Security

Facades

The Hack That Exposed Syria’s Sweeping Security Failures

When Syrian government accounts were hijacked in March, the breach looked chaotic. But it revealed something more troubling: a state struggling with the most basic layer of cybersecurity.

Danny Makki

Security Roundup

Hackers Are Posting the Claude Code Leak With Bonus Malware

Andy Greenberg, Dell Cameron, Maddy Varner, and Andrew Couts

Supply Chains

Meta Pauses Work With Mercor After Data Breach Puts AI Industry Secrets at Risk

Maxwell Zeff, Zoë Schiffer, and Lily Hay Newman

Cyberattacks and Hacks

Apple Will Push Out Rare ‘Backported’ Patches to Protect iOS 18 Users From DarkSword Hacking Tool

As DarkSword spreads, Apple tells WIRED it will enable iOS 18-specific fixes for millions of iPhone owners who remain on that iOS version rather than force them to update to iOS 26.

Andy Greenberg

Iranian Hackers Breached Kash Patel’s Email—but Not the FBI’s

Plus: Apple makes big claims about the effectiveness of its Lockdown Mode anti-spyware feature, Russia moves to implement homegrown encryption for 5G, and more.

Andy Greenberg, Dell Cameron, Lily Hay Newman, and Andrew Couts

Iranians Don’t Have a Missile Alert System, So Volunteers Built Their Own Warning Map

The crowdsourced website and app Mahsa Alert provides citizens in Iran with crucial information amid the country’s ongoing war with the US and Israel—and an internet blackout.

Matt Burgess and Lily Hay Newman

Cyberattack on a Car Breathalyzer Firm Leaves Drivers Stuck

Plus: The FBI admits it’s buying phone data to track Americans, Iranian hackers disrupt medical care at Maryland hospitals, and more.

Matt Burgess, Lily Hay Newman, and Andy Greenberg

Privacy

Using a VPN May Subject You to NSA Spying

US lawmakers are pressing Tulsi Gabbard to reveal whether using a VPN can strip Americans of their constitutional protections against warrantless surveillance.

Dell Cameron

A Top Democrat Is Urging Colleagues to Support Trump’s Spy Machine

Congressman Jim Himes claims a sweeping surveillance authority should stay intact because he hasn't seen abuses by Kash Patel's FBI, according to internal messaging obtained by WIRED.

Dell Cameron

The Danger Behind Meta Killing End-to-End Encryption for Instagram DMs

Meta blamed users for not opting into the privacy-protecting feature. Experts fear the move could be the first major domino to fall for end-to-end encryption tech worldwide.

Lily Hay Newman

Signal’s Creator Is Helping Encrypt Meta AI

Moxie Marlinspike says the technology powering his encrypted AI chatbot, Confer, will be integrated into Meta AI. The move could help protect the AI conversations of millions of people.

Lily Hay Newman and Matt Burgess

Security Advice

How to Organize Safely in the Age of Surveillance

From threat modeling to encrypted collaboration apps, we’ve collected experts’ tips and tools for safely and effectively building a group—even while being targeted and tracked by the powerful.

Andy Greenberg and Lily Hay Newman

How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance

Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.

Andy Greenberg and Lily Hay Newman

8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and Privacy

Meta’s end-to-end encrypted messaging app is used by billions of people. Here’s how to make sure you’re one of the most locked-down ones out there.

Kate O'Flaherty

How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware

Being targeted by sophisticated spyware is relatively rare, but experts say that everyone needs to stay vigilant as this dangerous malware continues to proliferate worldwide.

Kate O'Flaherty

Security News

CBP Facility Codes Sure Seem to Have Leaked Via Online Flashcards

The Quizlet flashcards, which WIRED found through basic Google searches, seem to include sensitive information about gate security at Customs and Border Protection locations.

Sammy Sussman

Uncanny Valley: Iran’s Threats on US Tech, Trump’s Plans for Midterms, and Polymarket’s Pop-up Flop

In this episode, we discuss Iran’s threats to target US tech firms, gear up for the midterm elections, and get a scene report from the Polymarket pop-up bar in DC.

Brian Barrett, Zoë Schiffer, Leah Feiger, Makena Kelly, and Kate Knibbs

What Happens When a Nuclear Site Is Hit?

As strikes continue on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the real danger isn’t the explosion, but what happens if critical safety systems fail—and how that risk could spread across the Gulf.

Jethu Abraham

Unmasking the Paramilitary Agents Behind Trump’s Violent Immigration Crackdown

A WIRED analysis of DHS records identified dozens of specialized federal agents who used force against US civilians during the largest known deployment of its kind in US history.

Ali Winston and Maddy Varner