A dishwasher is a luxury item some people can’t live without. It’s one of the first major kitchen devices I bought just as soon as I could afford one. And now that the kids are grown, it’s the appliance I thought I’d miss most in my nomadic vanlife pursuits.
Technology
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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FIBER BROADBAND GIANT INVESTIGATES BREACH AFFECTING 1M USERS
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.
JANUARY SCAMS SURGE: WHY FRAUD SPIKES AT THE START OF THE YEAR
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.
COVENANT HEALTH DATA BREACH AFFECTS NEARLY 500,000 PATIENTS
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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Loch sent me its $459.99 / €459.99 countertop Capsule dishwasher to review in a tiny home on a remote beach and inside a van on a two-month roadtrip. It’s an excellent product that washes and dries two place settings quickly at bacteria-killing temperatures up to 75 degrees Celsius (167F) in as little as 20 minutes. It’ll even kill bacteria and neutralize viruses on your gadgets with a waterless blast of UV-C light. Hoozah!
What I learned during this review has less to do with the device’s limitations, and more my own. Turns out that I’m willing to do a lot of dishes by hand when faced with resource scarcity, be that space, energy, water, time, or money; and I’m unwilling to become a germaphobe despite claims that cellphones are 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
$391
The Good
- Cleans and dries in about 20 minutes
- Looks good on a countertop
- Fits some large pans
- Sanitizes phones and washes fruit
- Doesn’t require plumbing
The Bad
- Loud
- Expensive
- Niche product
The Loch Capsule looks clean and minimalistic on a kitchen counter, in my opinion. And while the exterior is plastic, the tub is made of stainless steel, unlike most countertop dishwashers. This differentiator improves drying speed, durability, and hygiene, while helping to keep odors under control.
The unit is tall and deep enough to accommodate large dinner plates and pans that won’t typically fit inside a short and stout countertop machine. It measures 46.5 x 26.2 x 51.5cm (18.3 x 10.3 x 20.3 inches) giving it a narrow footprint and internal volume of about 30 liters. The integrated handle makes carrying the 12kg (26.4lb) dishwasher relatively easy.
If you’re making all your meals at home then you’ll probably only need to run it once per day for a single-person household, or twice for two persons based upon my experience. It comes with an external clean water tank so it can be used anywhere you have access to power and H2O. No plumbing’s required, but a hook-up is available should you tire of refilling the tank.
Setting it up is pretty straightforward. In most scenarios, you’ll plug into the wall for power, attach and fill the fresh water tank, and run a second hose from the dishwasher to the sink to dispose of the wastewater. In my van, where I had limited space for the Capsule, I had to install it in my “garage” connected to the optional waste water tank since the 1.2m/3.94ft hose was too short to reach my sink.
The glowing white display is covered in capacitive buttons that still respond to touches when my fingers are wet. The look is warm and friendly, but operation is loud, like most countertop dishwashers, something you’ll have to consider for a device meant to be used in small spaces. I measured about 56dB max from one meter. That’s much louder than my own built-in dishwasher, which operates at 38dB. The sound intensity also varies as the water whooshes and the pump vibrates. In other words, it won’t double as a white noise machine while you sleep, if that’s what you’re hoping for.
The Capsule can also wash gadgets and fruit. The basket fits about seven apples, which take eight minutes to wash, or 12 in total if you add UV cleaning. A waterless UV mode can be used to kill surface bacteria on baby bottles and personal devices like phones and earbuds using medical-grade UV-C light.
Loading dishes into the Capsule can feel like playing expert-level Tetris. The first time I tried, it took me about five minutes to load 18 items into that small cavity. Now it takes about a minute or two, while filling and emptying the clean and dirty water containers takes another few minutes. An optional $19 “dual tray” shelf can be placed at the bottom to make space for a large pot, or at the top where it can fill any available free space to wash silverware or other small, flat items.
Several cleaning modes are available, from a 15-minute Meal Wash all the way up to a 152-minute Intensive Clean. I found the 15-minute mode to work so well that I didn’t need to resort to the longer cycles, so long as I didn’t burn anything or wait until the next day to start a wash.
To test, I loaded the Capsule with all the mess produced at breakfast and lunch by two people, including two 10.5-inch plates covered in bacon grease, silverware covered in peanut butter, a milky yogurt bowl, espresso cups, a juice glass, a chef’s knife, tongs, and a sport bottle. And while the diameter of my 12-inch pan does fit inside the Capsule, its handle does not, contrary to Loch’s claim, so I had to handwash it. (My 10-inch pan with 8-inch handle just fits, but the angle doesn’t leave room for much else.)
Everything came out clean, hot to the touch, and mostly dry in the 15-minute Meal Wash mode, on par with my much larger built-in machine. I was impressed. The cycle used 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) of water and consumed between 220Wh and 300Wh in my repeated tests, with power usage peaking at around 900W. The 15 minute wash cycle actually takes between 20 and 25 minutes to complete. The most intensive wash mode ran for 2 hours and 28 minutes, and consumed 420Wh and almost 4 liters of water.
A 33.3 percent increase on my average daily energy usage and 100 percent increase in water consumption. I can’t justify that.
For comparison, when applying my hippie-approved vanlife dishwashing technique to the same dishes with the same mess, I was able to wash and dry everything – including the 12-inch pan – in just six minutes from one liter of water and zero power consumed. This approach involves wiping everything off with a used paper towel or discarded food packaging, filling a bowl with unheated tap water, dipping in a soapy sponge and getting to work. Mind you, vanlife is less clean than regular life, but we haven’t died yet.
If I installed the Loch Capsule in my van I’d have to run the 15-minute mode twice each day to clean all the dishes my wife and I typically use. That’s about 500Wh and 5 liters of water a day — a 33.3 percent increase on my average daily energy usage and 100 percent increase in water consumption. I can’t justify that. This dishwasher is for rigs carrying a lot more water and battery power than I do, or anyone willing to frequently dock at serviced campsites.
1/11
Importantly, vanlifers don’t usually travel with full-sized dishes and pans. So, a more compact countertop dishwasher from companies like Comfee or Farberware that costs around $300 or below might be a better option. Loch does sell a Capsule Solo for $399.99 without the UV stuff and plumbing hookup. It’s otherwise the same dishwasher and currently on sale for $339.99.
Even inside a tiny house I find it hard to justify the $459.99 price tag of the Capsule, even at its sale price of $390.99, despite the surf shack’s ample supply of hot water and electricity. For one or two people, it’s just faster to wash the dishes myself and I don’t lose any precious space on top of the counter, or below it. And my freshly washed hands leave me little use for a UV blaster that kills bacteria that doesn’t pose a real threat anyway.
To justify buying a Loch Capsule dishwasher you, and at most one other household member, must really hate washing dishes, have ready access to water and power, and have almost no space but still use large pans and dishes. That’s a niche, but one that the Loch Capsule dishwasher fills admirably.
The Loch Capsule is an excellent countertop dishwasher with minor flaws – it’s just not for me.
Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
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Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– Nvidia CEO says AI boom is fueling the ‘largest’ infrastructure buildout in history
– Apple taps Google Gemini to power Apple Intelligence
– Amazon to cut thousands of jobs in sweeping corporate layoffs
TECH TSUNAMI: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is setting off what he described as the “largest infrastructure buildout in human history,” as companies and governments pour trillions of dollars into the computing power needed to run AI systems in real time.
TITANS UNITE: Apple and Google just made one of the most important artificial intelligence (AI) announcements of the year. Under a new multi-year collaboration, Apple will base the next generation of its Apple Foundation Models on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology.
A Google Gemini artificial intelligence mobile phone app, arranged in Riga, Latvia, on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek rocked global technology stocks Monday, raising questions over America’s technological dominance. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
JOB CUTS: Amazon is planning to cut thousands of jobs as part of a broader push to eliminate nearly 10% of its corporate workforce, according to Reuters.
GOING MOBILE: Amazon has rolled out Alexa.com, which brings Alexa+ directly to your web browser for Early Access users. Instead of relying on a speaker or phone, you can now open a laptop and start using Alexa like any other web-based AI tool.
AI FOR MAIN STREET: The House of Representatives passed a bill that would require the government to create more access to artificial intelligence (AI) education for small businesses Tuesday evening.
The chamber of the House of Representatives is seen at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 28, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite, File)
BEYOND DATA CENTERS: Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon joins “Mornings with Maria” to discuss the next phase of the AI boom that’s expanding beyond data centers into cars, devices and robotics.
THE ENTERPRISE SHIFT: ServiceNow and OpenAI are deepening their strategic partnership with an enhanced collaboration to help enterprises accelerate efforts to turn artificial intelligence (AI) into measurable business outcomes.
JOB CONCERNS: Palantir CEO Alex Karp suggested Tuesday that usage of artificial intelligence “bolsters civil liberties,” while also warning Europe that its adoption of technology is falling behind the U.S. and China.
Co-Founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies Alex Karp speaks onstage during Jacob Helberg at the Hill & Valley Forum 2025 on April 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Jacob Helberg)
NOT TRUE: Billy Bob Thornton is setting the record straight about hanging up his cowboy hat. The 70-year-old star of Taylor Sheridan’s hit series “Landman” shut down rumors he’s exiting the Paramount+ drama, calling the claims false.
‘SO WRONG’: Pro Football Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson appeared to be just as unsettled as other football fans were over an AI video that appeared of him during the college football national championship.
COMING SOON: Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Thursday the company is planning to make its Optimus robots available for sale to the public by the end of 2027.
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Meta is “temporarily pausing” the ability for teens to chat with its AI characters as it develops a “new version” of the characters that will offer a “better experience.” The company made the announcement in an update to a blog post from October where the company had detailed more parental controls for teen AI use. The change blocking teens from accessing the characters will go into effect “starting in the coming weeks.”
”Since we announced our plans to build parental controls for AI characters in October, we started developing a new iteration of AI characters generally (i.e. for both adults and teens),” spokesperson Sophie Vogel tells The Verge. “Rather than building the parental controls twice (for the current AI characters and the new iteration of AI characters) we’re pausing teen access to the current version while we focus on the new iteration. When that new iteration is available for teens, it will come with parental controls.”
According to TechCrunch, “Meta said that it heard from parents that they wanted more insights and control over their teens’ interactions with AI characters, which is why it decided to make these changes.”
In October, Meta announced that parents would be able to block their teens’ access to one-on-one conversations with its AI characters, block their teens from talking with specific AI characters, and share insights with parents on the topics their teens discuss with Meta’s AI characters and its AI assistant. The original plan was to roll out those controls early this year.
Last year, also in October, Meta changed Instagram teen accounts to allow teens to be able to see content that’s reflective of what might be shown in a movie rated for people that are 13 or older.
Update, January 23rd: Added information from a Meta spokesperson.
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