Technology

Illinois DHS data breach exposes 700K residents’ records

Published

2 months ago

January 20, 2026

Illinois DHS data breach exposes 700K residents’ records

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Illinois residents are once again being reminded how fragile government data systems can be. The Illinois Department of Human Services has confirmed a data breach that exposed sensitive records belonging to roughly 700,000 people.

The breach is believed to have exposed two distinct sets of records. One is personal and program-related data tied to more than 672,000 Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program recipients, including addresses, case numbers, demographic details and medical assistance plan names, and another 32,000 Division of Rehabilitation Services customers whose names, addresses, case details and referral information were also exposed over multiple years.

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The Illinois Department of Human Services confirmed a data breach that exposed sensitive records tied to roughly 700,000 residents, including Medicaid and disability services recipients. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What happened in the Illinois DHS data breach

As spotted by Bleeping Computer, the Illinois Department of Human Services disclosed that unauthorized access to one of its systems led to the exposure of records tied to approximately 700,000 Illinois residents. The affected data was connected to individuals who interacted with DHS programs, which can include benefits, assistance services and support programs across the state.

According to the agency, the breach involved personally identifiable information. While officials have not publicly released every technical detail, DHS confirmed that sensitive records were accessed, prompting notifications to impacted individuals. As is typical in cases like this, the investigation is ongoing, and the full scope of how the intrusion occurred is still being reviewed.

For residents, the key issue is not just that data was accessed, but the type of data DHS holds. Government agencies like DHS often store names, addresses, dates of birth, case numbers and, in some instances, Social Security numbers or benefits-related information. Once that data escapes, it can be misused in ways that last for years.

Why breaches like this are especially risky

When a private company is breached, you can often change a password or close an account. Government data is different. You can’t change your Social Security number easily. You can’t erase past interactions with public assistance programs. That makes breaches involving state agencies particularly dangerous.

Exposed records can be used for identity theft, fraudulent benefit claims, phishing scams and long-term impersonation. Criminals often combine government data with information from other breaches to build detailed profiles that make scams far more convincing. Even if there’s no immediate misuse, stolen data frequently resurfaces months or years later.

As with many large breaches, DHS has stated that it is taking steps to secure its systems and prevent similar incidents in the future. That’s an expected response. But for affected residents, the burden of protection now shifts largely to you.

We reached out to the Illinois Department of Human Services for comment, but did not receive a response before our deadline.

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Personal information from Illinois DHS programs was accessed without authorization, raising concerns about long-term identity theft and fraud risks. (Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Getty Images)

7 steps you can take to stay safe after the Illinois DHS breach

If you received a notification from Illinois DHS, or if you’ve ever interacted with DHS programs, these steps can help reduce your risk.

1) Enroll in identity theft protection if it’s offered

If DHS provides free identity monitoring or credit protection, sign up. These services can alert you to suspicious activity involving your Social Security number or credit file before the damage spreads. Beyond basic monitoring, full identity theft services can help with recovery, paperwork and financial reimbursement if fraud occurs. This can be especially useful after large-scale government breaches.

Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

2) Use a password manager immediately

A password manager helps you create and store strong, unique passwords for every account. If your personal data is leaked, attackers often try the same credentials across multiple services. Unique passwords stop one breach from turning into many.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

3) Run strong antivirus software on your devices

Strong antivirus tools do more than scan files. They monitor suspicious behavior, phishing attempts and malicious links that often follow large data breaches. This matters because breach victims are frequently targeted with follow-up scams.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

4) Place a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit file

A fraud alert tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts. A credit freeze goes further by blocking new credit entirely unless you lift it. If Social Security numbers were exposed, a freeze is often the safest option.

5) Use a personal data removal service

Once your information leaks, it often spreads to data broker sites that sell personal details. Personal data removal services work to request takedowns and reduce how much of your information is publicly available. While they can’t erase everything, they significantly lower your exposure.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

6) Watch for phishing and impersonation scams

After breaches involving government agencies, scammers often pretend to be state officials, benefits offices, or support hotlines. Don’t click links or share information unless you independently verify the source through official websites or phone numbers.

7) Review your credit reports regularly

You’re entitled to free credit reports from major credit bureaus. Check them for unfamiliar accounts, inquiries or address changes. Early detection makes identity theft far easier to contain.

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State officials say the breach involved Medicaid, Medicare Savings Program and rehabilitation services records spanning multiple years. (Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even government agencies are not immune to large-scale security failures. When nearly 700,000 residents are affected, the impact goes far beyond a single system or department. While DHS works through its investigation, protecting your identity now depends largely on the steps you take next. Acting early, layering protections and staying vigilant can make the difference between a breach being an inconvenience or a long-term nightmare.

Do you trust state agencies to protect your personal data? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

Backbone’s versatile pro controller is nearly matching its best price to date

Published

5 hours ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

Backbone’s versatile pro controller is nearly matching its best price to date

Mobile gaming has come a long way over the course of the last decade or so, but we all know that smartphones simply can’t match the visceral, tactile feel you get while playing with a dedicated controller. Luckily, Backbone makes some excellent mobile options — including last year’s Backbone Pro, which is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target right now for $139.99 ($30 off), its second-best price to date.

In many ways, Backbone’s latest mobile controller is merely an updated take on what came before. The handheld device consists of two oblong halves with an extendable strip of plastic in the middle, allowing you to use it with Android devices and iPhone 15, 16, and 17 series phones. It plugs into your phone’s USB-C port and, once connected, you can game with two full-sized ALPs thumbsticks, a responsive D-pad, and A, B, X, and Y buttons. It also features two programmable back buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack, better ergonomics than your phone, and averages up to 40 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The hardware is only part of the equation, though. Backbone’s intent with the Pro is for it to function as a more universal gamepad, and as such, the company’s software pulls together games from Apple Arcade, Netflix, Google Play, and other services into a singular app, allowing you to discover and launch games with little fuss. What’s more, you can use it to stream Xbox or PlayStation games — either from your console or the cloud —and connect it to a wealth of other devices via Bluetooth, including your PC, Steam Deck, and Apple devices like the iPad and Mac. Sure, the beefy controller looks a little awkward when you’re using it without a phone, but it’s a small price to pay for its added versatility.

Technology

iPhone calendar spam invites are surging

Published

6 hours ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

iPhone calendar spam invites are surging

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You glance at your phone and see it. A calendar alert warns you that your iPhone is infected. Or that you won a prize. Or that your account will be locked. Your first thought might be panic. Your second step should be to pause.

Many Apple users are reporting a wave of fake calendar invites that appear out of nowhere. These alerts are not malware. However, they are a scam tactic. And they can quickly clutter your calendar with junk events and suspicious links. Let’s break down what is happening and how to fix it.

How fake calendar invites get onto your iPhone

Here is the surprising part. Most of the time, no app is installed. Nothing comes through the App Store. You do not download anything obvious.

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Scammers are flooding Apple Calendar with spam subscriptions that trigger urgent alerts and phishing links. (Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Instead, the problem often starts with a single tap. You might click a bad link in a message or on a website. That page can quietly prompt you to subscribe to a calendar. Once you tap approve, even by accident, the spam events begin to flow in.

Because it is a subscription, the alerts show up directly in your iOS notifications. Even if the related email lands in junk mail, the calendar event can still appear on your device. It feels invasive. But according to users discussing the issue on Reddit’s r/Apple forum, it usually does not mean your phone was hacked.

As one commenter put it, if scammers are using calendar events to reach you, they likely did not break into your device. They simply tricked you into subscribing.

Why iPhone calendar spam alerts feel urgent and real

Scammers design these fake calendar invites to trigger panic fast. For example, one alert may claim your iPhone has a virus, while another promises a prize or warns that your account will be suspended. Instead of giving you time to think, the message pushes you to act immediately. As a result, many people tap before they pause.

However, that second click is where the real risk begins. In many cases, it redirects you to a phishing site that asks for passwords, credit card details or other personal information. Although the calendar alert itself is not malware, engaging with it can expose you to identity theft or financial fraud. In other words, the danger is not the notification. It is what happens next.

How to remove iPhone calendar spam invites

The good news is that removing the spam usually takes only a few steps.

Step 1: Check your subscribed calendars

Go to Settings
Scroll to the bottom and tap Apps
Click Calendar
Tap Calendar Accounts
Click Subscribed Calendars
Look for any subscription you do not recognize. Delete it.

That single action often stops the flood of alerts.

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Fake iPhone calendar alerts may look like malware, but experts say they usually stem from unwanted subscriptions. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Step 2: Remove the spam subscription inside the Calendar app

Open the Calendar app.
Tap the calendar icon at the bottom.
Find the suspicious subscription and tap the “i” next to it. Confirm it is junk and unsubscribe.

After you unsubscribe, you may still need to manually delete leftover events.

Step 3: Offload and reinstall the Calendar app

If the app continues to behave strangely, you can offload it.

Important note before you do this: Offloading the app removes the app itself but keeps your calendar data. Your events stored in iCloud, Google or other accounts remain intact. However, if you delete the app instead of offloading it, that can remove locally stored data. If your calendars are synced with iCloud or another account, your events will come back after reinstalling. Still, it is smart to confirm your calendars are syncing before making changes.

Go to Settings
Click General
Tap iPhone Storage
Click Calendar
Tap Offload App
Restart your phone
Then go back to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Calendar and tap Reinstall App. You can also tap the Calendar icon on your Home Screen. If it shows a small cloud download symbol, tap it to reinstall.

Several users reported that this solved lingering issues.

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Apple users can stop calendar spam by deleting suspicious subscriptions in Settings and the Calendar app. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

How to prevent calendar spam in the future

Now that your calendar is clean, the next step is prevention.

Here are smart habits that make a real difference:

Keep iOS updated so security patches stay current
Avoid tapping links in unexpected texts or pop-ups
Use strong antivirus software to block malicious websites and phishing links before they load. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Never engage with alerts about prizes or infections
Consider a data removal service to limit how much of your personal information is exposed online. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Review and remove unknown calendar subscriptions regularly

Why Apple users are frustrated

Many users point out that even when a spam invite lands in junk mail, the event can still appear on the calendar. That disconnect feels like a flaw in the system. Some argue Apple should tighten how calendar subscriptions work. Still, personal awareness goes a long way. Scammers rely on quick reactions. Slow down, verify and stay skeptical of urgency.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Fake iPhone calendar spam invites are annoying. They are disruptive. And they can feel alarming. However, in most cases, they are the result of a sneaky subscription, not a hacked phone. A few careful taps can remove them. A few smarter habits can keep them from returning.

The next time your phone flashes an urgent warning, will you react instantly or take a breath and investigate first? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

Google Chrome is coming to Arm-powered Linux devices later this year

Published

17 hours ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

Google Chrome is coming to Arm-powered Linux devices later this year

Why Arm + Linux now? In a blog post, Google only says that it “addresses the growing demand for a browsing experience that combines the benefits of the open-source Chromium project with the Google ecosystem of apps and features.” What we’re left wondering is whether Google’s talking about existing demand, or demand yet to come.

There’s certainly a growing demand for Linux. Some Verge editors have begun to ditch Windows with varying degrees of success. But those are our x86 desktops — there isn’t a lot of consumer-facing Linux on Arm chips, unless you count all the Linux-based Android phones out there. You can buy Linux on laptops from Dell, Lenovo, Framework, and such, but again, they use x86 chips. (And if you’re not a consumer, there’s already Chromium.)

But three of the companies that actually build Arm processors — Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Mediatek — may look to Linux as they try to compete with the Windows/Intel/AMD incumbents. Qualcomm told me in January that it sees “a lot of interest on other operating systems” beyond Windows for its PC-grade Arm chips. Nvidia could reveal its N1 and N1X processors for Arm laptops as soon as next week at its GTC 2026 developer conference.

While those Nvidia laptops might get announced with Windows, it wouldn’t be surprising if they targeted Linux too, once the basics like Chrome are sorted out. Google’s blog post specifically namedrops Nvidia’s DGX Spark as a target for Chrome — those $4,000+ beefy micro AI desktops, sold by a wide array of the company’s partners, also run Linux on Arm. Google says it’s putting Chrome into Nvidia’s package manager to make installation easier; everyone else will have to go to chrome.com/download when the browser arrives in Q2.