Security, Spoken

Scammers are actively exploiting a bug in Firefox that causes the browser to lock up after displaying a message warning that the computer is running a pirated version of Windows that has been hacked. The message, which appears without any any user interaction upon visiting a site, reads: Please stop and do not close the PC … The registry key of your computer is locked. Why did we block your computer? The Windows registry key is illegal. The Windows desktop is using pirated software.

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With hackers deploying sophisticated attacks against operating systems, processors, and even firmware, manufacturers have increasingly turned to a tamper-resistant processor—or part of one—often called a "secure enclave" to stymie all sorts of attacks. They place in that immutable chip the "root of trust" on a device, relying on it to run cryptographic checks every time the system starts to make sure nothing has been subtly, maliciously altered.

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Facebook is refining while Google is designing, but first, a cartoon about when smartphones go rogue. Here's the news you need to know, in two minutes or less. Want to receive this two-minute roundup as an email every weekday? Sign up here! Today’s Headlines Google is helping design an open source, ultra-secure chip Hackers seem to launch new attacks every day, but a new kind of chip could provide some protection.

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Officials around the United States have spent the last three years scrambling to harden election and voting infrastructure against the disinformation campaigns, phishing attacks, and system probing that plagued 2016. With exactly one year to go until the 2020 presidential election, local and state boards of election have made significant progress on improving digital defenses.

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When Microsoft revealed last May that millions of Windows devices had a serious hackable flaw known as BlueKeep—one that could enable an automated worm to spread malware from computer to computer—it seemed only a matter of time before someone unleashed a global attack. As predicted, a BlueKeep campaign has finally struck. But so far it's fallen short of the worst case scenario.

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Nothing motivates me more in acquiring weapons for the Air Force than foreign military threats. Stealth fighters, satellite-guided missiles, and silent submarines were once unique US capabilities; now our troops must face them on future battlefields. WIRED OPINION ABOUT Dr. Will Roper is the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

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WhatsApp just took a hard new line against the malware industry, suing notorious Israeli surveillance contractor NSO Group for attacks on more than a thousand of its users. The case could mark a turning point in Silicon Valley's fight against private-sector espionage mercenaries. But before it can convince a court that NSO engaged in criminal hacking, WhatsApp may have to win a thorny legal argument—one that legal experts say could require some creative contortions.

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After months of revelations and apologies, all the major smart assistant makers have revamped how they handle human review of audio snippets. Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, and Microsoft Cortana were all using third-party contractors to transcribe and vet recorded snippets, adding some human brain power to underlying machine learning algorithms. But the backlash over the lack of transparency spurred new customer controls. And with the release of Apple's iOS 13.

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Ransomware has steadily become one of the most pervasive cyberattacks in the world. And while high-profile global meltdowns like 2017’s NotPetya strain garner the most attention, localized attacks have devastating consequences as well. Look no further than the cities of Atlanta and Baltimore, whose online operations ground to a halt after ransomware takeovers.

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Russia's state-sponsored hackers have a few predictable fixations: NATO-country embassies. Hillary Clinton. Ukraine. But a less expected target has somehow remained in their sights for more than three years: the Olympics—and specifically anyone who would dare to accuse Russian athletes of cheating.

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