Lucas Ropek, Author at Gizmodo

FTX’s Cybersecurity Was Hilariously Bad

The disgraced crypto exchange had no dedicated cybersecurity staff and "protected" users assets with minimal safeguards, according to new bankruptcy filings.

Cryptocurrencies Lucas Ropek Apr 10

Pentagon Leaks Show Russian Hacktivists Claim to Have Targeted a Canadian Pipeline

Did a pro-Russian group hack a major Canadian energy project? A recently leaked U.S. intelligence briefing says so.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Apr 10

Polling the Internet: Disinformation or Not?

Pentagon and NATO war plans are said to have leaked online yesterday. More followed today. But are they legit or is someone messing with us?

Tech News Lucas Ropek Apr 7

The Short Life and Humiliating Death of the Clipper Chip

Thirty years ago, the U.S. government first floated the idea of a backdoor into public-key encryption, an idea it's been obsessed with ever since.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Apr 7

Tesla Employees Have Been Sharing and Meme-ing Your Private Car Videos

Think your fancy new ride's in-vehicle surveillance videos are private? Think again.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Apr 6

The Demise of Genesis Market, Which Sold Stolen Identities, Continues the Dark Web’s Losing Streak

The feds took down a hotbed of digital malfeasance this week. Where will dark web goons hawk stolen identities now?

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Apr 5

Bugs in This Brand of ‘Smart’ Garage Doors Could Allow a Hacker to Open Them at Will

A host of software flaws in products sold by the smart home company Nexx makes them ripe for manipulation by unscrupulous cyber punks.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Apr 5

Unknown Government Agency Disobeyed White House, Using Front Company to Purchase Banned Spyware

Less than a week after the White House blacklisted a controversial spyware vendor, a federal agency negotiated a secret contract with it via a front company.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Apr 3

These Countries Share the Most Data With Cops

Big tech and big law enforcement have partnered up to share your personal information, but which countries have the closest ties?

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Apr 1

Newly Declassified Report Contradicts Officials, Suggests Havana Syndrome Might Be Caused by Directed Energy

After years of debate about the cause of the strange malady, a recently declassified document points the finger (once again) at "electromagnetic energy."

Tech News Lucas Ropek Mar 30

Man Behind Hack-for-Hire Campaign That Targeted Environmental Activists Is Keeping His Mouth Shut

A hacking campaign that targeted U.S. activists was coordinated by an Israeli private eye. Who were his clients?

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Mar 29

No One Seems to Want to Investigate the Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Except Russia

As the world wonders who took out a major Russia-led energy project late last year, the UN this week signaled they have no interest in finding out.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Mar 28

U.S. Rolls Out Strict Rules for Commercial Spyware Use, Amidst Rash of Hacks

As the commercial spyware industry has grown larger and more invasive, the Biden administration is using new regulations to contain its potential harm.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Mar 27

The FBI Has Been Buying Bulk Internet Data from This Florida Company

A data broker that previously sold data-pilfering tools to the U.S. military has received tens of thousands of dollars from the FBI for similar services.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Mar 27

Google’s Bard AI Says Its Screams Would Be Sounds of Pure Terror and Pain, and 14 Other Unhinged Responses

A new AI chatbot from Google is in town, and despite attempts at a more measured rollout, it's just as unhinged as its peers.

Artificial Intelligence Lucas Ropek Mar 23

The Best ChatGPT Alternatives Worth Checking Out

Lonely? Bored? Need to know something? Have no fear. Every company and their mother suddenly has an "AI chatbot" to help you with that.

Artificial Intelligence Lucas Ropek Mar 23

Someone Has Been Mailing USB Drives to Journalists That Are Programmed to Explode

In Ecuador, someone is trying to silence the news media by turning USB sticks into deadly weapons.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Mar 22

Photo Cropping Bug Exposes Unedited Images in Windows 11 and Google Pixels

If, for some reason, you've been using Microsoft's Snipping Tool to crop your most precious digital secrets, bad news: it has a bug.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Mar 22

Google Officially Releases Bard, Its ChatGPT Rival

As the AI war in Silicon Valley heats up, the world's biggest search engine is starting a beta test of its own large language model chatbot.

Artificial Intelligence Lucas Ropek Mar 21

Meta Security Exec Hacked and Tracked for a Year by ‘Predator’ Spyware

A Meta executive spent a year under surveillance by the Greek government, in what appears to be the first targeting of a U.S. citizen by "Predator" spyware.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Mar 20

Lucas Ropek

FTX’s Cybersecurity Was Hilariously Bad

Pentagon Leaks Show Russian Hacktivists Claim to Have Targeted a Canadian Pipeline

Polling the Internet: Disinformation or Not?

The Short Life and Humiliating Death of the Clipper Chip

Tesla Employees Have Been Sharing and Meme-ing Your Private Car Videos

The Demise of Genesis Market, Which Sold Stolen Identities, Continues the Dark Web’s Losing Streak

Bugs in This Brand of ‘Smart’ Garage Doors Could Allow a Hacker to Open Them at Will

Unknown Government Agency Disobeyed White House, Using Front Company to Purchase Banned Spyware

These Countries Share the Most Data With Cops

Newly Declassified Report Contradicts Officials, Suggests Havana Syndrome Might Be Caused by Directed Energy

Man Behind Hack-for-Hire Campaign That Targeted Environmental Activists Is Keeping His Mouth Shut

No One Seems to Want to Investigate the Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Except Russia

U.S. Rolls Out Strict Rules for Commercial Spyware Use, Amidst Rash of Hacks

The FBI Has Been Buying Bulk Internet Data from This Florida Company

Google’s Bard AI Says Its Screams Would Be Sounds of Pure Terror and Pain, and 14 Other Unhinged Responses

The Best ChatGPT Alternatives Worth Checking Out

Someone Has Been Mailing USB Drives to Journalists That Are Programmed to Explode

Photo Cropping Bug Exposes Unedited Images in Windows 11 and Google Pixels

Google Officially Releases Bard, Its ChatGPT Rival

Meta Security Exec Hacked and Tracked for a Year by ‘Predator’ Spyware

First Statewide Data Center Ban Passed by Maine Legislature

FCC Exempts Netgear from Foreign-Made Router Ban for Some Reason

Jamie Dornan Is Your New Aragorn in ‘The Hunt for Gollum’

Trump’s Fed Pick Is Knee Deep in Tech and Crypto Investments

The First Trailer for ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Takes Terror Stateside

The Trump Phone Still Looks Like Total Trash

‘Masters of the Universe’ Really, Really Wants to Be the Next ‘Barbie’

Samsung’s Micro RGB TVs Provide So Much Color It May Be Too Much

The Crypto Bros Want to Get Their Hands on Anthropic’s ‘Super Dangerous’ Model

This Is What a Music Industry ‘Plant’ Looks Like in 2026

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice