Lucas Ropek, Author at Gizmodo

Hong Kong on Covid Tracing App: Security Flaws? What Security Flaws?

Cybersecurity researchers say they discovered a host of security issues with the city's official covid app, but the government has denied the accusations.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 28

Blacklist and Bankrupt Abusive Spyware Makers, Researchers Tell Congress

The House Intelligence Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss the dangers posed by commercial surveillance, particularly the NSO Group.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 27

12 Tips for Avoiding a Crypto Scam

Start small. Stay away from from guarantees of big returns. Beware of online Romeos who sweet talk you into investing. Ignore celebrities.

Cryptocurrencies Lucas Ropek Jul 27

Anti-Vaxxers Looking for Love Had Their Data Exposed

A dating app for the unvaccinated, Unjected, left user data totally unprotected, according to new research.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 26

What Is ‘Pig Butchering,’ the Crypto Scam That’s Flooding the FBI’s Phone Lines?

The con is a bizarre mashup of a romance scam and an investment scheme.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 23

A Hacker Is Trying to Sell Data on 69 Million Neopets Users

The digital pets company got hacked, and now the crook wants somebody to buy the data for bitcoin.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 21

‘Life Threatening:’ You Need to Stop Using This Car GPS System Right Now

A Chinese GPS tracker with nearly half a million customers has security flaws that could let a hacker cut fuel to a car while it's running, researchers say.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 20

Feds Seize Hospital’s $500k Ransom Payment from North Korean Hackers

Hackers in the "Maui" group took control of a hospital's servers last year and threatened to double the ransom if it wasn't paid within 48 hours.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 19

FBI Warns Fake Crypto Apps Are Stealing Millions

More than 200 victims have lost $42 million to apps only built to line scammers' pockets with bitcoin over the past year.

Cryptocurrencies Lucas Ropek Jul 18

QAnon Supporter Resurrects JFK Jr.’s Magazine George and Puts Trump’s Face on the Cover

What was once a suave political magazine from the 1990s has been ignobly resurrected by a QAnon adherent.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Jul 15

Ex-CIA Employee Convicted of Leaking ‘Vault 7’ Secrets to Wikileaks

The leak, among the largest ever to affect the CIA, showed the agency could hack smart TVs, Skype accounts, and lots of common web applications.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 14

‘Openly Jealous’ Tech CEO Murdered His Roommate’s Girlfriend in 1992, New DNA Evidence Says

John Kevin Woodward's "unrequited romantic attachment" led him to kill, police said. DNA technology led him to face charges a third time.

Crime Lucas Ropek Jul 12

An Unfixed, Untraceable Hack Can Unlock and Start Your Honda Remotely

The security research resembles research published earlier this year, but new demonstrates an even broader vulnerability within the cars' key fob.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 12

10 of the Best (and Worst) Hacker Movies

Hollywood sure loves a good cyber warrior flick, even if they sometimes struggle to make them enjoyable.

Tech News Lucas Ropek Jul 10

Apple Debuts ‘Lockdown Mode’ to Protect iPhone Users From Mercenary Spyware Attacks

After years of spyware attacks on high-profile iPhone users, Apple is rolling out a new feature designed to "harden" the device and offer extreme protection.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 6

5 Cyber Stories You Missed This Week

Hacks, breaches, and bugs. There's plenty of that kind of thing going around lately.

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jul 3

RadioShack’s Twitter Wasn’t Hacked, It’s Just a Crypto Shill Now

The ancient, near-defunct electronics store's brand is now a worthless coin called $RADIO, and its promoters are going HAM.

Cryptocurrencies Lucas Ropek Jul 2

California Gun Owners Had Lots of Their Data Exposed by the State Government

A state website launched Monday for gun owners was supposed to “increase transparency and information sharing.” It certainly did!

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jun 29

A Hacker Gang Claims It Stole AMD’s Data. Were Bad Passwords Responsible?

The graphics cards company says it's looking into claims made by a relatively new cybercriminal group. Did its employees really use "123456" for their accounts?

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jun 28

Should You Use This Encrypted Period Tracking App?

With the fall of Roe, digital privacy concerns have emerged over period tracking apps. Do Stardust's encryption promises provide protection?

Privacy & Security Lucas Ropek Jun 28

Lucas Ropek

Hong Kong on Covid Tracing App: Security Flaws? What Security Flaws?

Blacklist and Bankrupt Abusive Spyware Makers, Researchers Tell Congress

12 Tips for Avoiding a Crypto Scam

Anti-Vaxxers Looking for Love Had Their Data Exposed

What Is ‘Pig Butchering,’ the Crypto Scam That’s Flooding the FBI’s Phone Lines?

A Hacker Is Trying to Sell Data on 69 Million Neopets Users

‘Life Threatening:’ You Need to Stop Using This Car GPS System Right Now

Feds Seize Hospital’s $500k Ransom Payment from North Korean Hackers

FBI Warns Fake Crypto Apps Are Stealing Millions

QAnon Supporter Resurrects JFK Jr.’s Magazine George and Puts Trump’s Face on the Cover

Ex-CIA Employee Convicted of Leaking ‘Vault 7’ Secrets to Wikileaks

‘Openly Jealous’ Tech CEO Murdered His Roommate’s Girlfriend in 1992, New DNA Evidence Says

An Unfixed, Untraceable Hack Can Unlock and Start Your Honda Remotely

10 of the Best (and Worst) Hacker Movies

Apple Debuts ‘Lockdown Mode’ to Protect iPhone Users From Mercenary Spyware Attacks

5 Cyber Stories You Missed This Week

RadioShack’s Twitter Wasn’t Hacked, It’s Just a Crypto Shill Now

California Gun Owners Had Lots of Their Data Exposed by the State Government

A Hacker Gang Claims It Stole AMD’s Data. Were Bad Passwords Responsible?

Should You Use This Encrypted Period Tracking App?

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