Data Breach Roundup (Feb 20 – Feb 26, 2026)
PayPal, the French bank registry, the Mexican tax authority, and more big names were hit this week.
Latest in News Briefs
Samsung Launches New “Privacy Display” to Protect Your Screen
Samsung recently made the new Galaxy S26 Ultra available for pre-order, which features a huge privacy improvement never seen before on a phone: a builtin, toggleable privacy screen that functions on a per-pixel level.
Notepad++’s New Update System is “Robust and Effectively Unexploitable”
Notepad++ has released a blog post describing the security enhancements they’ve made since the state-sponsored hack earlier this month, highlighting their new “double lock” update mechanism.
Firefox 148 Releases with Promised AI Killswitch Feature
Firefox version 148 has released, bringing with it the AI killswitch feature that was promised, allowing users to disable all AI features from a single switch.
Google Expands Quick Share’s AirDrop Support to Pixel 9 Series
Google is expanding support for Quick Share and AirDrop compatibility between Pixel 10 phones and iPhones to include Pixel 9 phones as well.
ChatGPT Adds Lockdown Mode for Protection Against Prompt Injection Attacks
ChatGPT has added Lockdown Mode, "an optional, advanced security setting designed for a small set of highly security-conscious users—such as executives or security teams at prominent organizations—who require increased protection against advanced threats."
Data Breach Roundup (Feb 13 – Feb 19, 2026)
A sex toy maker, a fintech giant, a pharmacy, a luxury brand, and more.
Apple Introduces End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messaging in the iOS 26.4 Beta
The long-awaited cross-platform end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between Android and iOS users has finally begun its testing phase in the recently released beta for iOS 26.4.
Google's "Project Toscana" Will Upgrade Face Unlock
According to Android Authority, Google's secret Project Toscana is upgrading the face unlock on future Pixels and even Chromebooks.
Amazon Cancels Ring Partnership with Flock
Amazon has announced it has cancelled its previous plans to partner with Flock for its Community Requests feature.
Data Breach Roundup (Feb 6 – Feb 12, 2026)
The Netherlands' top ISP/telecom provider, the European Commission, a European identity verification service, and many more on this week's unexpected data breach victims.
Microsoft Considers Scaling Back on Consumer-Facing AI
Microsoft has been aggressively pushing their unwanted AI products on anyone unfortunate enough to be in their ecosystem, but Recall, Copilot, and more may soon get reigned in.
RAM Shortages Impact Raspberry Pi
Prices will be rising for the Raspberry Pi, a popular device for homelab users around the world.
Firefox's "AI Killswitch" Coming February 24
Mozilla has recently promised an "AI Killswitch" for Firefox users who want nothing to do with their AI-first direction. We now know to expect in Firefox 148.
Data Breach Roundup (Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2026)
Panera Bread, Coinbase, games, and photo booth are among this week's breaches.
Notepad++ Subject to Supply Chain Attack for Months
The popular text editor Notepad++ had their infrastructure compromised from about June 2025 to December 2025, allowing the attackers to deliver malicious updates to unsuspecting users.
Google Introduces Stronger Theft Protections in Android
Google announced that they're bolstering Android's pre-existing theft protection features with security improvements and more granular control.
Apple Acquires Q.ai Startup for "Silent" Voice Input
In its second biggest acquisition ever, Apple has acquired a company called Q.ai that promises to use "facial micromovements" to provide "private answers to silent questions."
Data Breach Roundup (Jan 23 – Jan 29, 2026)
This week saw a massive leak from a likely infostealer database, two AI products, an app to help users quit porn, and updates to Soundcloud and the French unemployment agency.
WhatsApp Implements Optional "Strict Account Settings" Mode for Increased Security
WhatsApp has announced a new setting called Strict Account Settings that increases security against sophisticated threats, similar to Apple's Lockdown Mode or Android's Advanced Protection mode.