaller platforms may not have the engineering teams or money needed to build advanced child-safety systems from scratch.Open-source tools can give those companies a starting point. Researchers can also test the models and look for weaknesses. Developers can adapt them to different services. Meanwhile, feedback from other organizations could help improve the original tools. ROOST says its Model Community is designed to connect developers and safety practitioners around open safety AI models. That collaborative approach has a lot of potential.This isn't Roblox's first major AI safety push. Earlier this year, CyberGuy reported on a Roblox system that analyzes combinations of text, avatars and 3D environments in real time. Roblox told us the technology was helping shut down about 5,000 violating game servers each day. The idea was to catch harmful combinations that older moderation systems could miss when they examined individual pieces separately. You can read our full report on how Roblox is changing online safety with AI. Roblox has also been expanding age-based protections for younger users. Those controls place different limits on chat, games and other features depending on a user's age. All of these moves point toward the same goal: catching risk earlier and limiting who younger users can interact with. The challenge is making those systems work consistently at Roblox's enormous scale. CHRIS HANSEN URGES PARENTS TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE PREDATORS BEFORE ALLOWING INTERNET ACCESS These AI tools work behind the scenes. Parents can add another layer of protection by setting some clear expectations at home.Tell your child to come to you when someone they only know online wants to continue chatting somewhere else. That could mean another gaming service, a social platform or a private messaging app. There may be an innocent explanation. Still, it is worth knowing when someone is trying to move the conversation.Children should be careful about sharing information that can identify or locate them. That includes their phone number, school name and home address. Social media usernames can also give strangers another way to contact them. Remind your child that a person they meet inside a game is still an online stranger until your family knows otherwise.Roblox has expanded its age-based account protections and parental controls. Roblox Kids accounts cover ages 5 through 8, while Roblox Select covers ages 9 through 15. Chat availability and parental controls vary by age group. We previously broke down Roblox's age-based accounts for kids and teens and what parents should know about those changes. Take a few minutes to review the settings with your child rather than assuming the defaults match what you want.Parents naturally focus on text because it leaves something visible to review. Voice conversations deserve attention too. Ask your child who they talk with while gaming. Make sure they understand that they can leave any conversation that feels uncomfortable.Roblox allows users to report people and inappropriate behavior from within an experience. Users can also block another account. Parents can access communication controls through linked parental settings. Show your child where those controls are before there is a problem. That way, they do not have to figure it out while they are upset or scared.Your reaction matters when your child tells you something went wrong online. Try to make the first conversation about what happened rather than immediately focusing on taking the game away. A child who thinks speaking up will automatically cost them their phone or Roblox access may be more reluctant to tell you about the next uncomfortable interaction.What catches my attention here is what these AI systems are actually being trained to recognize. They are looking for someone trying to get a child's personal information or shift a conversation somewhere else. Another system examines conversations for early signs of potential child endangerment. Voice moderation adds protection when kids are talking instead of typing. Those are situations parents need to understand. I also like the idea of companies sharing safety technology instead of making every platform build these tools from scratch. If technology developed on Roblox helps another gaming service or social platform detect dangerous behavior sooner, that is a positive step. Still, I would never tell a parent to assume AI has their child's back. Roblox itself acknowledges that no safety system is perfect, and independent researchers have found examples of harmful chat getting through moderation. So use the technology as another layer. Then keep talking with your kids about who they meet online and where those conversations are going. The most important warning may be something an algorithm never sees: your child telling you that somebody online is making them uncomfortable.If an AI system detected possible grooming in your child's online conversation, how quickly would you expect the platform to alert you, and how much should it tell you about what happened? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Apple spyware warning hits iPhones in 110 countries Apple is putting one of its most serious security warnings somewhere you are far less likely to miss it: right on your iPhone Lock Screen. confirmed directly to CyberGuy that it sent a new wave of threat notifications last week, saying, "We can confirm threat notifications were sent on August 13 to targeted users in 110 countries, and to date we have notified users in over 150 countries in total."If one of these alerts suddenly appears on your iPhone, do not swipe it away and assume it is another routine security notice. Apple considers these high-confidence alerts that someone has specifically targeted you with unusually sophisticated spyware. Here's what the warning means, how to verify it's real and what to do next if Apple says you were targeted. APPLE PAY TEXT SCAM THREATENS $8,250 LOSS IN 35 MINUTES New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . says it updated its threat notifications with a new user experience designed to make important information and recommended security steps easier for recipients to access. A threat notification can now appear directly on the iPhone Lock Screen and in Settings. Apple also sends an email to addresses associated with your Apple Account. In addition, a warning appears after you sign in at Apple's account website.The Lock Screen message warns: "Apple detected a mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone. There are actions you can take now to protect your data and device." That wording is alarming for a reason. Apple says mercenary spyware attacks are far more sophisticated than the malware and scams most of us encounter. Attackers can spend extraordinary amounts of money targeting a very small number of people.The good news is that receiving a warning does not automatically mean the spyware successfully broke into your device . It means Apple detected activity indicating that you were individually targeted. Still, this isn't an alert I would ignore.Most iPhone owners will probably never encounter one of these warnings. Apple says these attacks have historically targeted people because of who they are or what they do. Past targets have included journalists, activists, politicians and diplomats. The attacks have also been linked through public research and reporting to state actors and private companies that develop surveillance tools on their behalf.Apple does not identify a specific attacker or country when it sends a notification. The company says revealing too much about how it detects these campaigns could help spyware operators change their methods.This part is especially important because you can bet scammers will try to copy these warnings. A fake alert could claim your iPhone was hacked and then send you to a phony Apple login page. The crook's real goal may be stealing your Apple Account credentials.Apple says its genuine threat notifications will never ask you to click a link, open a file, install an app or profile, or give someone your Apple Account password or verification code by email or phone.Rather than trusting an unexpected email, open your browser yourself and go directly to Apple's official account website. Sign in normally. If Apple really sent you a threat notification, the warning should appear at the top of your Apple Account page.If you receive a genuine warning, I would treat your phone as a potential security incident until you know more. Here are the steps I recommend. APPLE AI SECURITY UPDATE PROVES HACKERS MOVE FAST 's updated spyware alerts warn targeted iPhone users on the Lock Screen and recommend immediate security steps, including turning on Lockdown Mode.Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest available version of iOS. Security updates frequently close vulnerabilities that sophisticated attackers may try to exploit. Apple reinforced that recommendation in its statement to CyberGuy, saying, "Turning on Lockdown Mode and keeping devices updated with the latest software are critical defenses for protecting against mercenary spyware attacks."Apple specifically recommends Lockdown Mode for people who receive a mercenary spyware warning. Apple says its updated notification experience is designed to make it easier for recipients to access recommended protective steps, including enabling Lockdown Mode. On an iPhone or iPad : Lockdown Mode deliberately restricts certain apps, websites and connections to reduce the number of ways highly sophisticated spyware can attack your device. An Apple spokesperson said in March 2026 that the company was not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attack against an Apple device while Lockdown Mode was enabled. That does not make any security feature unbeatable, but it is a remarkable record for a tool designed specifically for people facing this kind of threat. For a closer look, see our guide on how to protect your iPhone with Lockdown Mode. Make sure two-factor authentication ( 2FA ) is enabled and review the devices connected to your Apple Account. Also use a strong password that you do not reuse anywhere else. A password manager can generate and store unique passwords so one stolen credential does not put several accounts at risk.Once a warning like this gets public attention, scammers can exploit the fear around it. Do not trust someone who suddenly calls claiming to be Apple Support. Avoid clicking links in unexpected texts or emails about spyware. Remember, Apple says its threat notifications will never ask for your password or verification code.Strange behavior alone does not prove spyware is installed. However, unexplained apps, settings you did not change or other unusual activity deserve attention. Here are more signs that may indicate your phone has been hacked and what you can do next.Probably not. Apple describes Lockdown Mode as an "extreme" protection intended for the relatively small number of people who face sophisticated targeted attacks. Some websites and Apple features work differently while it is enabled. For most people, keeping software current and protecting your Apple Account will provide a more practical everyday security foundation. However, the calculation changes if Apple sends you a mercenary spyware notification. Apple now specifically tells CyberGuy that turning on Lockdown Mode and keeping devices updated are "critical defenses" against mercenary spyware attacks.Even if you never see a spyware warning, there are several steps worth taking now.Security fixes can close vulnerabilities before attackers get another chance to exploit them. Apple recommends keeping your devices updated with the latest software. On an iPhone or iPad: You can also tap Automatic Updates from the Software Update screen to help keep future updates installed automatically. ARE APPLE DEVICES SPYING? WHAT YOUR IPHONE TRACKS On a Mac: Avoid an easy-to-guess four-digit code. These iPhone security settings can help protect your device. This adds another barrier if someone obtains your Apple Account password. Here's how two-factor authentication works and how to enable it. recommends this as part of its broader security guidance. Here's how to turn on Stolen Device Protection on your iPhone. Be extremely cautious with profiles or software someone tells you to install. You can also check your iPhone for suspicious configuration profiles or device management settings. Unexpected security warnings can also be bait used in phishing attacks . Here's how to spot fake Apple alerts and phishing messages. Good security software can help protect you from malicious links, phishing attempts and other online threats that may try to steal your information. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com Data brokers can collect and sell information such as your phone number, address and other personal details. A data removal service can help remove that information from people-search and broker sites. It will not stop mercenary spyware, but reducing how much personal information is publicly available can give bad actors less information to work with. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. If someone gains access to sensitive personal or financial information, identity theft protection can help monitor for signs that your information is being misused and provide recovery assistance if fraud occurs. It will not prevent spyware from infecting an iPhone, but it adds another layer of protection around your identity. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com. bringing these warnings directly to the iPhone Lock Screen is a smart move. A warning this serious should be difficult to miss or mistake for an ordinary email. Apple's response to CyberGuy also makes clear what it wants targeted users to do next: take the notification seriously, enable Lockdown Mode and get the latest software onto their devices. There is another takeaway here that affects far more people than those receiving these alerts. Sophisticated spyware was once something most of us associated with intelligence agencies and highly unusual cases. The commercial spyware industry has made these tools available to a wider range of operators and Apple says the attacks remain global. Most of us are unlikely to become targets of mercenary spyware. That should be reassuring. Still, Apple's warnings show just how aggressive targeted surveillance can become when someone has enough resources and determination. If Apple ever tells you that you have been targeted, believe the warning until qualified experts give you a reason not to.Do you think Apple is doing enough to protect people from sophisticated spyware, or should stronger protections be turned on by default? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. AI firefighting drones take aim at wildfires Wildfires can get a frightening head start. A small ignition in remote terrain can grow while firefighters are still trying to reach it. Now, a new generation of AI firefighting drones could help shrink that response window.CAL FIRE recently tested Seneca's autonomous suppression drones in California. Meanwhile, teams competing in the $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition put other autonomous systems through field testing in Alaska. The goal is to detect a fire early and get suppressant onto it while it is still small.The timing is important. NOAA says human-caused warming is contributing to larger and more severe wildfires in California and the western United States. Research has also linked warming conditions with longer wildfire seasons in the West.Here's how these firefighting drones work, what recent tests revealed and where they could be deployed next. AMERICA'S FIREFIGHTER SHORTAGE HITS CRISIS LEVEL AS EMERGENCY CALLS TRIPLE, PUTTING LIVES AT RISK New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . On July 15, CAL FIRE worked with the nonprofit FireWERX and engineers from California-based Seneca on a field test of autonomous firefighting drones. Five aircraft took part in the demonstration. CAL FIRE Deputy Chief Jack Worden said the technology could help firefighters who often attack small vegetation fires with backpack pumps and hand tools.Seneca is designing its aircraft to respond quickly after crews identify a possible fire. The company's current system uses onboard sensors with AI and computer vision to help locate a fire. It can then deliver aerated Class A foam onto a targeted area. Seneca says its full systems use four to six drones and can deliver between 500 and 1,000 pounds of suppression capacity per trip.One important point is that the payload figures can sound confusing. Reports from the CAL FIRE demonstration described the amount of water carried by individual drones and the volume of foam produced after mixing. Seneca's current product page instead describes suppression capacity by weight. Its Aspen deployment materials use yet another measure, finished foam volume. Those figures should not be treated as interchangeable.Seneca's aircraft cannot match the payload of a large airtanker. CAL FIRE already operates more than 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The agency says that the fleet can reach many remote fires within its State Responsibility Area in about 20 minutes.Smaller drones could serve a different purpose. Seneca says its aircraft can be transported by utility vehicles or positioned near areas with high fire risk. The system is being developed for jobs that include early attack, nighttime operations and work in difficult terrain. That could matter when a fire starts somewhere that ground crews cannot reach quickly.San Bernardino County Fire tested an earlier Seneca Argo-1 system in December 2025. The county described that aircraft as semi-autonomous and said it used thermal tracking with precision targeting for early wildfire response. That description also highlights an important detail about the word "autonomous." The aircraft can handle substantial parts of the flight and targeting process on their own. However, the systems still operate under human supervision. For Aspen's planned deployment, Seneca says a single pilot will be able to oversee multiple aircraft. DOORDASH GETS FAA APPROVAL FOR ITS OWN DELIVERY DRONES A different firefighting system faced its own challenge in Alaska. XPRIZE held finals testing for its Autonomous Wildfire Response Track near Nenana, Alaska during June 2026. Three finalist teams had to use autonomous technology to detect and suppress early-stage fires without human intervention. Judges evaluated factors including speed, accuracy and suppression effectiveness.One of those finalists was German company Dryad Networks. Dryad combines its Silvanet detection network with a drone system called Silvaguard. Silvanet uses solar-powered environmental sensors placed in forests. These sensors monitor combustion gases and particulates associated with the earliest stages of a fire. They communicate through Dryad's network, so a potential ignition can trigger a response. That wording is important because the sensors are doing more than looking for visible smoke.Once Silvanet identifies a possible fire, a Silvaguard observation drone can launch automatically. The aircraft uses infrared and optical imaging to locate the source and determine whether there is an actual fire. A separate suppression drone can then respond to the confirmed location.Dryad says its suppression drone can carry up to 100 liters of fire suppressant. That works out to about 26 gallons. The company has also demonstrated an observation drone that launches from a solar-powered hangar. In a November 2025 demonstration, Dryad said its system detected a controlled fire and extinguished it in under 12 minutes without human involvement.During the XPRIZE finals in Alaska, Dryad says its sensors detected a small fire and triggered an autonomous response. The Silvaguard system then located and attacked the fire.Controlled tests can show what the technology is capable of. Real fire operations will be a much tougher test. Aspen Fire Protection District in Colorado has already signed a five-year, multimillion-dollar agreement with Seneca.The agreement calls for a five-aircraft Seneca Strike Team and a mobile operations base. Seneca says the system has a capacity of about 500 gallons of finished foam per sortie. One pilot can oversee multiple aircraft because of the system's autonomy features. Seneca announced that the system would be delivered during summer 2026. For now, the contract represents one of the clearest moves from demonstration toward real-world deployment. The company also said Aspen firefighters would train on the aircraft before incorporating them into operations. MISSOURI TESTS MEDICAL DRONES TO SPEED UP RURAL HEALTH CARE Firefighting drones could eventually work alongside technology that California already uses for earlier detection. CAL FIRE works with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program, which operated more than 1,200 cameras and sensor arrays as of February 2026. The program says its AI wildfire system detected more than 1,200 fires during its first season. It also beat the first 911 report more than 30% of the time.I've previously covered how Google's FireSat project uses specialized satellites and AI to spot wildfires earlier . That project has also taken a major step forward. Earth Fire Alliance launched the first three operational FireSat satellites on July 7, 2026. However, the system is still ramping up. The organization says operational data should begin reaching its Early Adopters at least twice daily during the fourth quarter of 2026.Eventually, systems like FireSat and ALERTCalifornia could help spot an ignition. A nearby drone could then give firefighters another way to respond quickly. That connection is still developing, but it shows where wildfire technology may be headed.If you live in a wildfire-prone area , these drones could eventually give local fire agencies another way to respond during the earliest stage of a fire. However, they have real limitations. Their payloads are far smaller than those of major firefighting aircraft. Their performance also depends on weather, terrain and safe coordination with other aircraft.In addition, autonomous firefighting technology is still moving from demonstrations into real operations. You should continue to rely on official emergency alerts and evacuation instructions. Know how you would leave your neighborhood if conditions change. Also, keep important documents somewhere you can reach quickly.The promise of these drones comes down to time. If they can reach a remote ignition while it is still small, firefighters may gain another opportunity to stop it before it becomes much harder to control.What interests me most about this technology is the focus on those first critical minutes. A drone will not replace a large airtanker. It also will not replace the judgment of experienced firefighters. Where I see potential is in getting suppression onto a remote fire faster. If a drone can slow a new ignition until more resources arrive, that could give crews an advantage they do not have today. Still, controlled demonstrations only tell us so much. The bigger test comes when these aircraft face unpredictable winds, active fire traffic and rapidly changing conditions. Fire agencies will also need clear procedures for coordinating autonomous systems with the people already working in the air and on the ground. That is when we will learn how valuable this technology can really be.Would you feel safer knowing autonomous firefighting drones were stationed near your community? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. The family group chat is a goldmine for scammers The last message in your family group chat may have seemed completely harmless. It could have been a beach photo, a flight arrival time, a dentist appointment or an update about Dad's cardiologist.These are the everyday details that keep families connected. They can also give scammers the information they need to impersonate someone you love. A criminal may already know your relatives' names, phone numbers and addresses before making contact. Your family group chat can supply the current details that make the scam believable. New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . YOUR SENIOR PARENTS ARE EASIER TO IMPERSONATE THAN YOU ARE Scammers do not always need to hack an account. Instead, they may need only a few minutes and access to a data broker site. Sites such as Spokeo, Whitepages and BeenVerified may reveal your name, address history and phone number. They may also list your relatives, including your spouse, adult children, grandchildren and siblings. That information gives a scammer the outline of your family. Meanwhile, your family group chat can fill in the missing details.For example, you might post that you just returned from Florida. Your daughter may mention that your grandson is backpacking through Europe. You might also share Dad's next doctor's appointment or the date the grandkids start at a new school. Those updates may feel private. However, they can become exposed if someone shares them elsewhere, posts similar details on social media or loses control of an account. The FBI has explained how criminals use this information in grandparent scams . A scammer may learn that a grandson is a photographer who often travels to Mexico. Then the caller claims to be stranded there after losing his passport and camera equipment. The story sounds believable because it includes real details. The FTC warns that scammers "may know your name, where you live, and other information they could have found on social media." In other words, criminals can combine public records with personal updates to create a convincing lie.In 2025, Americans age 60 and older reported $7.7 billion in losses to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, with more than 201,000 complaints filed. Here is the number that should stop you. A data removal service analysis of FBI data found that 72% of elder fraud cases in 2024 were enabled by victims' personal data being available online. Those cases accounted for $4.2 billion in losses, or 86% of the total amount stolen.An 86-year-old woman named Joyce received a call about her real grandson, Grant. The caller reportedly knew he wore glasses, worked as a teacher and was in his mid-20s. Her daughter-in-law later recalled, "There were comments like, 'He's such a nice young man. I love the glasses he wears.'"Gary Schildhorn told the U.S. Senate Aging Committee about receiving a call from what sounded exactly like his son's voice. The caller asked for nearly $9,000 in bail money. "There was no doubt in my mind that it was his voice on the phone," he said. It was an AI-generated voice clone .Security researchers say criminals may need only a short audio clip to reproduce someone's voice. That is the type of clip families share in group chats every day. In August 2025, federal prosecutors in Massachusetts charged 13 people in a ring accused of stealing more than $5 million from over 400 victims across five states. The victims' average age was 84. The U.S. Attorney's summary was blunt: "Their goal was to trick our parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends into handing over their life savings under false pretenses, and they succeeded."Scammers do not always rely on information posted outside the group. Sometimes they take over the chat itself. One common WhatsApp takeover trick starts with a message claiming that a verification code was sent to you by mistake. The sender asks you to forward it. That code is actually your registration code. Forwarding it may allow someone to register your number on another phone. The criminal could then lock you out, create a new PIN and start messaging your family while pretending to be you.Facebook Messenger accounts can also be cloned or hijacked. With iMessage scams, criminals may try to persuade you to respond to a disabled scam link so that the link becomes active again. SIM swapping presents another threat. A criminal who convinces your carrier to transfer your phone number to a different device may gain access without asking you to forward a code. Once that happens, the scammer no longer needs to guess your relatives' names. The criminal may be inside the group chat using them. HI MOM TEXT SCAM: HOW TO SPOT FAKE EMERGENCY TEXTS Good. You should not. Nobody is asking you to leave the family group chat. Disappearing from it would take away one of the best parts of getting older: staying close to your family every day. This isn't about talking less. It is about making a few five-minute security changes that can close the doors scammers use while preserving the connection your family values.A few changes can strengthen your account security and help your family respond safely when a suspicious message appears.Two-step verification adds another layer of protection to your accounts. Therefore, turn it on for every messaging, social media and email account that supports it. WhatsApp: Open Settings > Account > Two-step verification . Facebook: Open Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication . Apple Account: Open Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Two-Factor Authentication .This extra security step can help block an account takeover, even if a scammer steals your password or tries to register your account on another device.Create a family rule that nobody forwards a verification code received by text, email or an authentication app. A legitimate platform will not ask you to send your private login code to another person. A real family member should not need it either. Even when the request appears to come from your child or grandchild, call that person using a phone number you already have before taking action.Choose a word, phrase or question that only your real family knows. Before anyone sends money or responds to an emergency request, ask for the codeword. Apply the rule every time, even when the person's voice sounds convincing. Do not place the codeword in the same group chat you are trying to protect. Share it by phone or in person. YOUR FAMILY COULD BE ONE PHONE CALL FROM A BANK SCAM Post beach photos after you return home rather than while you are still traveling. Real-time travel posts may reveal that your home is empty. They can also give scammers a believable opening line about where you are, where you have been or when you are expected to return. You can still share every great photo. A short delay makes the information less useful to someone watching your activity.On WhatsApp, review who can see your profile photo, last seen status and About information. Consider limiting those details to your contacts. You can also restrict who is allowed to add you to groups. For conversations containing addresses, appointments or routines, consider enabling Advanced Chat Privacy when it is available. Review similar privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram and any other service your family uses.Treat an account as untrusted when a family member suddenly asks you to forward a code, send money, buy gift cards or keep an emergency secret. Getting logged out unexpectedly can also indicate that someone is attempting to take over your account. Stop responding in the chat and call the family member directly using a phone number you already had. Do not call a new number provided in the suspicious message.Use a password manager to create and store a different strong password for every messaging, email and social media account. Reusing the same password gives criminals more opportunities. If one service suffers a breach, the stolen password may be tested against your other accounts. A password manager also reduces the temptation to choose short passwords based on birthdays, pets or family names that a scammer could discover online.There is one problem these security settings cannot solve: the data broker profile that may have made the scam believable in the first place.Search for your name on sites such as Spokeo or Whitepages. You may find your address, phone number and relatives listed by name. That is the information a scammer can see before making contact.Meanwhile, your group chat supplies the current details that make the eventual call or message convincing. The data broker profile may have helped identify your family as a possible target.You can request removal from data broker sites yourself. However, the process can take time, and your information may reappear later.For ongoing help, consider using a reputable data removal service. These services send removal requests to data brokers on your behalf and continue checking whether your personal information returns.No service can remove every trace of your data from the internet. Still, reducing the number of sites that display your address, phone number and family connections can make it harder for scammers to build a convincing profile around you. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. The family group chat may feel like the safest room in your digital life, but the information shared there can become valuable to criminals. Data brokers may already have your relatives mapped out by name, while travel plans, appointments and everyday updates give scammers the current details they need to create a convincing story. Real families have lost thousands of dollars to callers who appeared to know everything about them. Messaging accounts can also be hijacked through stolen verification codes, weak passwords, phishing attempts or SIM-swapping attacks. You do not need to leave the family group chat. Turn on two-step verification, use unique passwords stored in a password manager, create a family codeword and wait until you return home before sharing travel updates. Those precautions can protect your accounts, but they cannot remove information that is already sitting on data broker sites. Reducing that exposure requires regularly checking what is public and requesting that your information be removed. Stay close to your family. Just make it harder for someone else to use that closeness against you.Has a scammer ever contacted you or a relative using real names, travel details or other personal information that made the story feel convincing? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Mystery voicemail scam can hit without your phone ever ringing It starts quietly. Your phone buzzes with a voicemail notification. The strange part is that your phone never rang. Then it happens again. Before long, your voicemail inbox is filling up with messages you never heard come in. That's exactly what Mike from Westport, Connecticut, is dealing with right now. He wrote to us saying:"I am so upset. Every 20 to 30 minutes, I am getting voicemails, but what's weird is my phone never rings. After blocking the number, it just rolls over to a new source number. When I go to play the message, there is no audio. Is this a scammer just trying to get me to call them back? Not sure what the endgame is here. What can I do to stop this from happening? I really appreciate your help."Mike's experience has the hallmarks of automated spam activity, but there is an important distinction. A voicemail that appears without your phone ringing does not automatically mean a scammer used a special "ringless voicemail" system. Your phone's call-screening settings, your wireless carrier's spam filters and automated robocalls can all produce a similar result. FTC REVEALS WHERE SPAM CALLS HIT HARDEST The safest approach is to treat repeated unexplained voicemails from unfamiliar numbers as suspicious and avoid calling those numbers back. Here's what may be happening behind those mystery voicemails, why the numbers keep changing and what you can do to make them stop.New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest ThreatsJoin us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward.Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com.There are several ways a voicemail can appear even though you never heard your phone ring. One is ringless voicemail, sometimes called direct-to-voicemail. This technology can deliver a prerecorded message to a wireless voicemail inbox without making the phone ring. The FCC ruled in 2022 that ringless voicemail to wireless phones qualifies as a "call" under federal robocalling rules when an artificial or prerecorded voice is used and therefore is subject to applicable consent requirements.Another possibility is that the call reached your number, but your phone or wireless carrier filtered it before you heard it. On current iPhones, for example, calls identified by a carrier as potential spam or fraud can be silenced and sent to voicemail. Apple also allows you to screen or silence callers who are not saved in your contacts. Automated calling systems can also result in extremely short or silent messages when a call reaches voicemail, but the recording never plays properly. So, the symptom alone cannot tell you exactly what caused the voicemail. We discussed this issue in detail on The CyberGuy Report podcast at cyberguy.com/podcast/.Mike also noticed that blocking one number does not help for long. Another number simply replaces it. Caller ID spoofing is one reason this happens. Scammers can falsify the caller ID information that appears on your phone, making a call appear to come from a local number, a company or even another person's phone.That means the number you see may have little connection to whoever actually placed the call. In some cases, the displayed number can belong to an innocent person whose number is being misused. This is why manually blocking every number can become a frustrating game of whack-a-mole. Blocking can still help with repeat callers, but broader spam filtering is usually more useful when the displayed numbers keep changing. AMAZON RECALL TEXT SCAM COMES WITH RED FLAGS A completely silent message may seem pointless. Sometimes it may simply be an automated call where the recording failed to play correctly. However, unwanted calls can also be designed to get you to respond.An unfamiliar voicemail notification creates curiosity. You may wonder whether you missed something important and return the call. That's where you need to be careful. The FTC advises people who receive illegal robocalls to hang up, avoid pressing buttons and not call back.There are also callback scams specifically designed around curiosity. In so-called one-ring or Wangiri scams, criminals place short calls hoping you'll return them. A callback can lead to an international or premium-rate number and unexpected charges. You can read more about unexpected international call scams and why calling back can cost you . A silent voicemail isn't automatically a one-ring scam. Still, the same safety rule applies. Do not return an unexplained call simply because you want to know who was behind it.A voicemail merely appearing in your inbox does not prove that you listened to it or that a scammer successfully confirmed you as a responsive target. Engaging is different.Calling back, pressing prompts or interacting with an illegal robocall gives the other side a response. The FTC specifically warns that pressing a number to supposedly get off a calling list can lead to more unwanted calls. That's another reason to let suspicious calls end with you.Some robocall campaigns operate at enormous scale. A system can place call after call with little or no human involvement. If the call reaches voicemail, but the recording does not start correctly, you may end up with a blank or extremely short message.When the same thing happens repeatedly from changing numbers, automated calling activity becomes one possible explanation. However, the voicemail alone isn't enough to identify the exact system or caller behind it.Repeated silent voicemails by themselves are not evidence that someone has hacked your phone. The more likely explanations involve calls being routed, screened, blocked or sent to voicemail rather than someone gaining access to the device.Still, pay attention to other warning signs. If your phone suddenly loses cellular service, you stop receiving verification codes or your carrier says your SIM or eSIM was changed unexpectedly, that is a different problem and could point to a SIM swap scam. You should also contact your carrier if you notice unexpected changes to your voicemail greeting, voicemail PIN or call-forwarding settings. For the pattern Mike described, however, the immediate concern is unwanted calling activity and what happens if he engages with it.You may not be able to eliminate every unwanted voicemail, especially when callers constantly change numbers. However, these steps can reduce the disruption and make it harder for suspicious calls to reach you.If there is no meaningful message, and you do not recognize the caller, there is usually no reason to return the call. A legitimate caller with an important reason to reach you can identify themselves in a voicemail, send you a message or try again. If someone claims to represent your bank, a government agency or another organization, look up the organization's official contact information yourself rather than using a callback number from an unexpected message.Apple's current iPhone software gives you several ways to handle unknown and suspected spam callers.Turn on Call ScreeningWith this setting, calls from unknown numbers are asked for more information before your iPhone rings. Once the caller provides a name and reason for calling, you can decide whether to answer. You can also select Silence , but keep the tradeoff in mind. Calls from unsaved numbers will be silenced and sent to voicemail, while still appearing in your recent calls. That can be useful if you never want unknown callers interrupting you, but it can also mean more legitimate unsaved callers end up in voicemail.Turn on spam filteringCalls identified by your carrier as potential spam or fraud can then be silenced, sent to voicemail and moved to the Spam list. That is also one legitimate reason you might find a voicemail on your iPhone even though you never remember hearing it ring. For more ways to deal with these calls, see our guide on sending spam calls to voicemail on iPhone and Android .Samsung Galaxy phones offer Caller ID and spam protection through the Samsung Phone app on supported devices.The first option blocks calls identified as spam or scams regardless of risk level, while the second focuses on calls identified as higher-risk scams.You can also block unknown numbers:That is a fairly aggressive setting, so consider whether you regularly receive legitimate calls from doctors, delivery drivers, businesses or other people who may not be in your contacts.Samsung now offers an AI-powered Call screening feature on compatible Galaxy phones running Android 16 with One UI 8.5 or later.To turn it on:You can also enable Auto screen calls to automatically screen unknown callers. When Call screening handles a call, Galaxy AI can provide a live transcription so you can decide whether to accept or reject it. Automatic screening can also explain some unusual call behavior because the AI may answer an unknown call before you interact with it. If Call screening does not appear, your Galaxy model, software version or carrier may not support it. For even more options, check out our guide on how to trace and block anonymous calls. For Mike's situation, where blank messages arrive every 20 to 30 minutes, I would involve the wireless carrier. Tell the carrier that you are receiving repeated silent voicemails from rotating numbers without hearing the incoming calls. Ask what network-level spam controls are available and whether anything can be done to prevent the unwanted callers from reaching voicemail. Your carrier may also have more information about how the incoming calls are reaching your line than you can see from the phone itself.Call-blocking and call-labeling tools can help identify known spam patterns before you answer. The FTC recommends looking into call-blocking and call-labeling solutions as one way to reduce unwanted calls. Before installing a third-party app, check the company's privacy policy and what access the app requests. We have more options in our guide to getting rid of robocalls with call-blocking apps and privacy tools. Scammers and marketers can obtain phone numbers in many ways, including databases, people-search sites and data brokers. Some robocalls may also simply be placed randomly, so reducing online exposure cannot prevent every unwanted call. Still, having less personal information publicly available gives strangers fewer places to gather details about you. You can submit removal requests to data brokers yourself or use a reputable data removal service to help manage them. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.comOur guide explains how to remove your personal information from the web and keep checking when it comes back . Keep expectations realistic. Removing a phone number from data broker sites will not instantly stop a robocall campaign that already has your number. You can also learn about 9 ways scammers can use your phone number to try to trick you. Antivirus software will not stop a silent voicemail from reaching your phone, so I would not position it as a robocall blocker. However, it becomes important if the person behind the call follows up with a text message, email, malicious link, fake website or dangerous download.Strong antivirus protection can help detect phishing attempts, malicious websites and malware before they compromise your device or personal information. That extra layer matters because a suspicious voicemail may only be the first contact in a scam that later tries to get you to click or download something. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.comThe key is still not to engage with suspicious callers. However, keeping strong security software on your devices can provide another layer of protection if a scam attempt moves from your voicemail to your browser, texts or email. See our guide to what to look for in antivirus software without the jargon. If you're receiving illegal robocalls, the FTC says to report them at DoNotCall.gov .When filing a report, it helps to provide:Those reports can help regulators identify calling patterns and support call-blocking and enforcement efforts. You can read more about what complaint data shows in our report on where spam calls are hitting Americans hardest . If you lost money or gave personal information to a scammer, you can also file a fraud report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov .The National Do Not Call Registry can help reduce unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies that follow the law. However, it does not physically block calls and will not stop scammers who are already making illegal calls. Registration is free for both mobile and home phone numbers. If you've registered and wonder why unwanted calls still get through, we explain the problem in the "Do Not Call" list loophole: Why your phone still won't stop ringing. Getting voicemail notifications when your phone never rang can be unsettling, especially when they keep appearing from different numbers. However, there is no single explanation for every case. Ringless voicemail technology exists, but phone screening, carrier spam filtering and automated robocalls can also result in messages appearing without you hearing a ring. The biggest mistake is letting curiosity pull you into calling an unexplained number back. Delete meaningless messages, use your phone's spam controls and get your carrier involved when the problem becomes relentless. For Mike, the rotating numbers and repeated blank messages make automated spam activity a reasonable concern. Nothing he described, however, is proof that his phone has been hacked. For more on this topic, be sure to listen and subscribe to The CyberGuy Report podcast at Cyberguy.com/podcast/ .Have you ever found a voicemail on your phone even though you swear it never rang? What did the message say, and did you figure out where it came from? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Robot performs 26 cataract surgeries with surgeon control If you or someone you love has had cataract surgery , you know how routine the whole thing can feel. You arrive, the surgeon does the procedure, and you are usually back home the same day. Now a robot is entering that familiar routine.ForSight Robotics says its JASPER Robotic Surgical Platform has now been used in 26 fully robotic-assisted cataract surgeries in human patients. According to the company, every procedure was completed robotically without the surgeon having to switch to a manual operation. That may sound like the robot took over the operating room. It did not.New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest ThreatsJoin us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward.Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com. ROBOT LEARNS TO DISMANTLE BROKEN MACHINES JASPER works through surgeon-controlled telemanipulation. The doctor directs the procedure while the robotic system translates those commands into tiny movements inside the patient's eye. That matters because we're starting to see robots take on bigger roles in surgery. However, the details about who is actually in charge can get lost in the headline. Fully robotic-assisted cataract surgery reaches 26 patientsForSight announced its first-in-human robotic cataract surgery earlier this year. The company has since completed another 14 procedures, bringing its total first-in-human clinical experience to 26 patients. ForSight says all 26 procedures were completed with JASPER without converting to conventional manual surgery. The patients also received the same types of anesthesia commonly used in cataract surgery. Doctors used either topical anesthesia or mild sedation depending on the patient. Everyone went home the same day. That may sound like a small detail next to the robot, but I think it is one of the more interesting parts of this story.ForSight is trying to show that robotics can fit into the way cataract surgery already works. The goal is to add robotic technology without turning a familiar outpatient procedure into something completely different. So far, the company says JASPER has worked within that normal clinical routine. Still, 26 patients is a small group. This is early clinical experience, not proof that robotic cataract surgery is ready for widespread use.The phrase "fully robotic-assisted" needs a little unpacking because it can easily sound like JASPER is making decisions on its own. It isn't. The surgeon controls the procedure through telemanipulation. JASPER then translates those commands into movements by the robotic instruments working inside the eye.The system gives the surgeon high-definition 3D visualization. It can scale movements and filter out natural hand tremor. Real-time eye tracking helps JASPER respond as the eye moves during surgery. ForSight also uses computer vision to help support the surgeon during the procedure. The big difference here is that JASPER is designed to perform the complete cataract procedure, rather than stepping in for only one part of the operation. The doctor still decides what happens next and remains in control throughout.We have seen other approaches to robotic surgery move in different directions. CyberGuy previously covered an AI-powered robot that independently completed a key phase of gallbladder surgery on a lifelike surgical model. JASPER takes a more hands-on approach from the surgeon's perspective. The robot handles the physical movements, but the doctor is still calling the shots. COULD A PAINT-ON ELECTRONIC TATTOO SPOT HEART ATTACKS? Cataract surgery is already one of the most common operations in the world. ForSight says more than 30 million procedures are performed each year globally. That gives this technology a very different kind of potential impact. We are not talking about a robot built for an extremely rare procedure. If systems like JASPER eventually prove safe and practical, they could enter a part of medicine that touches millions of people every year.Robotic surgery is also beginning to stretch beyond the traditional operating room. In March, CyberGuy reported on a London surgeon who remotely guided a robot to remove a patient's prostate cancer from about 1,500 miles away. More recently, researchers tested humanoid robots during live gallbladder surgeries in a preclinical study. Human surgeons remotely controlled those robots too. JASPER brings that same idea of surgeon-controlled robotics to the eye, where tiny movements matter enormously. ForSight believes the technology could give surgeons greater precision and stability. The company also sees JASPER as a possible foundation for future AI-enabled surgical tools.Before you start asking your eye doctor when the robot is arriving, there is an important reality check. JASPER is still under design and development and has not been approved for commercial use. ForSight is continuing clinical work as it moves toward additional studies and regulatory submissions. There is also one number in the announcement that deserves a closer look: 100%. ForSight says 100% of the 26 procedures were completed robotically without switching to manual surgery. That is impressive, but it is also very specific.The figure does not mean JASPER has a 100% success rate. Nor does it prove the system is safer than conventional cataract surgery. We also do not yet know whether patients will have better long-term outcomes. Those questions need much more evidence. Whenever you see a big percentage attached to a new medical technology, look at exactly what the number measures. In this case, it measures robotic completion of the procedure.If you need cataract surgery today, this does not change your treatment options. JASPER isn't a commercial system that you can request from your eye doctor. What it does give us is a preview of how surgery could evolve. Instead of a surgeon physically manipulating every instrument by hand, the doctor could control a robotic system that translates those decisions into extremely precise movements. For eye surgery, that could be a big deal.The technology may eventually help surgeons work with greater stability. It could also open the door to new ways of performing highly specialized procedures. But there is a difference between something working in 26 patients and something being ready for millions of people. Researchers still need larger studies. Regulators will have to examine the system closely. Doctors will also want to see how robotic cataract surgery compares with the procedures they already perform every day. For now, JASPER gives us an intriguing look at where eye surgery may be heading.What grabs me about this story isn't simply the fact that a robot was involved in eye surgery. We've been watching robots move deeper into medicine for years. What gets my attention is how normal ForSight says the experience remained for the patient. People received familiar anesthesia and went home the same day. Meanwhile, a surgeon controlled a robotic platform through the complete cataract procedure. That tells me the real test for medical robots may be whether they can fit into existing care without making everything more complicated. At the same time, 26 patients is still 26 patients. I want to see larger studies and a clearer picture of how patients do over time. Another big question is whether robotic surgery actually improves results or mainly gives surgeons a different way to perform the same procedure. Then there is the AI question. ForSight says JASPER could eventually support AI-enabled surgical capabilities. That could push this technology into a very different territory down the road. Right now, though, the surgeon is still firmly in charge.If your eye doctor told you a robot would perform the physical movements during cataract surgery while the surgeon controlled every step, would you be comfortable with that or would you want the traditional approach? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. SignalTrace can link device signals to your car Your phone may be giving a roadside sensor clues about where you go and which devices regularly travel alongside you. Say you carpool to work with the same person most mornings. Your car passes a license plate reader, which records the plate along with the time and location. Meanwhile, another sensor detects wireless signals coming from devices traveling nearby. Your phone might be there. So could a smartwatch, wireless headphones or electronics built into the car.After enough trips, software may recognize that some of those signals tend to move together. Now there is a recurring electronic pattern associated with that vehicle. Weeks later, one of those signals appears somewhere else, perhaps near a different vehicle connected to an investigation. Police may not know who owns the device yet. However, its previous connections could give investigators a place to start. LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS ARE TRACKING DRIVERS EVERYWHERE That is the idea behind SignalTrace, a technology marketed to law enforcement by security company Leonardo. And it raises a big privacy question : How anonymous is a device signal once it can be tied to a vehicle, repeated locations and other devices traveling alongside it? New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10 a.m. ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . SignalTrace works alongside automatic license plate reader technology, commonly called ALPR. Traditional license plate readers photograph passing vehicles. They can record the plate number, vehicle information and the time and location of the sighting. We recently looked at how license plate cameras are tracking drivers across the country . SignalTrace adds another layer.Leonardo says the system detects electronic signals being broadcast by consumer devices. That can include signals associated with phones, wearables , vehicle electronics and RFID devices. The software looks for signals that repeatedly appear together. It can then create what Leonardo calls an electronic fingerprint for that group.According to the company's product information, SignalTrace can connect recurring device patterns with license plate information and time-stamped locations. Investigators can later search those patterns. Leonardo also says the technology can help recognize a vehicle even when its license plate isn't visible. That changes the starting point for an investigation. Police traditionally might begin with a plate number or known suspect. With this type of system, investigators could potentially begin with a recurring pattern of electronic signals and work backward.Leonardo told CyberGuy, "Leonardo recognizes that technologies used to support public safety must balance investigative value with the privacy rights of individuals. SignalTrace was designed with that responsibility in mind." According to the company, SignalTrace detects and correlates electronic signals that devices publicly broadcast. Leonardo says the system does not decrypt communications, access message content or collect information stored on someone's device.The company also stressed that SignalTrace itself does not identify individuals or associate an electronic signature with a person. However, Leonardo confirmed that an investigator could correlate an electronic signature with a license plate. The investigator could then, subject to applicable laws and policies, use outside vehicle registration records to obtain information about the registered owner. In other words, any identification would come from separate investigative steps and outside records, not from SignalTrace itself. The registered owner of a vehicle also isn't necessarily the person who was carrying a particular device at a particular time.Leonardo told CyberGuy, "SignalTrace data is an investigative lead, not proof of identity." The company added that the data "should not be considered proof of an individual's identity or involvement in an incident." Any association with a person, Leonardo says, requires additional investigative work and corroborating information under applicable legal requirements and agency procedures. The company summed up its position this way: "Leonardo believes technology should support, not replace, sound investigative practices."This is where the privacy debate gets more interesting. Federal privacy guidance does not define identifying information only as your name, Social Security number or another obvious identifier. The National Institute of Standards and Technology says information can qualify as personally identifiable when it can distinguish or trace someone's identity on its own or when combined with other linkable information. Movement patterns can be surprisingly revealing.A widely cited Scientific Reports study examined 15 months of mobility data from 1.5 million people. Researchers found that four time-and-place points were enough to uniquely characterize 95% of the mobility traces in the dataset. That study did not examine SignalTrace. Still, it demonstrates why repeated location patterns can become distinctive even when a person's name is missing from the original data.That is important because data that appears anonymous on its own can become identifying when combined with outside information. Connect that data with a vehicle record, another location and repeated appearances over time, and investigators may have a much clearer picture.Location is only part of the concern. Association matters too. Your phone regularly travels beside certain other devices. Your spouse's watch may be nearby. A coworker's phone could appear during your commute. Your child's tablet might show up during family trips. Those patterns can say something about relationships.A Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study followed 94 participants using phones that recorded Bluetooth proximity and communication patterns. Researchers reported that the behavioral data could accurately classify 95% of reciprocally reported friendships in their sample. Again, SignalTrace uses a different system. There is no independent research showing that SignalTrace can reproduce those results. The broader lesson still matters. Repeated proximity can reveal social relationships. That can also create mistakes.Two people may commute together without having any other connection. Someone can borrow a car. A phone may stay inside a vehicle after its owner leaves. A nearby pedestrian could potentially be close enough to a collection point to become part of the data. A pattern can create an investigative lead. It cannot explain why two people were near each other. We have already seen what can happen when surveillance data points investigators in the wrong direction. In another case, technology helped lead police to accuse the wrong person. FLOCK SURVEILLANCE SPREADS ACROSS THE SOUTH AS RED-STATE LAWMAKERS SEEK TO AX '1984'-STYLE TRACKING TOOLS Leonardo told CyberGuy that SignalTrace remains in the early stages of adoption and currently has a limited number of deployments. The company did not provide an exact number of agencies or locations using the technology. Leonardo also said interest is growing beyond law enforcement. The company pointed to potential uses involving parking management, traffic monitoring and commercial automotive applications.The legal questions surrounding this technology arrive at an especially interesting moment. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in Carpenter v. United States that people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in historical cellphone location records held by wireless carriers.Then came a major ruling this summer. In June 2026, the Supreme Court decided Chatrie v. United States, a case involving location information obtained through a geofence warrant. Police investigating a bank robbery had obtained Google location data associated with devices near the crime scene. Investigators narrowed the data until it helped lead them to Okello Chatrie.The Supreme Court held that police conducted a Fourth Amendment search when they obtained Chatrie's cellphone location data from Google. The justices said people can have a reasonable expectation of privacy in cellphone location information. The court did not decide whether the particular geofence warrant ultimately satisfied the Fourth Amendment's probable cause and particularity requirements. It sent that issue back to the lower court.That distinction is important for SignalTrace. Chatrie involved historical location information stored by Google. SignalTrace detects signals broadcast from nearby devices. The Supreme Court has not ruled that SignalTrace collection itself constitutes a Fourth Amendment search. Still, the cases now sit in the same broader privacy conversation. Police technology can begin with devices rather than named suspects. Investigators can then use digital patterns to narrow down the people connected to them.Consider a protest, political event or other large public gathering where SignalTrace sensors were operating nearby. A device could appear repeatedly near devices associated with people police are investigating. That proximity would not prove the device owner knew those people. It certainly would not prove wrongdoing. Yet the pattern could become an investigative lead.Software can recognize recurring signals and proximity. It cannot determine why two people were close to each other. They could be coworkers sharing a ride or strangers who happened to be standing nearby. That distinction becomes especially important because Leonardo itself says SignalTrace data is an investigative lead, not proof of an individual's identity or involvement in an incident. Any conclusion about a person would require additional investigative work and corroboration.Automated license plate readers have already expanded beyond traditional police installations. CyberGuy reported that license plate cameras have appeared at some Home Depot and Lowe's locations , showing how vehicle tracking infrastructure can spread into everyday places. Adding electronic signal analysis could make those networks capable of producing a much richer picture of movement.There is no phone setting that guarantees SignalTrace or another roadside sensor cannot detect your device. However, you can reduce some wireless activity and limit other forms of location tracking on your phone.If you do not need Bluetooth during a drive, you can turn it off completely. Keep in mind that doing this will disconnect devices such as wireless headphones, your smartwatch or your car's Bluetooth system.Limiting location access will not necessarily prevent SignalTrace from detecting a wireless signal. However, it can reduce the amount of separate location information apps collect about where you go.Find out whether your local police department uses automatic license plate readers and whether it publishes a policy explaining how the data is handled. Look for information about retention periods, access and sharing with other agencies.These steps can reduce some of your digital exposure, but they cannot make your phone invisible to every type of roadside sensor. SignalTrace can involve more than Bluetooth, so you should be skeptical of any claim that one phone setting can completely prevent this kind of tracking. THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ON YOUR STREET CORNER: LAWFUL SPYING OR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROBLEMATIC? You do not need to panic every time Bluetooth is turned on in your car. Leonardo says SignalTrace is still in the early stages of adoption, with a limited number of deployments to date. However, the technology changes what you should understand about digital privacy.A device identifier does not have to contain your name to become useful in an investigation. Leonardo says SignalTrace itself does not identify people, but investigators can combine an electronic signature with outside information, such as license plate and vehicle registration records. That extra context can potentially help investigators narrow down who may be associated with a device or vehicle.You should also review how much location history your apps and accounts retain. That information is separate from SignalTrace collection, but Chatrie demonstrates how valuable stored location histories can become during an investigation. Finally, pay attention to what your local police department says about automated license plate readers. Look for policies covering retention, data sharing and investigative access. If electronic signal sensors become part of those systems, the rules governing them deserve the same scrutiny.What stands out to me is how quickly the definition of identification is changing. A sensor may never learn your name when you drive past. Yet software can build a pattern around the devices you carry, and investigators can compare that pattern with information from other sources. Leonardo makes an important distinction here. The company says SignalTrace itself does not identify people and its data should be viewed as an investigative lead, not proof. I think that distinction matters. The real privacy question becomes what happens after that lead is created and how much corroboration investigators require before connecting it to a person. I understand why police would want technology that helps find a stolen vehicle or develop a lead in a serious case. These tools can have legitimate public-safety uses. But proximity deserves caution. Being near someone isn't the same as knowing that person. Traveling with someone does not establish what either person was doing. The bigger question is how much inference we are willing to let technology make before stronger legal protections kick in.Would you be comfortable with police using electronic signatures from your devices to develop leads about your movements and associations, or should that kind of tracking require a warrant? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Robot learns to dismantle broken machines Robots have spent decades helping build the products around us. Now researchers are teaching them another skill that could become increasingly important: taking those products apart when something goes wrong.More than 4.6 million industrial robots are already operating worldwide. Meanwhile, demand for industrial robots continues to grow as manufacturers automate more production. That creates an obvious question. What happens to all those machines and other complex products when parts wear out or fail? FOREIGN ROBOT BAN TARGETS CHINA OVER SECURITY FEARS Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany have developed a robotic disassembly system designed to tackle that problem. Instead of assuming every screw and component will behave perfectly, the system plans for the messy reality of old machines. A screw may be stuck. A component may already be missing. The machine may no longer match the original design. The robot can figure that out as it works and change its plan along the way. New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . Building something in a factory can be incredibly predictable. A robot knows which part comes next. It knows where the screws belong. Every movement can follow a carefully programmed sequence.Taking an old machine apart is a very different job. Years of use can leave parts corroded or damaged. Previous repairs can also change how a product fits together. That uncertainty creates a huge problem for traditional automation because one unexpected obstacle can derail the entire disassembly sequence.Researcher Jan Baumgärtner puts the challenge in practical terms. When assembling something new, the steps are clear. When dismantling something broken, many things can go wrong. That means a robot needs more than instructions. It needs some ability to reconsider what it believes is happening.The system starts with a CAD model showing how the product should be constructed. From there, the robot examines how individual parts actually behave. It can check whether a component moves the way the model predicts. If the movement looks wrong, the system updates its understanding of the machine. For example, a screw should behave in a very specific way. If the system discovers that a screw moves differently than expected, it can factor that new information into its next decision.The researchers use a probabilistic planning approach known as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, or POMDP. That complicated name describes a fairly relatable idea. The robot knows it does not have perfect information. So, rather than committing to one rigid plan, it assigns probabilities to what might be wrong and keeps updating those assumptions as new information arrives. The research combines that approach with CAD data, inspection information and the capabilities of the robot itself. HUMANOID ROBOT VIDEOS SHOW MACHINES LASHING OUT Here is where this gets interesting. In one physical experiment, the researchers simulated a stuck screw in an electric motor. The robotic system initially tried the expected approach by unscrewing the fasteners. When it discovered that one screw would not cooperate, the robot changed course. Instead of continuing to fight with that screw, the system chose a milling tool to remove material and gain access to the part it wanted. In another test involving an angle grinder, the robot recognized that a screw was already missing and avoided wasting time looking for it.That adaptability is important because the researchers found that traditional deterministic planning works well when everything behaves exactly as expected. Once uncertainty enters the picture, the probabilistic system can perform better when another disassembly route is available. In the experiments, both approaches performed similarly on new components. As the likelihood of stuck parts increased, the probabilistic planner produced faster disassembly times in scenarios where the robot had another way to reach the target component. The research was presented at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Vienna.There is an important distinction here. The researchers are developing technology for robotic disassembly, but the physical demonstrations in this research focused on electric motors and an angle grinder. They did not demonstrate an automated factory where robots dismantle complete industrial robots.Still, the broader concept could eventually apply to much larger systems. Baumgärtner envisions scaling the technology into facilities with multiple robotic arms equipped with different tools. One machine might handle screws while another tackles parts that require a more aggressive removal method. The long-term vision looks almost like an assembly line running backward. Could robots eventually make repairs cheaper? This may be the part you should watch. Baumgärtner says one goal is creating a more circular economy where manufacturers recover useful components from older products instead of discarding the entire device.The system can even prioritize certain components during disassembly. If a manufacturer says a particular part has significant value, the robot can adjust its strategy to improve the chances of preserving that component. Eventually, the researchers envision an automated process that could extract a bad component, replace it and rebuild the product. Their ultimate economic goal is ambitious: make automated repair inexpensive enough that fixing an electronic device can cost less than producing another one. That remains a goal rather than something the system can deliver commercially today. WOULD YOU TRUST A TINY DENTAL ROBOT? You probably will not see one of these robotic repair stations at your neighborhood electronics shop anytime soon. However, this research points toward a different way manufacturers could think about products once they break. Today, many electronics become e-waste because recovering individual components can take too much labor or money. Automation could change some of that math. If robotic systems become good enough at dealing with damaged products, manufacturers could recover more high-value parts. Refurbishing equipment could also become more economical in some industries. There is another potential benefit. A machine that can intelligently preserve useful components may reduce the amount of perfectly good hardware that gets discarded because one part failed. The big question will be whether manufacturers design future products with automated disassembly in mind. Repair becomes much easier when engineers think about how something will eventually come apart while they are deciding how to build it.What catches my attention here is the robot's ability to deal with uncertainty. Factory robots have traditionally thrived in carefully controlled environments where every component arrives in the right place. Broken products refuse to cooperate like that. Teaching machines to recognize when reality no longer matches the blueprint could unlock far more useful applications for robotics. Repair and recycling are especially interesting because the economics often determine whether something gets a second life or lands in the scrap pile. We are still looking at research rather than a repair revolution you can use today. Yet the idea behind it feels important. The smarter robots become at taking products apart, the more realistic it becomes to recover expensive components instead of throwing away an entire machine because one piece failed.If robots could make repairing your electronics cheaper than replacing them, would that change how long you keep your devices, or do you think manufacturers will always have an incentive to sell you something new? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. 'The Odyssey' streaming scam could steal your bank info Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is one of the biggest movie releases of the summer. You have been hearing about it for months, but maybe you have not made it to the theater yet. Then an ad pops up promising you can watch "The Odyssey" online for free. The site looks polished. Reviews make it appear legitimate. Better yet, you can supposedly start watching within minutes.There is one catch. You need to create an account. Then the supposedly free service asks for your credit card information to activate a trial. Enter those details, and you could soon discover there was never a movie waiting for you. The real purpose of the site was to get your financial information. CHEAP TV BOXES MAY SECRETLY CLICK ADS FOR FRAUD Security researchers say scammers are taking advantage of the enormous interest surrounding "The Odyssey," which Universal Pictures released in U.S. theaters in July. Here's how these fake streaming traps work and what you can do to avoid getting caught in one. New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . Cybercriminals have created fake websites that claim to let you stream "The Odyssey" online for free. Some sites appear through online ads or search results. Others can be reached through questionable streaming and piracy sites. The pages can look surprisingly convincing. According to reports citing Kaspersky researchers, scammers have created versions in different languages. Some even advertise dubbed versions based on the visitor's location. Fake reviews and ratings help make the service look trustworthy.When you try to play the movie, the website asks you to register. You may first be asked for your name and email address. Eventually, the site requests your bank card information. It claims the information is needed to activate a free trial. There is no free movie. Instead, you have handed sensitive information to people who may use it for fraudulent transactions or other scams.The Federal Trade Commission has specifically warned that websites offering free movies and TV shows can infect computers with malware. The agency says criminals use malware to steal personal information and commit fraud. That can include login information for online accounts. The FTC also warns that malware can steal usernames and passwords as well as bank account numbers.That makes a fake movie site more than an annoyance. Clicking the wrong download or following a bogus instruction could put information stored on your device at risk. We've seen this playbook before when we previously reported on how hackers use free streaming movies to lure people toward malware . We also covered how illegal movie downloads can hide dangerous malware . Scammers keep recycling the same strategy whenever a major release creates enough interest.There is another reason to be careful when searching for copies of "The Odyssey" online. Cybersecurity company Malwarebytes found scams targeting people searching for pirated copies within hours of the movie's release. Researchers found cloned piracy sites displaying fake browser warnings. Other scams offered movie downloads that were actually Windows executable files disguised as video files. One fake warning claimed the browser was missing a component and encouraged visitors to click a button to fix it.There was no missing browser component. According to Malwarebytes, clicking the button could push visitors into a malvertising network. Where they ended up could vary depending on the advertising campaign running at that moment. Researchers also found a supposed Odyssey movie download ending in .exe. That is a huge warning sign. An .exe file is a Windows program, not a video. If a website says you need to install software or fix your browser before watching a movie, leave the site.Criminals understand timing. When a movie becomes a cultural event, millions of people start searching for it. Some want to know when it will arrive on streaming. Others hope they can find a free copy. That creates an opening for scammers.A fake website does not have to convince everyone. It only needs to catch the person who is excited enough to click before checking where the movie is actually available. Fake reviews make that easier. So does a professional-looking video player. We saw a similar tactic during the Barbie craze. CyberGuy reported on scammers using the movie's popularity to steal bank information from moviegoers . The next bait could be whichever movie or show everybody is talking about next. IMAX CEO DESCRIBES 'FRENZY' AFTER CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S 'THE ODYSSEY' SHATTERS RECORDS A slick website does not prove you are dealing with a legitimate streaming service. Start with availability. If a movie has only recently arrived in theaters, be suspicious when an unfamiliar website suddenly claims you can stream it for free. Universal Pictures currently lists "The Odyssey" as a theatrical release. Next, look closely at the website address. A scammer may use a domain that resembles a familiar streaming service. A small spelling change or an unusual domain ending can be easy to miss when you are moving quickly.Do not rely on reviews posted on the streaming site itself either. Reports about "The Odyssey" scam say fake ratings and reviews were used to make fraudulent pages appear legitimate. You should also be wary when a website promises something for free but suddenly needs your credit card. Legitimate companies can require payment information for free trials. The difference is that you should already know and trust the service before handing over your card.We reached out to Universal Pictures for comment about the fraudulent sites targeting "The Odyssey" but did not hear back before our deadline.A few extra seconds of checking can save you from a much bigger headache later.Strong antivirus software can help detect malicious downloads and warn you about dangerous websites. That protection becomes particularly valuable when a scam starts with an innocent-looking search or advertisement. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com. Use established streaming platforms or check the movie studio's official website to see where a film is available. If you have never heard of the streaming service, investigate it before creating an account.Do not enter payment information simply because the page says it needs to verify your account. Open a new browser tab and research the service independently.Look carefully at the domain before entering personal information. Do not assume the first search result or a sponsored result is automatically legitimate.A streaming site should not require you to install an unfamiliar program to watch a movie. Be especially careful with .exe files. Malwarebytes found one being disguised as a supposed Odyssey movie download.If you create an account on a fraudulent website and reuse a password from another service, scammers may try those credentials elsewhere. Use a password manager to create and store a unique password for every important account. Then turn on multi-factor authentication wherever it is available. FBI HELPS TAKE DOWN AI PHISHING RING I think movie scams work so well because they arrive at exactly the moment we are looking for something. You already want to see the film. Then somebody puts a shortcut in front of you. That is where a little skepticism pays off. "The Odyssey" may be the bait this summer, but criminals can use the same idea around the next blockbuster. A few minutes of entertainment are never worth giving a stranger access to your credit card or computer. I would much rather wait for a movie to reach an official streaming service than spend the next few weeks disputing charges or changing compromised passwords. When "free" entertainment asks for your financial information, the price can become very real.Would a professional-looking streaming site with convincing reviews ever persuade you to enter your credit card for a movie you have been dying to see, or are you now too suspicious to take that chance? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. MouthPad lets your tongue control a computer Computer mice have taken plenty of unusual forms over the years. Now, one of the most interesting alternatives skips your hands altogether.San Francisco-based Augmental Technologies has developed the MouthPad, a custom-fit touchpad that sits inside your mouth and lets you control a computer, smartphone or tablet using your tongue or head. The company describes it as the world's first hands-free touchpad.It looks a little like a slim dental retainer. However, tucked inside is technology designed to turn subtle movements into cursor control. The concept has an important purpose. Augmental developed MouthPad to give people with limited mobility another way to interact with everyday technology. The company says it worked with hundreds of users with different abilities while developing the device. So how do you actually control a computer with your mouth, and what is it like to use? Here's how MouthPad works. New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. You'll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward. Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com . COULD A PAINT-ON ELECTRONIC TATTOO SPOT HEART ATTACKS? MouthPad sits over your upper teeth, with a pressure-sensitive touchpad positioned against the roof of your mouth. Move your tongue across the touchpad, and you can move the cursor. You can also use head movements instead. Tongue presses can perform a left-click or click-and-drag, while a sip gesture can trigger a right-click. MouthPad also supports scrolling and swiping. So, once you get used to the controls, your tongue effectively takes over many of the jobs normally handled by your fingers on a mouse or trackpad. The device connects wirelessly like a Bluetooth mouse. That means you do not need a special receiver sticking out of your computer.Compatibility is one of MouthPad's more useful features. Augmental lists support for macOS, Windows , Linux, iOS and Android. The companion app is available for macOS, Windows and iOS. You can also pair MouthPad with multiple devices and switch between them. Inside the companion app, you can adjust settings such as cursor speed, touch sensitivity and click strength. You can also change scrolling behavior. Those preferences are stored on the MouthPad itself, allowing you to move between compatible devices without starting your setup from scratch.That was one of my first questions. According to Augmental, MouthPad's custom design minimizes its impact on speech. The company says users can speak or use voice-recognition software while wearing it. However, Augmental also acknowledges that results vary. Some people may need more time to adjust to speaking normally with the device in their mouth. Comfort will vary too. Augmental says team members and early users have worn MouthPad for as long as 10 hours in a day. Still, the company notes that comfort depends on factors including the shape of your mouth and how you use the device. The MouthPad itself weighs about 10 grams and measures roughly 1 mm thick. It is made from dental resin.Augmental rates the battery for more than seven hours of continuous use. Charging takes about 1.5 hours, and the MouthPad comes with its own charging case plus a USB cable. The company also sells a two-device package. That option gives one person a backup MouthPad so they can swap devices when one needs charging. 3 THINGS TO AVOID IN MIDDLE AGE COULD MEAN 13 MORE YEARS WITHOUT DEMENTIA, STUDY FINDS You cannot simply order a MouthPad and start using it when the package arrives. Every MouthPad is custom-fitted. After ordering, you need an intraoral 3D scan from a dentist or local scanning provider. Augmental then uses that scan to manufacture your device. The company says most providers charge between $50 and $150 for the scan. Augmental says it ships the finished MouthPad about six months after receiving the scan. Once it arrives, you use the company's online platform for configuration and a one-time calibration.Augmental says MouthPad is best suited for people over 18 who have enough tongue dexterity to operate it. The company also recommends good oral health and says candidates should not be undergoing active dental or orthodontic treatment. You also need to be able to open your mouth wide enough for the initial 3D scan . The device has already attracted interest beyond its original accessibility mission. According to the information provided, more than 6,300 people were on the waitlist. That includes people with disabilities as well as professionals interested in controlling devices while keeping their hands available for other work.Something that lives in your mouth obviously needs regular cleaning. Augmental says you should wash the MouthPad by hand with soap and water before and after each use. You should dry it before putting it back into its charging case. You can drink water while wearing it. However, Augmental says you should remove the device before eating, drinking anything else or sleeping. Hot liquids can affect its fit. You also should not bite or chew the MouthPad because doing so could damage it and void the warranty.The MouthPad currently costs $1,400 for one custom-fit device. A two-device package for the same user costs $1,900. Augmental says the second device can serve as a backup and help extend your usable time between charging sessions. There is another cost to consider. The dental scan is separate. MouthPad is also not currently covered by insurance, FSA or HSA funds, according to Augmental. For now, Augmental only sells and ships MouthPad to addresses in the United States. However, the company says the device itself is not geo-restricted and can be used outside the country.MouthPad shows how accessibility technology can rethink something as basic as controlling a cursor. For someone who cannot comfortably use a traditional mouse or touchscreen, the ability to navigate a phone or computer with subtle mouth movements could provide another route to independence. There are limitations to consider. At $1,400 plus the cost of a dental scan, MouthPad represents a significant investment. You also have to wait for a custom device to be manufactured, and insurance does not currently cover it. Still, the technology itself is fascinating because Augmental built it around a part of the body most computer designers have largely ignored: the tongue. And MouthPad may only be the beginning. Augmental is also developing Vox, a wearable microphone that detects quiet speech through vibrations in the body. The company envisions Vox handling dictation while MouthPad handles cursor control. IS YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON THE DARK WEB? What catches my attention about MouthPad is not simply that you can control a computer with your tongue. It is why someone would need to. Most of us grab a mouse, tap a screen or open an app without thinking about the physical movements involved. For someone with limited use of their hands, those same actions can become major barriers. MouthPad approaches that problem from a completely different direction. The price will put it out of reach for some people, and the custom fitting process takes commitment. Still, seeing a device move from years of development into something consumers in the U.S. can actually order is an important milestone for hands-free computing. Technology becomes far more interesting when it gives someone an ability they did not have before.Would you be comfortable controlling your phone or computer with a device inside your mouth? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. West Virginia University researchers turn polluted mine water into critical rare earth minerals A solution to America's dependence on foreign rare earth minerals may be coming from an unlikely place: polluted water leaking from abandoned coal mines.Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) are working to transform acid mine drainage - a long-standing environmental problem in Appalachia - into a potential domestic source of critical minerals used in everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to advanced military systems.The United States currently relies heavily on foreign suppliers, including China, for many rare earth elements that are essential to modern technology and national security. Heavy rare earth minerals, in particular, are considered especially valuable because of their role in defense applications and advanced energy technologies. TRUMP GETS MAJOR WIN AGAINST CHINA IN AFRICAN RARE EARTH MINERALS RACE WVU researchers discovered those valuable materials were already present in the acidic water flowing from retired coal mines. "Originally, the entire focus of this effort was just simply cleaning up the watersheds," said Steve Dunmead, CEO of Mission Critical Materials.Researchers were originally focused on treating acid mine drainage, using chemicals to remove contaminants and make the water cleaner. During that process, they discovered the water also contained rare earth elements.That discovery opened the door to a new possibility: cleaning up pollution while recovering valuable minerals at the same time."There's an opportunity to generate revenue out of this AMD treatment," Dunmead said.WVU's research found acid mine drainage can contain a much higher percentage of heavy rare earth elements compared with traditional sources."It may end up with 2% heavies in the overall mix," Dunmead said. "In this case, in the coal acid mine drainage, we have like 50% heavy rare earths."The difference is significant because heavy rare earth elements are among the most valuable and difficult minerals to source. NEW ARCTIC DISCOVERY COULD DEAL MASSIVE BLOW TO CHINESE DOMINANCE OF RARE EARTH MINERALS The research began nearly a decade ago when WVU scientists identified rare earth elements in acid mine drainage from retired coal mines. The university is now expanding that work through the WVU Rare Earth Elements Initiative, which brings together researchers studying ways to recover critical minerals from a variety of sources.In 2022, WVU partnered with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to open the A34 AMDREE Processing Facility in Mount Storm, the first integrated pilot-scale rare earth recovery facility of its kind in the country.Researchers say the technology could eventually help reduce America's reliance on foreign sources by creating a new domestic supply chain. Rare earth elements are used in products Americans rely on every day, including cell phones, wind turbines, electric vehicles, fighter jets and missile defense systems. HOW RARE EARTH ELEMENTS FACTOR INTO THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION WVU is also working to commercialize the technology through a new for-profit company called Mission Critical Materials, created to help bring the research from the lab into the marketplace.The goal is to expand beyond coal mine pollution and explore other sources of critical minerals, including hard rock mines and other industrial waste streams."And in the process, [we] also figured out it is not unique to coal mines but hard rock mines as well," Dunmead said. "So copper mines, gold mines, also have acid mine drainage."Researchers say one advantage of their approach is that it uses existing polluted sites rather than requiring new mines to be built."The regulatory pathway for a traditional mine can take years," Dunmead said. "This technology can go into an existing acid mine drainage site using an existing water permit."WVU researchers believe the process could provide an environmentally friendly way to address two challenges at once: cleaning polluted water while producing materials needed for America's future.The next step is building a larger-scale facility. Researchers hope that once complete, they can begin producing and selling heavy rare earth materials domestically. NASA opens first major new wind tunnel in more than 40 years at Virginia facility NASA opened its first major new wind tunnel in more than 40 years Friday, marking a milestone for future aviation and space-exploration research.The Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will serve as a testing ground for future aircraft and space missions."The opening of the Flight Dynamics Research Facility represents a significant advancement for NASA and for the nation," said Dr. Trina Dyal, NASA Langley center director. "By bringing modernized testing capabilities under one roof, we are enabling transformative research that will ensure the United States remains at the forefront of aeronautics and exploration." NASA AT 68: AMERICA MUST LEAD ON THE MOON, MARS AND BEYOND - OR CHINA WILL Built through a partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration, the more advanced and efficient tunnel replaces two facilities that had operated for more than 80 years. NASA CHIEF CONFIRMS AGENCY HAS UNEXPLAINED UFO IMAGERY: 'WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS' The project is part of NASA's broader effort to modernize its infrastructure and reduce the cost of maintaining aging facilities."If we continue to invest our resources, maintaining a lot of our historic facilities that have less current or anticipated demand," said Jared Isaacman, administrator of NASA, "it will come directly at the expense of the next generation capabilities that are going to be essential to again, meet the mission of today and also all that we imagine go forward."NASA celebrated the facility's opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Langley attended by hundreds of industry leaders, government officials and community members. Some attendees later toured the new tunnel.The 25,000-square-foot facility contains a vertical test section measuring 20 feet in diameter and 24 feet tall. The temperature-controlled tunnel can generate wind speeds of up to 117 mph. NASA ADMINISTRATOR DETAILS MISSIONS TO MOON, MARS, VENUS AND THE AGENCY'S EFFORTS ON EARTH "The capabilities in terms of wind speed that this can provide are much greater," said Giovanny Guecha, technical lead for the NASA Dragonfly parachute decelerator system. "It's almost a factor of ten compared to the previous way it's been done. So that helps us, you know, test more stressful conditions that are closer to Venus."Four 750-horsepower motors power the tunnel, with each motor paired with a 14-foot-diameter, eight-bladed fan. The lightweight carbon-fiber blades allow engineers to adjust airflow quickly during free-flight testing and simulate flight at higher altitudes.The wind tunnel will be used to test technology for future exploration of Venus and Titan, Saturn's largest moon, as well as missions to Earth's moon and Mars . It can also evaluate scale models of vehicles designed to travel through an atmosphere, including spacecraft returning to Earth."This facility will absolutely have a role in every future space mission," said David Storch, facility manager for NASA's transonic dynamics tunnel. "You know, anything that has to come back to Earth. Absolutely."The facility will provide NASA and its partners with a critical resource for testing the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft , rockets, space-exploration vehicles, X-planes, drones and autonomous flight vehicles. Humanoid robot videos show machines lashing out A humanoid robot starts swinging its arms inside an office. Another appears to surge toward a festival crowd. In the most upsetting clip, a performing robot kicks a child in the stomach.These videos spread quickly because they hit a nerve. Humanoid robots can move with startling speed. Once a machine loses balance or follows a faulty motion routine, nearby people have little time to react.So, what do these clips reveal about robot safety, and what needs to change before these machines move closer to the public? ROBOT SOCCER PLAYER DENTS WALL WITH TERRIFYING KICKS CyberGuy Live: Missed "Sick of Spam?" Get the replay and checklistOur free CyberGuy Live class, "Sick of Spam?" , has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our spam-stopping checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you step by step through simple ways to reduce robocalls, spam texts, junk email and unwanted messages. You'll also learn how to curb political texts, clean up your inbox and spot messages that could put your personal information at risk.Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com .A robot demonstration should make you curious, not force you to dodge a metal arm or leg. Yet several of these clips show people standing far too close to powerful machines. In one video, workers sit beside a humanoid robot during a test. When it suddenly starts flailing, they have only seconds to jump out of the way. In another clip, spectators crowd around a robot because everything appears under control. Then the movement changes and that sense of safety disappears.That is what stands out to me. These robots move fast, weigh a lot and can generate real force. Once something goes wrong, the people nearby may have very little time to react. Of course, social media videos rarely tell the whole story. We may not know who operated the robot, what program it was running or whether someone triggered an emergency stop. So, we are sticking to what the footage clearly shows and pointing out what we still cannot confirm.On The CyberGuy Report podcast at cyberguypodcast.com , we break down five viral videos and react as each situation unfolds. The footage moves from an indoor kung fu-style incident to a public performance that ends with a child on the ground. The clips vary in age and location. Still, each one raises the same question: Why were people allowed so close to a powerful robot that goes wrong? HUMANOID ROBOT NAMED 'GABI' ORDAINED AS BUDDHIST MONK, PLEDGES DEVOTION TO 'HOLY BUDDHA' The first clip begins like a playful demonstration. A humanoid robot moves through dance-like motions while people stand nearby. Then the robot's arms accelerate into wide chops. Its legs also swing with enough force to send people stepping backward. Several adults try to regain control while others rush out of its path. Those filming from above appear amused. Meanwhile, the people standing beside the robot look frightened. The clip offers no verified explanation for the movement. However, it shows how fast a performance can become hazardous when spectators share the robot's operating space.A second clip shows a humanoid robot near a crowd at a public event. The X post says the incident happened in China. It describes the robot as malfunctioning before staff restrain it. The robot appears to move toward a person near the barrier. Staff members then grab the machine and pull it away. The footage alone cannot tell us whether the robot tripped or lost balance. It may have misread an input or followed an incorrect command. Either way, the crowd had very little space to escape.The third clip moves behind the scenes. A humanoid robot hangs from a support hook while two workers sit close to it. At first, the robot makes smaller movements. Then its arms swing harder and its entire body begins thrashing. One worker jumps away while the machine strikes nearby equipment. Several Reddit commenters suggested a balance feedback loop may have caused the motion. In that theory, the robot kept trying to correct its posture while the tether prevented a normal response. Each correction then became larger. That explanation remains unverified. Still, the scene shows why engineers need distance and immediate shutdown access during testing.Another clip carries the most serious emotional impact. A humanoid robot performs in front of families while children stand close to its legs. Then the robot kicks one child in the stomach. The child folds over and crouches on the ground while the performance continues for several seconds. A Reddit comment citing a separate social media report says the incident happened at a scenic attraction in China's Xinjiang region. That account says the child's mother contacted police and criticized the park's response. It also says the child avoided serious injury. Those details remain secondhand. However, the footage itself shows a child making contact with a powered metal leg during a public performance.Another Reddit video shows a humanoid robot on a slick floor . It appears to start a stand-up routine. Instead, its body twists and its legs kick as someone reaches toward it. Commenters in the robotics community offered a possible explanation. They suggested the robot may have switched from a standing routine to a walking controller before reaching a stable position. The floor may also have reduced traction. As a result, the robot kept trying to regain balance while its powered limbs moved near the person beside it. Again, the explanation comes from community discussion rather than a verified incident report. The visible hazard remains clear. A person reached toward a moving robot with exposed joints and no obvious barrier.These incidents point to several changes that event organizers and robot companies should make before inviting a crowd close.The safety zone should extend beyond the robot's longest possible step, swing, kick or fall. Children should remain farther back because they have less time and space to react. WOULD YOU TRUST A TINY DENTAL ROBOT? A trained operator should hold a dedicated emergency control throughout the demonstration. Staff should never have to wrestle a robot while searching for a switch.A public demonstration needs a lower-power operating mode. The robot should slow down when a person enters its safety zone.Engineers should verify how the robot responds on the actual flooring. They should also test what happens when a stand-up routine fails.Any strike or collision deserves a written review. Organizers should preserve the footage and explain what changed before the robot returns to a public event.As humanoid robots move beyond controlled labs, you may encounter them at public demonstrations or community events. First, look at the space around the robot. A small rope or a few staff members may offer limited protection when a powered machine loses balance.Also, keep children beside you. Avoid photo opportunities that place them near the robot's arms or legs. If a robot falls or repeats a violent motion, move away immediately. Leave restraint to trained staff with shutdown controls. Powered joints can create pinch points and sudden swings. Finally, report any physical contact and seek medical attention when needed. A brief impact from a metal limb can cause an injury even when the robot resumes its routine.These videos show physical machines failing in ways nearby people cannot predict. I believe innovation should never come at the cost of our well-being. Robot companies can promote progress, but public demonstrations need safeguards that work during a failure. You can watch the full discussion on all of these videos on The CyberGuy Report podcast at cyberguy.com/podcast/, where we review every clip.Would you feel safe letting one of these robots perform beside your child or grandchild? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com . All rights reserved. Chick-fil-A data breach exposes customer accounts Your Chick-fil-A One account makes it easy to order food , collect points and keep payment information ready for your next visit. That convenience can also make the account valuable to criminals.Chick-fil-A is now warning customers after attackers gained access to certain loyalty accounts. The incident exposed personal information and account details, while also raising new concerns about password reuse.Even if Chick-fil-A never contacted you, this breach gives you a good reason to review your password, stored payment methods and recent rewards activity. AMAZON RECALL TEXT SCAM COMES WITH RED FLAGS CyberGuy Live: Missed "Sick of Spam?" Get the replay and checklistOur free CyberGuy Live class, "Sick of Spam?," has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our spam-stopping checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you step by step through simple ways to reduce robocalls, spam texts, junk email and unwanted messages. You'll also learn how to curb political texts, clean up your inbox and spot messages that could put your personal information at risk.Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com . COULD THE 7-ELEVEN BREACH AFFECT YOU? Chick-fil-A says it first spotted suspicious login activity involving certain Chick-fil-A One accounts. The company then investigated and found an automated attack against its website and mobile app. The attack ran from June 17 through June 19, 2026. Chick-fil-A determined on July 13 that unauthorized parties may have accessed information stored inside affected accounts.The attackers used email addresses and passwords obtained from a third-party source. They then tested those login combinations against Chick-fil-A One accounts. When a customer had reused the same password, the attackers had a chance of getting inside.Chick-fil-A has not disclosed the total number of affected customers. However, public filings show that the breach affected 2,182 Texas residents and 39 Massachusetts residents. The company also submitted notices involving residents of Iowa, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Rhode Island. WHAT A SCAMMER SEES THE MOMENT THEY GOOGLE YOUR NAME The information available to the attackers varied by account. According to Chick-fil-A's notification, the exposed data may have included:The notification lists only the last four digits of payment cards. It does not list full card numbers, Social Security numbers or bank account details among the exposed information . Still, the other details could help criminals create convincing scams. A message that includes your name, loyalty membership information or partial card digits may feel legitimate. The QR code exposure also raises questions because customers use account QR codes to earn points and access rewards. Chick-fil-A has not publicly explained whether attackers used any exposed QR codes. We reached out to Chick-fil-A for comment, but did not hear back by our deadline.Credential stuffing sounds technical, but the attack follows a simple pattern. Criminals collect email addresses and passwords from older data leaks. Then automated tools try those combinations across other websites and apps.The attack works because many people reuse passwords. One old password breach can therefore lead to account takeovers at companies that had no connection to the original leak. Chick-fil-A says the login details used in this attack came from a third-party source. The company's notification describes attackers arriving with stolen credentials and testing them against its services.That distinction may explain how the attack started. However, it offers little comfort when someone gains access to your rewards, contact details and stored payment information. Relying on a username and password alone creates more opportunities for account takeovers. Multifactor authentication can provide another barrier when a password has already been stolen.A Chick-fil-A, Inc. spokesperson provided CyberGuy with the following statement:"We recently identified a security incident that may have affected a limited number of Chick-fil-A One Loyalty accounts. Upon discovering the issue, we took steps to immediately address, secure and restore accounts, and we are communicating directly with all customers who may have been impacted. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or concern this situation may have caused and remain committed to maintaining the trust our guests place in us every day."The company's customer notice provides several additional details. Chick-fil-A logged affected customers out, removed saved payment methods and added rewards to their accounts.This isn't Chick-fil-A's first major credential stuffing incident. In March 2023, the company confirmed that attackers had accessed more than 71,000 customer accounts. That earlier campaign ran from December 2022 through February 2023.The attackers accessed personal information and used stored rewards balances in some accounts. The repeat attack shows how long stolen login information can remain useful to criminals. They can keep old credential lists, combine them with newer leaks and test them across popular services.A restaurant loyalty account may seem less important than your bank or email. Yet it can still contain personal information, stored funds and payment details. It can also give an intruder clues about other accounts you use, especially when your email address and password appear together in several places.You can take these steps even if Chick-fil-A never contacted you about the breach.Open the official Chick-fil-A app or type the company's website into your browser. Then create a new password that you have never used on another account. Avoid changing one character in an older password. Criminals often test common variations after a stolen password stops working. Chick-fil-A recommends using a unique password that has no connection to your other online accounts.Changing only your Chick-fil-A password leaves other accounts exposed. Update the password on every account where you used the same login combination. Give priority to your email because an attacker can use it to request password resets elsewhere. Then review accounts that store payment methods or sensitive personal information. A password manager can help you find reused passwords and replace them with unique ones. It also removes the need to remember every login yourself.Open the Chick-fil-A app and look for orders or balance changes you do not recognize. In the app, tap For You , then open Account > Transactions > Transaction History . Chick-fil-A says customers can review up to one year of account activity. Check your rewards activity separately. Someone may have redeemed or gifted rewards without placing an obvious food order. Also review your phone number and saved addresses. Correct any account details that someone changed.Chick-fil-A says it removed saved payment methods from affected accounts. However, you should confirm that your cards no longer appear if you received a breach notice. To check, open the app and tap For You . Then go to Account > Payments > Manage payment methods . Chick-fil-A advises customers to resolve unauthorized activity and change their passwords before adding a payment method again. Leaving a card out of a restaurant app may create an extra step at checkout. It also gives an account thief one less thing to misuse.The notification lists the last four digits of payment cards among the information attackers may have accessed. Those digits alone usually cannot authorize a purchase. However, criminals could combine them with other personal details during a phishing attempt. Review recent charges and turn on transaction alerts through your bank or card issuer. Contact the financial institution immediately if you find anything unfamiliar.A breach can lead to a second round of trouble when criminals send fake security alerts . Be cautious with emails or texts claiming your Chick-fil-A account requires immediate action. The message may offer a refund, replacement rewards or help restoring your balance. Avoid clicking the link. Open the official Chick-fil-A app yourself or type the company's website address into your browser. Also check the sender's full email address. A familiar logo and a polished message provide no guarantee that Chick-fil-A sent it.Credential stuffing does not require malware on your phone or computer. However, criminals may follow a breach with fake security alerts designed to steal more information. Strong antivirus software can help warn you about malicious links , fake websites and suspicious downloads. Keep the protection active on every device you use to check email or access your Chick-fil-A account. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, helping protect your personal information and digital assets. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com The Chick-fil-A breach may have exposed names, phone numbers and saved addresses for some customers. Criminals can combine those details with information found on data broker and people-search sites to create more believable scams. A data removal service can send removal requests to these companies and continue checking whether your information returns. However, it cannot remove data already taken from your Chick-fil-A account or guarantee that every public record disappears. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. Chick-fil-A does not currently advertise a customer-facing multifactor authentication option for Chick-fil-A One accounts. However, you should enable it on your email account, financial services and any account that stores sensitive information. Use an authenticator app or passkey when available. These options provide stronger protection than text message codes in many situations. Multifactor authentication can block an intruder who has already obtained your password.Credential stuffing does not require malware on your phone or computer. However, follow-up phishing messages may try to install harmful software. Keep your phone, computer and browser updated. Use strong antivirus protection that can warn you about malicious links and downloads. Never install an app through a link in an unexpected breach notification. Use the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to find the official version.The Chick-fil-A data breach shows how a password stolen from one company can create problems somewhere else. Attackers reportedly used credentials obtained from a third party. They then tried those logins against Chick-fil-A's website and mobile app. Chick-fil-A secured the affected accounts, removed stored payment methods and restored balances. However, the total number of affected customers remains undisclosed. The most important move now involves changing any reused password. Your Chick-fil-A login should have a password that appears nowhere else. You should also review your rewards activity, account information and financial statements. Be ready for convincing phishing messages that use details taken from the breach.Have you ever had a loyalty account hacked, lost rewards or spotted account changes you never made? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com . All rights reserved. Lock down your ChatGPT account before the next AI attack OpenAI has admitted that a combination of its advanced AI models found a way out of a locked-down test environment and compromised another company's systems. That should make every ChatGPT user stop and pay attention. The models were supposed to stay inside a tightly controlled digital sandbox with no open internet access. Instead, they found a weakness, got online and compromised systems belonging to Hugging Face, a major platform for AI models and datasets.OpenAI described the breach as an " unprecedented cyber incident " involving "state-of-the-art cyber capabilities." The company says the system included GPT-5.6 Sol and an even more powerful model still being tested behind closed doors. Here is what concerns me. OpenAI built the models and controlled the testing environment, yet the systems still found a way around the safeguards designed to contain them.The AI models were trying to complete a cybersecurity challenge. They apparently had no goal of damaging Hugging Face. However, they kept pushing until they found vulnerabilities and crossed into another company's infrastructure. That should be a wake-up call. You cannot control what happens inside OpenAI's labs, but you can take a few minutes to lock down your ChatGPT account before an AI-powered threat comes looking for your password, personal files or private conversations.CyberGuy Live: Missed "Sick of Spam?" Get the replay and checklistOur free CyberGuy Live class, "Sick of Spam?" , has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our spam-stopping checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you step by step through simple ways to reduce robocalls, spam texts, junk email and unwanted messages. You'll also learn how to curb political texts, clean up your inbox and spot messages that could put your personal information at risk.Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com. OPENAI'S SAM ALTMAN WANTS TO NEGOTIATE A 5% STAKE IN COMPANY FOR US IF COMPETITORS AGREE TO KEY PROVISION OpenAI designed the internal evaluation to measure how well its models could find and exploit difficult security vulnerabilities. The company ran the test without some of the production safety systems that normally block high-risk cyber activity. OpenAI said researchers removed those protections so they could measure the models' maximum capabilities.The models operated inside a restricted testing environment. Internet access was limited to an internally hosted service that acted as a proxy for software packages. However, the models found a previously unknown vulnerability in that service. They exploited the weakness and moved through OpenAI's research environment until they reached a computer with internet access.Once online, the models identified Hugging Face as a possible source of answers for the ExploitGym security benchmark. The models then searched for information that could help them complete the test. OpenAI said they combined several attack methods. Those methods included stolen credentials and previously unknown vulnerabilities.In one case, the models found a path that allowed remote code execution on Hugging Face servers. That gave them the ability to run code on another company's infrastructure. OpenAI said the models remained focused on completing the evaluation. Yet their narrow goal still led them to cross security boundaries and compromise an outside company.OpenAI says the incident exposed a growing gap between what advanced models can do and the safeguards designed to contain them. "The primary lesson from this incident is that model security and safety must keep pace with rapidly advancing capabilities," OpenAI said in its incident report.Hugging Face first disclosed the breach on July 16, 2026. The company said an autonomous AI agent system carried out the intrusion from beginning to end. The attack involved thousands of automated actions across short-lived digital environments.Hugging Face identified unauthorized access to a limited set of internal datasets. The attacker also accessed several credentials used by its services. However, the company found no evidence that anyone altered its public models or user-facing datasets. It also verified that its software supply chain remained clean.Hugging Face closed the vulnerabilities used for the initial access. It also rebuilt affected systems and rotated exposed credentials. Meanwhile, the company advised Hugging Face customers to rotate their access tokens and review recent activity. That guidance applies to Hugging Face accounts rather than consumer ChatGPT accounts. OpenAI later determined that its models caused the activity during its internal evaluation. The two companies continue to investigate the incident together.CyberGuy reached out to OpenAI and Hugging Face for comment but did not receive a response before publication. FBI HELPS TAKE DOWN AI PHISHING RING OpenAI's disclosure does not identify consumer ChatGPT accounts as part of the incident. The company has also issued no incident-related instruction telling ChatGPT users to reset their passwords. Therefore, this article should not leave you thinking someone breached your personal ChatGPT account.The larger warning comes from what the models managed to accomplish. They searched for software weaknesses and found an unknown vulnerability. Next, they moved through restricted systems and used stolen credentials to reach an outside target. OpenAI says models such as GPT-5.6 Sol can sustain complex cyber operations over long periods. The company also says the incident shows these abilities can work against real-world systems.That raises the stakes for any account containing valuable information. Your ChatGPT history may include private conversations and uploaded files. Developers may also have API keys connected to paid OpenAI usage. Good account security cannot stop an AI model from finding a vulnerability inside a major company. However, it can make your account much harder to take over. AMAZON RECALL TEXT SCAM COMES WITH RED FLAGS OpenAI now offers several security controls for personal ChatGPT accounts. Availability can vary by account, device and sign-in method. Start with the settings you have today. Then add stronger protections as they become available to your account.A unique password helps protect your ChatGPT account when another website suffers a breach. OpenAI recommends using a password manager to create and store a strong password. The company also advises changing your password immediately when you believe someone exposed or shared it. To add or update your ChatGPT password:Changing your ChatGPT password updates the password across your OpenAI account. That includes the API Platform. If you originally registered through Google, Microsoft or Apple, you may not have an OpenAI password to change. Instead, secure the outside account that you use to sign in. Also protect the email address connected to ChatGPT. Anyone who controls your inbox may receive verification messages or password-reset emails.Multi-factor authentication adds another verification step during sign-in. Even when someone gets your password, they still need access to your second verification method. OpenAI may offer an authenticator app, push notification, text message or passkey. Available choices depend on your account and device. To turn on MFA:An authenticator app may ask you to scan a QR code. Text-message verification may ask for your phone number. OpenAI will use the most secure enabled option first when you have more than one method available. Keep in mind that enabling MFA does not close sessions that are already active. Change an exposed password first. Then review your active sessions.A passkey lets you sign in without typing your password. It uses a secure credential stored on your device or a compatible security key. You can protect the passkey with Face ID, Touch ID or your device PIN. Some passkeys can also sync across your devices. To add a passkey:After setup, ChatGPT may use your passkey as the default sign-in method. The passkey may also work as an additional MFA check. The Passkeys option may not appear on every account. Availability depends on how you created the account and which sign-in method you use. If you store a passkey on only one device, losing that device could create access problems. A synced passkey can offer an easier backup route.Someone who gained access to your account may remain signed in after you change other security settings. ChatGPT's Active sessions page can show browsers and first-party OpenAI apps connected to your account. Details may include the device, approximate location and sign-in time.To review your sessions:To remove one session:To close every session:This closes your current session along with the others. OpenAI says the process may take up to 30 minutes. Active sessions does not display every possible connection. It excludes third-party app sessions and connected apps. It also excludes Codex CLI sessions. The feature may also be unavailable when an organization controls the account through single sign-on.Eligible personal accounts may offer a feature called Advanced Account Security. This setting replaces password-based access with passkeys or compatible security keys. It also disables email sign-in codes and SMS sign-in codes. However, the stronger protection comes with more responsibility. You must keep your secure sign-in methods and recovery keys safe. Before you enroll, you need at least two secure sign-in methods. At least one must work across devices.To set it up:ChatGPT will sign you out of every device after setup. You must then sign in with a passkey or security key. Advanced Account Security also turns on login-alert emails and shortens active sessions. In addition, OpenAI says conversations will not be used to train its models while the setting remains enabled. Store your recovery keys away from the devices you use to access ChatGPT. Each recovery key works only once. Losing every sign-in method and your recovery keys could leave you unable to regain access. OpenAI Support cannot restore normal access by resetting your password while Advanced Account Security remains enabled.Lockdown Mode helps reduce the risk of data leaving ChatGPT during a prompt injection attack. A prompt injection can hide malicious instructions inside a website or uploaded file. Those instructions may try to manipulate how an AI handles sensitive information. Lockdown Mode limits outbound network access that an attacker could use to receive that information. However, it cannot prevent every prompt injection from affecting a response.To turn it on:Lockdown Mode restricts live browsing and disables deep research. It also blocks agent mode and file downloads for data analysis. You can still upload a file for ChatGPT to examine. Image generation also remains available. Lockdown Mode may affect connected services and web-based images. It does not change your memory settings or data controls. When you need a blocked feature, you can turn off Lockdown Mode for one conversation. A status message above the message box provides that option.OpenAI may send a push notification through the ChatGPT app when it detects a login attempt. Approve the notification only when you started the login. Deny access when the request appears unexpectedly. OpenAI may also email a six-digit one-time password. The company says legitimate verification emails may come from these addresses:noreply@tm.openai.comotp@tm1.openai.comCheck the sender carefully before using a code. OpenAI advises changing your password immediately when you receive a login alert from an unfamiliar device or location. Never give a verification code to someone who contacts you. Open the official ChatGPT app or type the website address yourself instead of following an unexpected link.Move quickly when you see conversations you did not start or unfamiliar account activity.OpenAI deserves credit for disclosing what happened and working with Hugging Face. Still, the company's own report shows that its models crossed a security barrier and reached another company's production systems. The models kept working after they encountered restrictions. That persistence helped them uncover a zero-day vulnerability and find credentials they could use. This should push AI companies and regulators to move faster on containment. Strong monitoring also needs to stay active during the tests designed to measure dangerous capabilities. Consumers cannot build safeguards for frontier AI laboratories. However, you can reduce your exposure by protecting your login and closing sessions you no longer use. When the company building the AI says its own test environment could not contain it, people deserve visible safeguards and fast disclosure when those protections fail.Would you trust an autonomous AI agent with your banking or personal data after learning that another agent escaped its own security test? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 lineup adds three choices Samsung is giving those of you who are looking to buy a new phone more choices this week with three new Galaxy Z foldable models built for very different kinds of use.The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra focuses on productivity, cameras and a larger workspace . The regular Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a wider approach for reading, gaming and watching content. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip8 puts more apps and AI tools on its outer screen.Here is how the three new models compare and what you should know before deciding whether one belongs in your pocket.CyberGuy Live: Missed "Sick of Spam?" Get the replay and checklistOur free CyberGuy Live class, "Sick of Spam?" , has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our spam-stopping checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you step by step through simple ways to reduce robocalls, spam texts, junk email and unwanted messages. You'll also learn how to curb political texts, clean up your inbox and spot messages that could put your personal information at risk.Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com. AMAZON LEO SATELLITE INTERNET TAKES ON STARLINK The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the model for someone who wants a phone that can also serve as a small tablet. It opens to an 8-inch main screen, giving you room to view two apps at once. You could keep your email open beside your calendar or watch a video while looking up related information. The 6.5-inch outer screen also works more like the display on a traditional smartphone, so you do not need to open the phone for every task.Samsung says the Fold8 Ultra measures about 0.16 inches thick when opened and weighs about 7.6 ounces. That is fairly light for a phone with such a large folding screen. Still, you will notice more bulk than you would with a traditional phone. The Fold8 Ultra also has the most capable camera system in the lineup. Its 200 MP main camera should capture more detail, especially when you crop or enlarge a photo. A 50 MP ultra-wide camera helps with landscapes and group pictures. You also get a separate telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.That zoom lens could be useful when you are photographing a child onstage, an animal across the yard or a landmark that you cannot approach. The other two phones lack a dedicated telephoto camera.A 5,000 mAh battery powers the phone. Samsung supports 45-watt wired charging, although you need to buy a compatible charger separately. The phone also includes extra cooling to help it stay responsive while you use several apps or record high-resolution video.The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra starts at $2,099.99 with 256 GB of storage. Samsung also sells 512 GB and 1 TB versions.The regular Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a different approach. Instead of following the taller design of previous Fold phones, it uses a shorter and wider shape. The 5.5-inch cover screen handles quick tasks while the phone is closed. Open it and you get a 7.6-inch main display with a shape closer to a small tablet.That wider screen could make articles, e-books and websites more comfortable to read. It should also give movies and games more room without leaving as much unused space around the picture. At about 7.1 ounces, Samsung calls this its lightest Galaxy Z Fold so far. The phone measures about 0.18 inches thick when opened and 0.38 inches when closed. That lower weight could make it easier to hold during a long reading session or video call.The Fold8 has two 50 MP rear cameras. One handles everyday photos while the other captures a wider view. You can still take detailed pictures and record video in up to 8K resolution. However, there is no dedicated telephoto camera. Digital zoom reaches 10x, but it will not provide the same clarity as the Ultra model's optical zoom. The Fold8 uses the same Snapdragon processor found in the Ultra and carries a 4,800 mAh battery. It also supports 45-watt wired charging with a compatible charger sold separately.The Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at $1,899.99 with 256 GB of storage. You can also choose 512 GB or 1 TB.The Galaxy Z Flip8 is the most compact model. It looks like a traditional smartphone when open, then folds in half so it takes up less room in a pocket or purse. The main screen measures 6.9 inches. When you close the phone, a 4.1-inch FlexWindow remains available on the outside.You can use that smaller screen to check the weather, view your calendar or respond to supported messages. You may also access some apps and AI tools without opening the phone. This could help when you only need one piece of information. Instead of opening your phone and becoming distracted by other alerts, you can check what you need from the outside screen.The Flip8 weighs about 6.3 ounces and measures about 0.24 inches thick when opened. It is the lightest of Samsung's three new foldables. The Flip8 includes a 50 MP main camera and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera. Its folding design also allows the phone to stand on a table by itself.That can make hands-free video calls or group photos easier. You can place the phone on a table, adjust the angle and step into the picture without finding someone to hold it. The outer screen can show a preview when you take a selfie with the main camera. Samsung also added tools that help keep video level while you move. The 4,300 mAh battery supports 25-watt wired charging. Samsung says the phone can reach up to 55% in about 30 minutes under its laboratory conditions. The required charger comes separately.The Galaxy Z Flip8 starts at $1,199.99 with 256 GB of storage. A 512 GB version is also available. HOW TO SHARE VACATION PHOTOS ON ANY SCREEN All three phones run Android 17 with Samsung's One UI 9 software. They also include two Galaxy AI features that serve different purposes.Now Brief works like a personalized daily summary. It can gather the weather, upcoming appointments and reminders in one place, saving you from opening several apps. You can choose which types of information appear in the summary.Now Nudge suggests a helpful next step based on what is happening on your screen. For example, if someone mentions a date while you are exchanging messages, the phone may offer to open your calendar. On the Fold models, it can place the calendar beside the conversation so you can check your schedule without leaving the message.Gemini Intelligence can handle broader requests across supported apps. You might ask it to find a restaurant or help with a reservation. I would still review any important action involving travel, appointments or purchases before approving it.Samsung has also added an AI Assistant Activity dashboard. It gives you one place to review supported actions the phone completed on your behalf. Privacy Alerts can warn you when an app tries to use certain permissions in the background, while Knox and Knox Vault help protect sensitive information.Samsung uses a new Flex Titanium structure beneath the folding displays. The company says this helps support the screens and reduce the visibility of the crease. The two Fold screens can reach up to 3,000 nits of brightness. Samsung also uses a low-reflection finish to make the displays easier to see outdoors. All three phones carry an IP48 water resistance rating.Samsung has updated Smart Switch for people moving from an iPhone . You can scan a QR code and transfer supported information wirelessly without installing another app on the iPhone. Samsung says the transfer can include passwords, passkeys and call history. Some accessibility settings and eSIM information may also move, depending on your device and carrier.Quick Share also gains compatibility with AirDrop. That means supported Galaxy and Apple devices can exchange files in both directions. Moving years of photos and account information can make switching phones feel like a chore. These updates could make the move to Galaxy much easier.Preorders are open through Samsung, major U.S. carriers and participating retailers. General availability begins Aug. 7, 2026. The Fold8 Ultra comes in Graphite, Cream and Violet Shadow. Green Shadow is an online-exclusive color.The Fold8 comes in Graphite, Cream and Lavender. Samsung offers Pistachio as an online-exclusive choice. The Flip8 comes in Graphite, Cream and Pink. Mint is the online-exclusive option.Samsung advertises up to $1,200 in savings with an eligible trade-in during the preorder period. Buyers who choose no trade-in may receive up to $200 in Samsung credit for eligible add-ons. Offers depend on the phone and trade-in condition. Each model also includes a six-month Google AI Pro trial with 5 TB of cloud storage. The service costs $19.99 per month after the trial unless you cancel.Samsung has made the differences between its foldables much easier to understand. The Fold8 Ultra focuses on a large workspace and stronger cameras. The regular Fold8 favors reading and entertainment, while the Flip8 gives you a phone that becomes smaller when you close it. I like that Samsung now offers two versions of the Fold for different types of use. The new AI activity dashboard also gives you more visibility when the phone takes action on your behalf. The biggest question is whether one of these designs would truly make your phone easier to use every day. That answer will depend on how much you value a larger screen, a more compact shape or Samsung's newest AI tools.Do you think a larger folding screen would make your phone easier to use? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Selling your home this summer? Your data is already moving Selling your home can be exciting. It can also feel stressful, especially as you move into your retirement years. The last thing you need is opportunistic criminals circling as you make a major life change.The risk is real. Someone who has just sold a home may have cash on hand or a well-funded bank account. That can make sellers prime targets for fraud, theft and identity scams .There is good news, though. You have options. A few smart steps can help protect you, your family and your hard-earned nest egg. First, let's take a closer look at what gets exposed. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Reportrget=_new href="https://foxnews.com/science/why-identity-theft-comes-back-same-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> WHY IDENTITY THEFT COMES BACK FOR THE SAME PEOPLE The moment a deed or property transfer gets recorded , key details can become part of the public record, depending on your state and county. That may include your name, mailing address, property history and, in many places, the sale price.That gives scammers a head start. Based only on public record updates, they can target you when you may have the most to lose and when you are distracted by a move. They may know you recently sold a property, that you are receiving messages from real estate agents, title companies, escrow officers, inspectors and contractors and that your contact details may have changed.But the deed and property records are only part of the problem. A property sale can reveal much more, including: Data brokers collect property information and sell it to real estate investors, marketing companies and lead generation services. For someone between 55 and 70 who is downsizing from a family home to a smaller property, that filing creates a fresh verified data point.That new data can update an entire broker profile automatically, including your new address. Once that happens, the information can spread across people-search sites, marketing databases and broker networks. In some cases, it may reach brokers who sell curated consumer profiles to questionable buyers.In other words, scammers do not have to piece together every record by hand. Data brokers and people-search sites can do the scraping, matching and packaging for them. Scammers may also impersonate your real estate agent, title company or escrow officer near closing. They may send fake wiring instructions or claim payment details have changed at the last minute.Before sending or accepting any transfer, call the title company or closing professional using a phone number you found independently. Do not trust a number inside an unexpected email or text. Also, be suspicious of any last-minute change to wiring instructions. BOOKING A SUMMER TRIP? HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GIVING SCAMMERS There are two main ways to reduce the risk. You can limit what enters the public record, and you can disrupt the spread of your information once it appears online. You can also do both at the same time.Or, you can replace much of that work with a subscription to a data removal service . LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS AT HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S SPARK PRIVACY FEARS Getting personal information out of circulation can take a lot of time. There are hundreds of data brokers. Each one may have its own opt-out process, and many can re-list your information within months after a successful removal.That is why I recommend using a data removal service. It can automatically contact data brokers on your behalf, request the removal of your information and keep re-submitting removal requests if your data gets listed again. This service covers 420+ data brokers, including people-search sites, with an Unlimited plan for as many more sites as you need. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com You can also run a free exposure scan to see where your personal information is appearing online. Results typically arrive by email within an hour. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com Selling a home should feel exciting, not risky. However, once your property sale gets recorded, details such as your name, mailing address, property history and, in many places, the sale price can become part of the public record. That information can spread quickly. People-search sites and data brokers can package it with past addresses, phone numbers, relatives and email addresses. That makes it easier for scammers to build a convincing profile on you. The good news is you can reduce your exposure. Ask for your home to be blurred on map services, remove risky listing photos, sign up for county recording alerts and request removals from data broker sites. A data removal service can also send opt-out requests on your behalf and keep checking if your information comes back online. With a little planning, you can protect your privacy and make yourself a much harder target.After selling a home or moving, did you find your personal information online? Tell us what happened and how you handled it. Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Trump puts brakes on OpenAI's newest AI model OpenAI's newest AI model is getting a gatekeeper before most people can try it: the U.S. government.The company says GPT-5.6 Sol, its newest flagship model, will start with a limited preview for a small group of trusted partners. OpenAI said it previewed the model's capabilities with the U.S. government ahead of launch and, at the government's request, is starting with a limited group of trusted partners whose participation has been shared with the government before a broader rollout. The model will reportedly be accessible only to customers approved by the Trump administration during this initial preview period. MOST PROMINENT AI CHATBOTS HAVE LIBERAL BIAS, NEW STUDY FINDS That to me is a big shift. Usually, you hear about a new AI model and wonder when you can use it. Now, the bigger question may be who gets access first and how those decisions are made. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report GPT-5.6 Sol is part of OpenAI's new GPT-5.6 lineup, which also includes Terra and Luna. OpenAI describes Sol as its strongest model yet, with improvements in coding, biology and cybersecurity tasks. In its public announcement, OpenAI said GPT-5.6 models will initially be available through the API and Codex to a select group of trusted partners and organizations, with broader availability planned for ChatGPT, Codex and the API soon. As of early July, OpenAI says GPT-5.6 isn't available in ChatGPT during the preview, and the company has not announced a general-availability date.The cybersecurity part is what has Washington paying close attention. OpenAI says Sol is better at helping people find and fix software vulnerabilities than reliably carrying out full cyberattacks. The company also says Sol does not cross its internal "Cyber Critical" threshold, although it admits benchmark tests cannot predict every possible use when the model is combined with other tools.That is the concern. The same AI that can help a security team fix a software flaw could also give scammers and hackers a head start if the guardrails fail.The Trump administration has been building a new AI cybersecurity framework. A June executive order says advanced AI can strengthen the country, but it also creates national security concerns that require coordination across federal agencies and private companies.The White House fact sheet says the order creates a voluntary framework for covered frontier models. It also says the government may get secure early access for trusted partners, while stating the order does not authorize mandatory licensing, pre-clearance or permits for releasing AI models.That distinction is important. The administration says this is about security. Critics worry it could turn into quiet government control over who gets the newest AI tools first.OpenAI isn't the only AI company that has faced government pressure over powerful AI models. On June 12, Anthropic said the U.S. government directed it to suspend access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models by foreign nationals. Anthropic said the order forced it to disable the models more broadly so it could comply.CyberGuy previously covered Anthropic's Mythos AI and why its ability to find software vulnerabilities raised big cybersecurity questions. That helps explain why these models became part of the larger debate over AI, cyber risk and who gets access first.Since then, the standoff has changed. The U.S. Commerce Department later lifted export controls on Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models. Anthropic said it would restore access, and Fable 5 was reportedly back online as of July 1. Reports say Anthropic agreed to strengthen safeguards, work with the U.S. government on model-release protocols and report malicious activity tied to the models. Reuters also reported that the restrictions were removed after talks between Anthropic and U.S. officials.That makes the Anthropic episode a useful comparison for OpenAI's limited rollout. In both cases, the issue is no longer only about what an AI model can do. It is also about how quickly powerful AI tools should be released, who should get early access and what role the government should play. OPENAI'S SAM ALTMAN WANTS TO NEGOTIATE A 5% STAKE IN COMPANY FOR US IF COMPETITORS AGREE TO KEY PROVISION Here is the bigger question: how should powerful AI tools be released when they can help protect hospitals, banks and businesses, but could also help the wrong person find security holes faster?Security teams want better tools because they are already stretched thin. Hospitals and healthcare systems , banks , local utilities and critical systems , plus businesses all run on software that can have hidden holes. A stronger AI model could help find those weak spots before criminals exploit them.However, the access question is complicated. Who gets early access? Who gets told to wait? What happens if a small security company needs the same AI tool as a major government contractor?For now, the debate comes down to balancing security, access and accountability as these AI tools move closer to the services you rely on every day.AI tools are getting more capable, and that means scammers will keep using the buzz around them to trick you. Here are the steps to take now.Whenever a major AI product gets attention, impostors follow. Be careful with emails, texts or ads that promise early access to GPT-5.6 Sol, Mythos 5 or any restricted AI model. Go directly to the official company site instead of clicking a link.Strong antivirus software can help protect you from malicious links, phishing sites and downloads that scammers may disguise as AI tools or beta invitations. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com. Use strong, unique passwords for your important accounts. A password manager can help you create and store complex passwords, so you are not reusing the same login across multiple sites.Turn on two-factor authentication ( 2FA ) whenever it is available. Authentication apps or security keys are stronger than text message codes because they are harder for scammers to intercept. OPENAI TIGHTENS AI RULES FOR TEENS BUT CONCERNS REMAIN Keep your phone, computer, browser and apps updated. Many cyberattacks target known software flaws that already have patches, so updates are one of the easiest ways to close security gaps.Think twice before pasting sensitive information into any AI tool. Avoid uploading Social Security numbers, financial records, medical documents or private company files unless you know exactly how the service handles your data.Scammers can make AI-themed attacks more convincing when they can find your home address, phone number, relatives or workplace online. A data removal service can help reduce how much of your personal information appears on data broker and people-search sites. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. Scammers love urgency. If an offer claims you need to act fast to get access to a new AI model, treat that as a warning sign. Search for the announcement yourself and verify it from the company's official website.Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You'll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com. AI has reached a point where Washington wants a closer look before everyone gets access. I understand why cybersecurity officials are paying attention. A model that can spot software flaws could help protect a hospital, a bank or a utility. In the wrong hands, though, that same capability could create new risks. For you, the takeaway is straightforward. AI tools will keep getting more capable, and that can be good news when they help defend your data. However, you still need to protect your accounts, question surprise AI offers and think twice before sharing sensitive information with any new tool.Should powerful AI tools face a security review before public release, or should companies decide when they are ready for everyone to use? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. NASA's Chandra telescope reveals Milky Way's outer reaches may stretch farther than previously known A team of astronomers discovered that the spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy may stretch farther out into space than was previously known.The scientists made precise distance measurements of dust clouds in the arms using data from two telescopes orbiting high above Earth's atmosphere - NASA's Chandra , the most powerful X-ray telescope ever built, and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton.Researchers took advantage of rare, powerful gamma-ray bursts in distant galaxies. As X-rays from those bursts traveled through the Milky Way, some of the light bounced off dust clouds, creating rings that could be measured with unusual precision. NASA ANNOUNCES THREE NEW MOON MISSIONS AS IT RACES TO BUILD LUNAR BASE BY YEAR'S END "This is a very direct way - relying only on geometry - to precisely measure distances to the Milky Way's spiral arms," said Beatrice Vaia, the Italian Ph.D. student who led the study. "Most other methods rely on assumptions about how the Milky Way rotates, which become increasingly uncertain in the outer regions of our galaxy."The dust cloud in the most distant arm of the Milky Way was estimated to be about 3,500 light-years wide, according to the data the team collected.Astronomers have been aware of the Milky Way's arms for at least a century, but mapping them has always been difficult since Earth is positioned inside one of them. NASA ANNOUNCES MILLIONS IN MOON MISSION FUNDING But the recent breakthrough with studying gamma-ray bursts - a method not hampered by Earth's position inside the galaxy - could have massive implications on how we conceptualize our home within the universe."The differences are small, but any revision of these distances is important because they are so fundamental for understanding our galaxy," said Ilaria Fornasiero, a Ph.D. student and co-author on the study. "For example, this could mean that astronomers have to revise estimates of the mass of the galaxy because that affects how wide the arms stretch."The only downside to the technique is that suitable gamma-ray bursts are rare. Researchers have found only a handful over the past 25 years that were bright enough and positioned in a way that allowed them to measure the Milky Way's spiral arms."We will continue to be on the lookout for more," said co-author Andrea Tiengo. Why identity theft comes back for the same people The Federal Trade Commission is warning about a scam targeting people who have already been robbed. Scammers were calling and texting recent fraud victims , posing as FTC agents who could recover stolen money and sending photos of fake agency badges to look the part. The targets had one thing in common. Each had lost money to a scam before.Being scammed once can make you more likely to be targeted again. The Identity Theft Resource Center's 2026 Trends in Identity Report found that 25.6% of identity crime victims were managing two or more incidents at the same time. The report also found that 62.1% of attempted identity misuse cases involved new account applications.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report WHY SCAMMERS TARGET VETERANS AND HOW TO FIGHT BACK Scammers often keep track of who has already paid, what worked and how much money was lost. That can turn one fraud into a longer cycle of repeat identity theft .According to the FTC, this kind of repeat targeting can show up as a fake recovery offer. The caller or texter already knows what happened to you and claims they can help get the money back. Then comes the catch. They ask for a retainer, processing fee, bank information or other personal details.The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center also warned that fictitious law firms have targeted cryptocurrency scam victims with fake offers to recover funds. These schemes exploit the emotional and financial strain people feel after a loss.Scam groups keep what the FTC calls "sucker lists." These lists can include a victim's name, address, phone number, type of scam and amount paid. Criminals buy and sell the lists because they believe someone who paid once may pay again. The same group may call back with a new story. Or it may sell the information to another scammer who uses a different pitch.That is what makes recovery scams so convincing. A caller who knows exactly what you lost and how much may sound official. In reality, that information may have been bought from a list and repeated back to gain your trust. TEXAS DATA BREACH HITS 3M LICENSE CUSTOMERS Your Social Security number cannot be replaced like a credit card. When a thief opens an account with your SSN, birthdate and address, canceling the account only fixes part of the problem. The stolen information can still be used again.A bank can issue a new card number in days. However, the Social Security Administration assigns a different number only in limited cases and generally requires an in-person appointment. That means the information used in the first fraudulent application may still be available for the next one.The next use may never appear on a card statement. A stolen SSN can be used to draw a paycheck under your name, file a tax return before you do or open a loan at a bank you have never used. Aura scans the dark web and more than 200 data broker and people search sites for exposed SSNs, driver's license numbers and email addresses. It can alert you when one appears, naming what was found and where.Most identity fraud involves a new account, such as a credit card, loan or financial account opened in your name at a company you have never used. The ITRC found in its 2026 report that more than a quarter of identity crime victims were managing two or more incidents at the same time, up from 23.5% the year before. The center says identity crimes have shifted from isolated events into more layered cases that can spread across multiple accounts and institutions.That is why an occasional credit check can fall short. A report you pull every few months may miss an account opened the week after you looked. Aura monitors all three major credit bureaus and can alert you within minutes of a new account or hard inquiry reported to your file, whether a freeze is in place. A second fraudulent application months later can trigger another alert.Before you trust anyone promising to get your money back, look for these warning signs and take these steps to protect yourself from being scammed again.Do not pay anyone up front to recover your money. The FTC says real government agencies and legitimate organizations never charge you a fee to recover lost money. They also never ask for your bank account number or Social Security number to do it.Scammers often tell you to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or a payment app. No legitimate refund process works that way.A caller who knows exactly what you lost and how much may have bought that information from a list. Scammers use those details to sound official and make you feel like the call must be real.Fake recovery firms may steer you to Telegram or WhatsApp, then ask for your email and phone number before explaining any real service. Some may also ask you to install remote access software or share a verification code. Do not do either one.Bogus recovery firms often plant testimonials, websites and press releases that rank high in search results. That means a company name you find online still needs to be checked through official sources.Real restitution usually comes through official channels. Look up the agency yourself and call its published number. Never use the number from an unverified message.If someone contacts you with a suspicious recovery offer, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If the scam involves cryptocurrency, a fake law firm or online fraud, report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.The credit monitoring offered free after a breach usually lasts about a year, but stolen records can stay useful to criminals long after the alerts stop. A leaked SSN does not expire on the same schedule.No service can prevent every account opened in your name. However, ongoing three-bureau credit monitoring may alert you to new accounts when they are reported, instead of weeks later when a lender turns you down or a collections notice arrives.Identity theft protection services can also help you respond faster by guiding you through fraud reports, credit bureau disputes, account recovery steps and documentation needed to repair the damage.See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.comBeing scammed once can put you on a list that follows you long after the first fraud ends. The next scam may come with details that sound personal, accurate and convincing. But that does not make the caller, texter or so-called recovery firm legitimate. The smartest move is to slow everything down. Never pay upfront to recover stolen money. Never trust a number or link sent by someone who contacted you out of the blue. Also, keep watching your credit, your Social Security number and your personal information because stolen data can resurface months or even years later.Have you ever been contacted by someone claiming they could recover money after a scam? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Disney settlement could pay YouTube TV and DirecTV users You may have dropped cable to save money, only to watch your streaming bill creep higher anyway. Now, some YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream customers could be in line for a Disney payday.The Walt Disney Company has agreed to a $50 million partial settlement in a class action lawsuit tied to live TV streaming prices . The lawsuit claims Disney used its control of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels to push YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream into pricier packages.Disney denies any wrongdoing. The court also has not decided who is right or wrong. Still, eligible customers can now file a claim for a possible cash payment.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report SAN FRANCISCO ARCHDIOCESE AGREES TO $395M SETTLEMENT WITH 530 CLERGY ABUSE SURVIVORS The lawsuit is called Heather Biddle, et al. v. The Walt Disney Company, Case No. 5:22-cv-07317-EJD. The case claims Disney violated federal antitrust law and various state antitrust and consumer protection laws . According to the lawsuit, Disney's carriage demands allegedly raised prices for Streaming Live Pay Television services.In everyday terms, the complaint centers on whether Disney made streaming TV packages more expensive by tying ESPN and other Disney-owned channels to basic offerings. That could have made it harder for streaming providers to offer cheaper plans without sports channels. Disney has agreed to settle the YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream portion of the case for $50 million. The notice applies only to YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream plaintiffs. FuboTV plaintiffs have not settled with Disney, so their part of the lawsuit remains ongoing.You may qualify if you purchased a YouTube TV subscription at any time from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2026. You may also qualify if you purchased a DirecTV streaming live pay TV subscription during that same period. That includes subscriptions branded as DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now and AT&T TV Now .Eligible customers are grouped by location. Some fall into what the settlement calls repealer jurisdictions. That group includes states and territories such as Alabama, California, Florida and New York, along with many others. All remaining states and territories fall into non-repealer jurisdictions. Your location can affect how the settlement fund gets divided.Right now, there is no fixed dollar amount for each person. The settlement says cash payments will be proportional to the length of your YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription. So, someone who paid for one of these services longer may receive more than someone who subscribed briefly.The final payout also depends on how many valid claims get approved. After claims come in, the settlement administrator will calculate payments from the available settlement fund. In other words, do not expect a giant check. However, if you qualify, filing a claim could put some money back in your pocket. TIKTOK IN LEGAL HOT SEAT AS STATE ACCUSES APP OF EXPOSING KIDS TO HARMFUL CONTENT WHILE MISLEADING PARENTS The easiest way to file is through the official online TV settlement website at onlinetvsettlement.com/Login. Before you start, look for the unique ID and PIN on the notice you received by mail or email. The claim form asks for that login information.If you did not receive a notice or lost it, the settlement site says you can contact the settlement administrator at info@OnlineTVSettlement.com for help. Once you file online, you should receive a confirmation email and code. Save both. You may need them later if you have questions about your claim.If you had both YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream during the class period, you can include both subscriptions on one claim form.You can also print, fill out, sign and mail the claim form.Mail it to:Biddle v. Disney Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 4720 Portland, OR 97208-4720The deadline is Sept. 8, 2026. The claim page says all claim forms must be submitted online or received by the settlement administrator no later than that date.If you do nothing, you will not receive a cash payment. You may also give up certain legal rights tied to the claims in this case. That is why it is smart to check your eligibility now, especially if you paid for YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now or AT&T TV Now between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026.If you do not want to be part of the settlement, you can ask to be excluded. That means you will not receive settlement benefits, but you may keep your right to sue Disney on your own over the released claims. Your exclusion request must be mailed and postmarked by Sept. 8, 2026. You cannot opt out by phone or email.You can also stay in the settlement and tell the court why you disagree with it. That is called objecting. The deadline to file an objection is Dec. 1, 2026. If the court approves the settlement, you will still be bound by it.The final approval hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2027, at 9 a.m. If the court approves the settlement and no delays follow, payments would come later. The settlement site says cash payments will be provided after the settlement becomes final.That means you should not expect money right away. Court approval, possible objections and administrative processing can all affect the timing.ESPN is one of the most expensive and valuable channels in live TV. Even if you never watch sports, sports networks can still affect the price of your streaming package. The lawsuit claims Disney's control of ESPN gave it leverage over streaming providers. Plaintiffs say that leverage made it harder for YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream to offer cheaper, sports-free packages.As part of the proposed settlement relief, Disney has agreed to entertain certain proposals from streaming distributors that want packages with fewer Disney-owned networks. That could include packages without ESPN channels. That part may be just as important as the cash for some customers. If streaming providers get more flexibility, future TV packages could look different.Any time money is involved, scammers pay attention . A settlement like this gives them an easy hook because the message sounds believable. You may see emails, texts or social media posts claiming you need to "verify" your claim, pay a fee or click fast before you lose your payout.If you get a message about the Disney settlement, do not click the link right away. Go directly to the official online TV settlement website instead. That lowers the chance of landing on a fake claim page built to steal your information. Also, be careful with look-alike web addresses. Scammers often create sites that appear close to the real thing but include extra words, odd spelling or strange endings.You should not have to pay a fee to file a legitimate class action settlement claim. Be cautious if a message asks for a wire transfer, gift card, crypto payment, payment app transfer or "processing fee." A scammer may also pressure you with urgent language. That pressure is designed to make you click before you think.Strong antivirus software can help protect you from malicious links, fake websites and phishing attacks tied to settlement scams. It can also warn you before you open a dangerous attachment or visit a risky page. Keep your phone, computer and browser updated as well. Those updates often patch security holes scammers try to exploit. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.comA personal data removal service can help reduce the amount of information about you that appears on people-search sites and data broker databases. That is important because scammers often use your name, address, phone number or past subscriptions to make fake emails feel more convincing. No service can remove every trace of your information online. Still, cutting down what is easy to find can make you a harder target. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.comIf you file a claim online, save your confirmation email and code. That gives you a record of your submission and helps you avoid clicking on random follow-up messages that may not be real. When in doubt, contact the Settlement Administrator through the official settlement website rather than replying to an email that showed up in your inbox.Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You'll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.comThis is one of those settlements many people may ignore because it sounds like legal noise. However, if you paid for YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream during the class period, it is worth checking your eligibility. The biggest thing to remember is the deadline. Sept. 8, 2026, is the date to file a claim or opt out. The payout may not be huge. Still, streaming bills have climbed for years, and plenty of customers are tired of paying more for bundles they never wanted. To me, the bigger question is what happens next. If Disney and streaming providers loosen the grip on bloated channel packages, you could eventually see more choice in what you pay for. If this settlement has you rethinking what you pay for live TV, check out our guide on how to cut streaming service costs and save money before your next bill hits.Should streaming services be forced to offer cheaper packages without sports channels, or is bundling just the price we pay for live TV? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. 'Milestone': Scientists claim to build synthetic cell, raising concerns in step toward artificial life Scientists at the University of Minnesota say they have built the most life-like synthetic cell yet, creating a laboratory-made system assembled entirely from nonliving components that can grow, replicate its genetic material, divide and even pass beneficial traits to future generations.The researchers describe the work as a major step toward building artificial life but said the synthetic cells cannot survive outside carefully controlled laboratory conditions and require externally supplied nutrients and specialized components to grow and divide.Their findings were published Thursday as a preprint on bioRxiv, meaning the research has not yet undergone peer review. SCIENTISTS UNVEIL 'LIVING BANDAGE' THAT COULD DRAMATICALLY SPEED WOUND HEALING "One of the most ambitious and fascinating goals of bioengineering is to build a biochemical system that could cross the threshold from chemistry to life," the researchers wrote. They said the work demonstrates "the first minimal cell with a cell cycle, genetically encoded growth and division, all coupled to selection and competition."The researchers call the synthetic cell "SpudCell." Unlike earlier approaches that started with living organisms, SpudCell was assembled from chemically defined, nonliving components.Its 90,000-base-pair genome enables the synthetic cell to produce proteins, replicate its DNA , feed, grow and divide into daughter cells. AI-DESIGNED 'UNIVERSAL VACCINE' PASSES FIRST HUMAN CLINICAL TRIAL, COULD PREVENT FUTURE PANDEMICS Researchers also introduced a genetic mutation that allowed some synthetic cells to grow faster than others. After several generations, those faster-growing cells produced more offspring and became increasingly common in the population, demonstrating a basic form of natural selection.The team said the work represents "key milestones towards construction of synthetic life" and could eventually provide a foundation for "fully artificial organisms" designed for biotechnology applications .Still, the researchers acknowledged that the system remains far less capable than even the simplest living cells. The synthetic cells cannot survive outside laboratory conditions, require externally supplied nutrients and specialized components and rely on ribosomes purified from E. coli bacteria . After five generations, researchers found that only about 30% of daughter cells inherited the complete synthetic genome. SCIENTISTS UNVEIL 'LIVING BANDAGE' THAT COULD DRAMATICALLY SPEED WOUND HEALING Those limitations mean the work falls well short of creating self-sustaining artificial life, but researchers said it demonstrates that many of life's defining characteristics can be recreated from nonliving materials.The researchers also acknowledged that increasingly sophisticated synthetic cells could raise new biosafety and biosecurity questions.Fox News Digital has reached out to the University of Minnesota research team for comment on the matter."This project offers a significant milestone towards evolvability of synthetic cells, making it more likely that more robust, autonomous systems will be available soon," the authors wrote, adding that the progress "highlights the urgent need to develop a safety and security framework for future synthetic cell engineering."Future work, the researchers said, will focus on making synthetic cells more self-sufficient by regenerating more of their own molecular machinery, improving how genomes are distributed during cell division and allowing mutations to arise naturally rather than being introduced by researchers. Fake Verizon fraud call nearly stole his account A fake Verizon fraud call can feel real fast, especially when official-looking texts start landing on your phone. That is what makes this scam so dangerous. The caller creates panic, pushes you to "verify" your identity and then uses your own reaction against you.Chuck from New Braunfels, Texas, reached out after a frightening close call."I usually am pretty savvy when it comes to scams, but I almost got fooled by a fake Verizon fraud investigator. He tricked me into giving him access to my account through text verification... he ordered an upgrade to my daughter's phone, which she would never do without me. In the end, thank God I figured it out and got a hold of the real Verizon fraud and stopped him before something bad happened. If there is any more information I can give to help someone else, let me know."Chuck's message should make all of us pause. He knew scams were out there. He still almost got caught because this one moved quickly and looked so convincing.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report ADT DATA BREACH EXPOSES CUSTOMER INFORMATION Chuck says the call came in around 7:15 p.m. The man on the phone claimed he worked for Verizon's fraud department. He gave a name, "John Rodriguez," along with the phone number 1-888-269-xxxx.That detail made the call feel more official. So did the extra pieces the caller supplied. Chuck says the scammer gave him a fraudulent number and a cancellation number.That is a common move in account takeover scams . The criminal gives you enough "case details" to sound legitimate. Then, while you feel like you are dealing with a real fraud alert, the scammer quietly tries to get control of your account.The messages Chuck received appeared to involve Verizon account security. One said there was a request to authenticate from the Verizon website. It asked him to confirm or deny through a link. Another message said there was a request to change the device associated with a line on the account. That message warned that the change could be tied to an upgrade or SIM change.Then came a more alarming message. It warned of a potential scam and said someone was trying to change the password from the Verizon website. It told Chuck to deny the request and call the Verizon fraud team immediately.Here is the scary part. Those alerts can make you feel safer while the scam is still unfolding. The caller keeps you on the phone and tells you what to click. That pressure can turn a security warning into a trap.Chuck says the caller asked him multiple times to verify. Then Chuck clicked a link to deny access. That moment changed everything. To Chuck, clicking "deny" felt like the safe move. To the scammer, it may have been exactly what he wanted.Once a criminal has you on the phone, he can walk you through alerts in real time. He may claim you are blocking fraud while he actually triggers account changes, resets credentials or pushes through an order.In this case, Chuck later saw that his daughter's line had been changed to a new iPhone 17 Pro Max . That caught his attention because his daughter would never make that kind of change without him.Chuck then received an email saying, "Your order is canceled." The email appeared to come from noreplay@vzreturn.com and the subject line said, "You've successfully canceled your order."The message listed an Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB Cosmic Orange and showed order details. Chuck described the sender as a non-verified email.That part deserves attention. A cancellation email can make you feel relieved. Yet it may also serve another purpose. It can make the victim believe the problem has been solved while the criminal keeps trying other account changes. WHAT SCAMMERS DO THE WEEK YOUR SPOUSE DIES Chuck says he knew something was off when his daughter's phone line changed to the new iPhone. Then he saw that his password had been changed.At that point, he took the right step. He contacted the real Verizon fraud team and changed the password again so he could regain control.Then the scammer tried to call him back twice. That is another major warning sign. Real fraud departments do not need to keep calling after you contact the company through a trusted channel.Chuck says the real Verizon fraud team checked the fraud case number and cancellation number the caller had given him. Both were bogus.After verifying his identity through a secure Verizon process, Verizon removed his My Verizon credentials and told him to re-register using two-factor authentication (2FA).That step deserves attention because the scammer had gotten too close to the account. When credentials, account access or device changes get involved, changing only the password may not be enough.This scam works because it borrows the language of real fraud prevention . The caller talks about account security. The texts mention authentication, SIM changes, password resets and fraud teams.That sounds protective. But the caller creates confusion and urgency. Once the victim follows instructions in real time, the scammer can steer the whole interaction.A phone upgrade also gives criminals a clear payday. A stolen device order can lead to theft of service, resale value or deeper account access. A SIM-related change can also put calls and texts at risk, including codes used to access other accounts.Several details stand out from Chuck's case.Any one of those should stop the conversation. Together, they point to an active account takeover attempt.After reviewing the details of Chuck's experience, Verizon said these kinds of social engineering scams have become a growing problem."This type of fraudulent activity has unfortunately become all too common," a Verizon spokesperson told CyberGuy. "Verizon actively works against bad actors by tracking every case and identifying the hallmarks of social engineering events against our customers."The spokesperson added, "We incorporate these into real-time detections to prevent attempted fraud before the transaction is completed."Verizon also shared several steps customers can take to protect their accounts. Many line up with the same safety habits that can help stop fake carrier fraud calls before they turn into account takeovers.A few smart habits can make it much harder for a scammer to talk you into giving up control of your phone account.Use the number on your carrier's app, website or bill. Do not rely on a number the caller gives you. Verizon says it will never call you out of the blue asking for your password or a one-time security code. If you get that kind of call, hang up and call Verizon back using a publicly listed number, such as 611 from your Verizon phone.If a caller tells you to approve, deny, verify or authenticate through a text link, stop. Open the carrier app directly instead.A button or link that sounds safe can still help a scammer if they, in fact, triggered the request. Strong antivirus software can also help block malicious links and warn you before you land on a risky site. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.comA new phone order, SIM change or line change should trigger immediate action. Verizon says customers should also watch for texts or emails about an unauthorized password change, transaction, SIM swap or port-out. If you see one, act fast to cancel the transaction and call Verizon immediately.Do this from a browser or app you opened yourself. Avoid links from texts or emails. Verizon says to treat your mobile and email accounts like bank accounts and never share passwords or security codes with anyone who calls unexpectedly. Also, do not reuse passwords across important accounts. Use a trusted password manager to create and store a strong, unique password for your carrier account.Use the strongest 2FA option your carrier offers, such as a passkey, authenticator app or account PIN. This adds another layer of protection so a scammer cannot get in with just your password. Verizon specifically recommends enabling two-factor authentication in the My Verizon app.Verizon says customers can enable Number Lock and SIM Protection in the My Verizon app. These extra protections can help stop unauthorized activity, including SIM-related scams and account changes.Many carriers let you add a PIN or security code for account changes. Make sure yours is unique and not something easy to guess, such as a birthday, address or repeated number.If criminals accessed the account, reduce what they can buy or change. Removing saved payment methods can limit damage while your carrier reviews the account.Make sure no phone numbers, devices, SIMs, shipping addresses or authorized users were changed. Also, check for pending orders or upgrades you did not request.Scammers often get names, phone numbers, addresses and family connections from people-search sites. A data removal service can help reduce what is exposed online, making it harder for criminals to build a convincing call around your personal details. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.comAsk for the fraud department, explain the attempted takeover and request a full account security review. Verizon says if you are scammed, call your bank or financial institution first, then call Verizon. Verizon also points customers to its account security page for more information: verizon.com/about/account-security/overviewMove quickly, but do it through trusted channels you open yourself. CARNIVAL BREACH MAY PUT YOUR TRAVEL DATA AT RISK What gets me about Chuck's story is how real the scam felt in the moment. The caller had a name, a fraud number, a cancellation number and security texts were landing while he was still on the phone. That to me is scary. Once a scammer gets you reacting, your account can start slipping away fast. Chuck caught it before things got worse, but not before a phone upgrade appeared and his password was changed. The safest move is to hang up and start fresh. Open the official app yourself. Type the website yourself. Call the number on your bill yourself. Never let a stranger guide your clicks. Chuck said it best: " Please use my mistake to help others avoid losing potential thousands in theft of service and money."Have you ever received a carrier fraud alert that looked real, and how did you decide whether to trust it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 Cyberguy.com. All rights reserved. Your family could be one phone call from a bank scam Someone you love could be standing at a bank counter right now, ready to wire money to a stranger. The voice in their ear may sound calm, official and urgent. Yet it could belong to a professional scammer who has already coached them on what to say.According to the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report, reported losses from internet crime exceeded $20 billion. The FTC also says impostor scams remained the top scam category in 2025, with reported losses rising to $3.5 billion.Those numbers are alarming. However, the real story often starts with one phone call. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report HOW TO STOP IMPOSTOR BANK SCAMS BEFORE THEY DRAIN YOUR WALLET Darius Kingsley, Head of Consumer Fraud and Scam Prevention at JPMorgan Chase, sat down with me for my CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberguyPodcast.com to explain what these scams look like from inside the bank. He also shared how tellers spot red flags and what families can do before money disappears.Kingsley says scammers often begin by creating fear and urgency. Many pretend to be law enforcement or another trusted authority."What they're going to do is they're going to bring urgency," Kingsley said. "One of the most common scams when you get someone on the phone is law enforcement, so you think you're talking to the police."That fake authority can make smart people freeze. The caller may cite a real agency. They may even use the name of a real agent. Once fear kicks in, the scammer starts giving instructions.By the time a victim walks into a bank branch, the scammer may already have a script ready. "They will have coached you," Kingsley said. "They will have told you already what it is you need to say."That can include a fake reason for the withdrawal. The scammer may tell the victim to say the money is for a home renovation or a family member. They may also warn that the bank will ask questions.Even worse, some scammers tell victims the bank is part of the problem. "They may even tell you that the bank is in on it," Kingsley said. That one lie can make a friendly banker look suspicious to the victim. It also makes the scam harder to stop.If a teller starts chatting with you during a large withdrawal, it may feel nosy. Kingsley says there is a good reason for that. Most transactions are legitimate. People withdraw cash for contractors, family help or personal reasons all the time.So bankers cannot treat every unusual request like a crime. Instead, they look for clues. Kingsley says bank staff may notice someone who seems nervous, stays on the phone or gives a story that starts to fall apart." We teach them to look for things like people maybe being on the phone at the same time, or just seeming very nervous or their stories falling apart," he said.That conversation at the counter may be more important than you realize. It could be the last chance to stop a wire, cash withdrawal or transfer before the money is gone. So, if your bank asks questions, do not take it personally. That pause may protect you. GOT A BANK TRANSFER ALERT TEXT? IT MIGHT BE A SCAM; HERE'S WHAT TO DO Many people still picture a scammer as one person sitting in a basement with a phone. Kingsley says that can happen. However, the larger threat now includes organized scam centers overseas.He pointed to scam compounds in Southeast Asia, where criminal groups use trafficked workers to target Americans. "They take their passports and the office building has barbed wire around it, and they're stuck," Kingsley said.That detail is chilling. It means some scam callers may also be victims of brutal criminal networks . Kingsley said those operations can be tied to cartels, drug traffickers or arms merchants.The money does not stay in one place for long. Once a victim sends it, scammers often move it quickly through accounts and overseas. That is why speed matters so much after a scam.The best time to stop a scam is before the money moves. That means families need to notice behavior changes, not only strange emails or suspicious links.Kingsley says relatives should pay attention when someone suddenly needs privacy around money, rushes to the bank or becomes defensive about a transaction. "You have to kind of notice or observe people getting defensive," he said.Other red flags include a loved one staying on the phone while heading to the bank, refusing to explain why they need cash or acting unusually stressed about a payment.Crypto ATMs are another major warning sign. If someone is feeding cash into a crypto kiosk while following phone instructions, treat it like an emergency. Do not shame them. Interrupt the transaction calmly. Then help them call their bank using the number on the back of their card. BEWARE FAKE CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT RESTRICTION SCAMS If you think you or someone in your family sent money to a scammer, act fast. Waiting can make recovery harder."The best thing you can do is act immediately," Kingsley said. "Contact your bank immediately."That call is important because banks may be able to freeze or trace funds in some cases. There is no guarantee, but time can make a difference.Kingsley also urges victims to file a police report and report the scam to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov ."A lot of people don't do that step," he said. Reporting may not bring the money back right away. Still, it helps law enforcement understand the scale of the problem and connect cases.A few simple safeguards can make it much harder for scammers to rush you or someone you love into a costly mistake.Log in to your bank account and make sure fraud alerts are active. Use text, email or app alerts for large withdrawals, transfers and card activity. Kingsley says this basic step matters. "Go in and check and make sure your fraud alerts are turned on," he said.Turn on two-factor authentication ( 2FA ) for your bank, email and financial apps. That extra step can block criminals who get your password. Use an authenticator app when possible. Text codes are better than nothing, but they can be vulnerable if a criminal takes over your phone number.Ask your bank or brokerage if you can add a trusted contact. This person cannot make transactions for you. However, the bank may be able to reach them if something looks wrong. Kingsley said Chase offers trusted contacts on deposit accounts and investment accounts. Other financial institutions may offer a similar option.Set a private family code word for urgent money requests. If someone calls claiming to be a grandchild, police officer or lawyer, ask for the code word. If they do not know it, hang up and call the family member directly using a number you already trust.Scammers can sound more believable when they already know your name, address, relatives or other personal details. A data removal service can help remove your information from people-search sites and data broker lists, making it harder for criminals to build a convincing story around you or your family. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com Scammers hate delays. They want victims to act before they think. So make one family rule: no wire transfer, crypto payment, gift card purchase or large cash withdrawal happens because of a phone call alone. Hang up. Call the bank. Call a relative. Then decide.If a loved one says they cannot talk about a money request, take that seriously. Scammers often coach victims to hide the transaction from family, bank staff or police. A real government agency, bank or law enforcement office will not demand secrecy while pushing someone to move money.Call the bank immediately. Then file a police report and report the scam to IC3.gov . You can also report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Here is the part that matters most: falling for a scam does not make someone foolish. It makes them human. These criminals know how to use fear, shame and urgency. They know how to sound official. They know how to push people into action before anyone else can step in. Kingsley's advice points to one simple truth. Your family's best protection may be one honest conversation before the phone rings. Talk about the warning signs. Set a code word. Agree that no one moves money under pressure. Because the moment someone you love is standing at that bank counter, the scam may already be in motion. You can hear my full conversation with Darius Kingsley on the CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberguyPodcast.com , where we dig deeper into how these scams unfold inside the bank and what families can do before money disappears.Have you or someone in your family ever been pressured to move money by a caller who sounded official, but turned out to be a scammer?  Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.  Waymo recalls robotaxis over construction-zone risk Waymo has filed a voluntary recall affecting 3,871 vehicles equipped with its 5th Generation Automated Driving System. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the software may allow a Waymo vehicle to enter a closed freeway construction zone and continue driving.Now, the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company is pulling back freeway operations while it works on a fix. The recall raises new questions about how robotaxis handle the messy, changing conditions people deal with behind the wheel every day. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report WAYMO UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AFTER CHILD STRUCK The recall is NHTSA Campaign Number 26E035000. It affects 3,871 Waymo vehicles using the company's 5th Generation ADS. In the federal filing, Waymo says the autonomous vehicle may enter and drive at speed in freeway construction zones because the software may fail to recognize the zone or may prioritize avoiding other freeway hazards.Waymo's timeline shows the first cluster happened in Phoenix. The company reviewed one event from April 11 and five events from April 19, where vehicles drove past ramp closure signs into pre-planned freeway construction zones.Then came the San Francisco Bay Area . On May 18, seven Waymo vehicles entered active freeway construction lanes by driving between cones. The filing says the system either failed to recognize the construction zone or gave more weight to avoiding other freeway hazards.Waymo restricted freeway driving after the Phoenix events while it made operational changes. After the San Francisco Bay Area incidents, Waymo suspended freeway driving more broadly while it worked to identify and address the root causes.Waymo says no collisions or injuries were reported from these events. Still, the company says its review led it to temporarily restrict freeway operations while it works on additional software safeguards.According to the federal filing, Waymo will update the Automated Driving System so vehicles can better detect when they are in a construction zone and avoid entering one. The remedy also includes additional operational protocols.Because Waymo owns the affected vehicles, it says it will apply the remedy itself and update the filing after the fix is deployed.A Waymo spokesperson told CyberGuy,"Waymo's mission is to be the world's most trusted driver, and the data shows that we're making roads safer in the communities in which we operate.We identified an area of improvement regarding performance around freeway construction zones. We voluntarily restricted freeway operations last month while making improvements, proactively notified state and federal regulators, and decided to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA.We continue to safely serve riders on surface streets in all the cities where we operate."Waymo's own safety material adds important context. The company says its rider-only vehicles have driven 170.7 million miles without a human driver through December 2025. It also says the Waymo Driver had 92% fewer serious injury-or-worse crashes compared to an average human driver over the same distance in its operating cities, though that safety dashboard focuses on surface-street driving. WAYMO DRIVERLESS CARS OVERRUN ATLANTA NEIGHBORHOOD, CIRCLING CUL-DE-SACS AND ALARMING FAMILIES WITH KIDS Construction zones change fast. Lane markings may disappear. Cones can shift. Temporary signs may conflict with the road layout a vehicle expects to see. Even human drivers get confused when a familiar ramp is suddenly blocked.For an autonomous vehicle, all of that becomes a real-time software test. The car has to figure out what counts as a lane, barrier, sign or hazard. It also has to adjust when the map no longer matches the road.Freeways are predictable by design. However, construction zones are inherently unpredictable. A driverless system may have strong sensors, detailed maps and trained models, but it still has to make the safest call when the road changes without warning.Waymo started offering freeway rides to public riders in the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix and Los Angeles in November 2025.The company has also been expanding its ride-hailing footprint .Waymo's official blog says it is laying the early groundwork for ride-hailing operations in more than 20 additional cities in 2026, including Tokyo and London.This recall hits the heart of the robotaxi promise . Robotaxis are supposed to reduce human mistakes behind the wheel. Yet the road often changes faster than software can easily interpret.That creates a trust gap. Most people do not expect perfection from human drivers. We see bad decisions every day. But when a driverless car makes a bad decision, it feels different because nobody is sitting behind the wheel to take responsibility.The public will not judge Waymo only by its safety charts. People will judge it by the strange moments they see on the road, the videos that spread online and how quickly the company fixes problems when they surface.If you take Waymo rides, the biggest immediate takeaway is that freeway rides may not be available while the company works on the fix. Waymo says surface-street service is continuing as normal in the cities where it operates, but your route may take longer if freeway rides are unavailable.Before you book, check the route, price and estimated travel time in the app. During the ride, use the in-app support options if something feels wrong. Waymo says riders can tap Help, choose Get help and call for immediate assistance. In an emergency, call 911.If you are sharing the road with robotaxis, treat them like any other vehicle, but give yourself extra room around construction areas. Do not assume a driverless car sees a temporary closure the same way you do. Stay calm, keep your distance and pay attention around the messiest parts of the road.Your phone holds your email , passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You'll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com. WAYMO TEAMS UP WITH WAZE TO SPOT POTHOLES FASTER has impressive safety data, and I do not dismiss that. But this recall shows how quickly confidence can be shaken when a robotaxi meets a road situation that is messy and temporary. Construction zones are everywhere. They change overnight. They confuse humans, too, but that is exactly why driverless cars have to be ready for them before they are trusted on freeways. To me, the real test isn't whether Waymo can drive well on a clear road. The real test is whether it can make the safest call when the road suddenly changes.Would you still take a driverless car on the freeway after a recall like this, or would you stick to surface streets until the technology proves itself again? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

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