This week’s security roundup highlights vulnerabilities in Apple’s Hide My Email service, the extradition of a Scattered Spider hacking member, and concerns over WhatsApp’s username rollout in India.
New Delhi, India Jul 4, 2026 ALN: A politician on the European Parliament’s PEGA Committee—created to investigate spyware abuses, including of the notorious Pegasus malware—was targeted with Pegasus himself, according to new research findings released this week. Meanwhile, top Google security staff warned this week that the pro-competition rule proposals in the EU could make Google Search and Android systems vulnerable to hacking and other abuse.
An investigation revealed this week that Meta contractors posed as kids and teens to see how chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT responded to prompts about high-risk subjects, including suicide, sex and drugs.
And a researcher realized that he could use Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.7 to break into the website of Front Gate and issue tickets to almost any United States music festival, including Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.
But wait, there’s more! Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.
Back in 2021, Apple launched its Hide My Email tool, which as the name suggests, allows people to for online services using an email address that isn’t linked directly to them. The privacy feature generates “unique, random email addresses” that will forward incoming messages to a user’s personal email address—reducing the amount of information you need to hand over to companies. This feature was part of Apple's broader push to enhance user privacy and security, especially in response to growing concerns about data privacy in the digital age.
However, reporting from 404 Media this week revealed that a vulnerability in the system has made it possible, for at least a year, for people’s real email addresses to be uncovered when they are using Apple’s privacy service. “Apple Hide My Email is leaking email addresses that are supposed to be hidden,” security researcher Tyler Murphy, who discovered the flaw in June 2025, told the publication. “In our limited tests with volunteers, 100% of Hide My Email addresses were exploitable,” he said. This revelation raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of privacy tools that consumers rely on to protect their personal information online.
The exact details of the vulnerability and how it works have not been revealed as the problem hasn’t been fixed. In tests conducted by 404 Media and Murphy, it was possible for a newly created Hide My Email address, which uses the .com domain, to be linked back to the real email address of its creator. Murphy said he originally reported the problem to Apple last summer and was told it had been “addressed” by March this year. However, when the researcher continued testing the issue, it remained exploitable, with Apple telling Murphy a couple of months ago that it was still investigating the issue. Apple did not respond to requests for comment from the publication.
This situation highlights a growing tension in the tech industry regarding data privacy. As companies like Apple tout their commitment to user privacy, vulnerabilities like this can undermine consumer trust. Users expect that when they utilize privacy-enhancing features, their data will be safeguarded against exposure. The implications of such vulnerabilities extend beyond individual users; they can affect the overall reputation of tech companies and their ability to compete in a market increasingly driven by privacy concerns.
A nineteen-year-old has been arrested and extradited to the United States to face charges over their alleged involvement in the notorious Scattered Spider hacking group, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced this week. Peter Stokes, an Estonian-US dual citizen, was arrested in Finland in April and has been charged with computer intrusion, conspiracy and fraud, linked to the criminal gang. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown on cybercrime, particularly as hacking groups become more sophisticated and organized.
It is alleged that Stokes, along with other members of the loose hacking collective, hacked into an unnamed “luxury jewelry retailer” and demanded a $8 million cryptocurrency ransom in May 2025. The company did not pay but still spent $2 million on the incident, according to a DoJ press release. This highlights the increasing trend of ransomware attacks targeting high-value businesses, where hackers leverage sensitive data to extort large sums of money.
In recent years, the Scattered Spider group, which is largely believed to be composed of young, English-speaking teenagers, has caused havoc around the world by hacking into and disrupting dozens of businesses. The arrest of Stokes follows two British Scattered Spider members, Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers, recently pleading guilty to hacking Transport for London in 2024 and causing millions in damages. This pattern of arrests indicates that law enforcement agencies are intensifying their efforts to combat cybercrime, particularly as it poses significant risks to both businesses and the public.
Following a move by encrypted messaging app Signal last year, WhatsApp has announced it will soon roll out usernames to billions of people. The option means it is possible for people to connect and message each other without having to share phone numbers, increasing privacy protections. However, officials in India, one of WhatsApp’s biggest markets, who have previously tried to unfurl encryption protections on the Meta-owned app, have opposed the introduction of usernames. A letter from the Indian government, seen by Reuters, asked WhatsApp to pause the rollout of usernames in the country. The letter claimed the move could increase fraud and cybercrime, citing concerns around allowing online anonymity.
This situation reflects the ongoing tension between tech companies and governments regarding privacy and security. While WhatsApp aims to enhance user privacy, governments often express concerns that such features could facilitate criminal activities. The Indian government’s request to pause the rollout underscores the challenges that companies face when trying to innovate in privacy features while also addressing regulatory concerns.
Thousands of automatic license plate reader cameras, known as ALPRs, have appeared across the United States over the last few years. The cameras, which can be deployed by cops, cities, and businesses, photograph passing cars and record details about their movements. As well as license plate numbers, the systems can log the time and location of the photos, make and model of a vehicle, as well as bumper stickers. Billions of images and details of car movements have been captured in vast ALPR databases. These systems are often touted as tools for enhancing public safety and aiding law enforcement in reducing crime.
However, an increasing body of evidence shows that when the camera systems make mistakes, innocent people can be detained by law enforcement officials and accused of crimes. A review of court records and media reports, which are likely the tip of the iceberg, by the nonprofit the Institute for Justice this week found at least 24 cases of misidentification over the last eight years. These reportedly include a couple with a baby in their car being detained at gunpoint; a camera misreading an “O” as a “0”, leading to grandparents being detained; and someone being pulled over after their license plate was not removed from a wanted list. The findings add to a growing list of errors from the AI-enabled cameras, raising serious questions about the reliability of such technology in law enforcement.
The implications of these errors are profound, affecting not only the individuals wrongly accused but also public trust in law enforcement. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for law enforcement agencies to ensure that the tools they use are accurate and reliable. The increasing reliance on automated systems like ALPRs calls for greater scrutiny and accountability to prevent misuse and protect innocent citizens from potential harm.
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