hacking
Hackers get $1,262,000 for 98 zero-days at Pwn2Own Ireland
The Pwn2Own Ireland 2026 hacking contest has concluded, with hackers collecting $1,262,000 in rewards after exploiting 98 zero-day flaws. Ikotas Labs security researchers won this year’s Pwn2Own Ireland edition with 42.5 Master of Pwn points and $361,000 earned over the three-day contest after hacking the Samsung Galaxy S26, OpenAI Codex, and the Oracle Autonomous AI […]
Uranium crypto exchange hacker convicted for stealing $53 million
A Maryland man was found guilty of stealing more than $53 million after hacking the decentralized crypto exchange Uranium Finance twice in April 2021. 36-year-old Jonathan Spalletta (also known online as “Jspalletta” and “Cthulhon”) surrendered to law enforcement on March 30 and was charged with computer fraud and money laundering. According to court documents, Spalletta […]
Samsung Galaxy S26 hacked three more times at Pwn2Own Ireland
On the second day of Pwn2Own Ireland 2026, security researchers collected $232,500 in cash awards after exploiting 45 unique zero-day vulnerabilities. The day’s highlight was the Samsung Galaxy S26 flagship getting hacked three times by KAIST Hacking Lab‘s Kyeongmin Kim, PetoWorks, and a team made up of Dimitrios Valsamaras, Ken Gannon, and CENSUS Labs’s Tenia Valsamara. […]
Hackers exploit 32 zero-days on first day of Pwn2Own Ireland
On the first day of the Pwn2Own Ireland 2026 competition, security researchers hacked the Samsung Galaxy S26 twice and earned $388,500 after exploiting 32 zero-days. During the Pwn2Own Ireland 2026 hacking contest, competitors target products in seven categories, including mobile phones (Apple iPhone 17, Samsung Galaxy S26, and Google Pixel 10), printers, smart home devices, […]
US sanctions Tren de Aragua gang members in ATM hacks crackdown
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned eight members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) for their role in the theft of millions of dollars in ATM jackpotting attacks across the United States. In jackpotting attacks, criminals deploy malware (e.g., ATMii, ATMitch, GreenDispenser, Alice, RIPPER, Skimer, SUCEFUL, and Ploutus) on bank and credit union […]
US soldier gets 70 months in prison for extorting 10 tech, telecom firms
A former U.S. Army soldier has been sentenced to 70 months in prison for hacking and extorting at least 10 U.S. technology and telecommunications companies between April 2023 and December 2024. 21-year-old Cameron John Wagenius (also known online as ‘kiberphant0m’ and ‘cyb3rph4nt0m’ ) was arrested in Texas in December 2024. He pleaded guilty in February 2025 to […]
White House taps security firms for offensive hack-back operations
A new White House memo signed by U.S. President Donald Trump instructs the National Coordination Center (NCC) to establish a program that would allow private security companies to apply for approval to hack foreign cybercrime organizations. Signed on Wednesday, the national security presidential memorandum (NSPM) enables the NCC (part of the Homeland Security Task Force) […]
Man gets six years for hacking 750 women’s Snapchat accounts
An Illinois man was sentenced on Tuesday to 76 months in prison and three years of supervised release for hacking the Snapchat accounts of over 750 women to steal nude photos, which he later traded or sold online. After being charged in December, 26-year-old defendant Kyle Svara admitted in February to having used various social engineering tactics to phish […]
Alleged Scattered Spider hacker extradited to the United States
A dual United States and Estonian citizen has been extradited to the U.S. to face charges alleging he was a member of the Scattered Spider hacking collective. 19-year-old Peter Stokes (who used the online handles “Bouquet,” “Spencer,” and “Jordan”) was arrested in Finland on April 10 while attempting to board a flight to Japan at Helsinki’s […]
Kali Linux 2026.2 released with 9 new tools, NetHunter updates
Kali Linux 2026.2, the second release of the year, is now available for download, featuring 9 new tools and numerous Kali NetHunter improvements. The Kali Linux distro is designed for cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers and comes with tools for security audits, penetration testing, and network research. Kali Linux is available as an installable operating […]