During the protests in Hong Kong, young people carried laser pointers, umbrellas, and plastic ties—objects that sometimes led to their arrest, and years of legal limbo.
longreads
Inside the Takedown that Shredded the Myth of Crypto’s Anonymity
The users of the largest known child sex abuse site in history thought their bitcoins were untraceable. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
They Were ‘Calling to Help.’ Then They Stole Thousands
When my mom fell victim to a phone scam, we learned a painful truth: The explosion of personal finance apps makes it all too easy to target vulnerable people.
The Matrix Is the Best Hacker Movie
Most people point to Sneakers or WarGames. They’re all wrong. The Wachowskis actually invented the ultimate cyber superhero.
Amazon’s Dark Secret: It Has Failed to Protect Your Data
Voyeurs. Sabotaged accounts. Backdoor schemes. For years, the retail giant has handled your information less carefully than it handles your packages.
The Full Story of the Stunning RSA Hack Can Finally Be Told
In 2011, Chinese spies stole the crown jewels of cybersecurity—stripping protections from firms and government agencies worldwide. Here’s how it happened.
They Told Their Therapists Everything. Hackers Leaked It All
A mental health startup built its business on easy-to-use technology. Patients joined in droves. Then came a catastrophic data breach.
They Hacked McDonald’s Ice Cream Machines—and Started a Cold War
Secret codes. Legal threats. Betrayal. How one couple built a device to fix McDonald’s notoriously broken soft-serve machines—and how the fast-food giant froze them out.
How Audio Pros ‘Upmix’ Vintage Tracks and Give Them New Life
Experts are using AI to pick apart classic recordings from the 50s and 60s, isolate the instruments, and stitch them back together in crisp, bold ways.
