Ring’s partnership with Flock is sparking renewed online backlash this week, with influencers calling for people to smash their Ring cameras and claiming the company is part of the surveillance state amid heightened concerns over ICE actions.
Technology
Apple’s next AirTag could arrive in 2025
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22461385/vpavic_4547_20210421_0067.jpg?ssl=1 "Apple’s next AirTag could arrive in 2025")
You may not have even thought about replacing your AirTag yet, but Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a new one that could arrive in mid-2025. The new AirTag will reportedly feature an updated chip with better location tracking — an improvement it might need as competition among tracking devices ramps up.
By the time Apple rolls out its refreshed AirTag, the Bluetooth tracking landscape will look a lot different on both Android and iOS. Last month, Google revealed its new Find My Device network, which lets users locate their phones using signals from nearby Android devices. Even Life360, the safety service company that owns Tile, is creating its own location-tracking network that uses satellites to locate its Bluetooth tags.
In last week’s iOS 17.5 update, Apple finally started letting iPhones show unwanted tracking alerts for third-party Bluetooth tags. If an unknown AirTag or other third-party tracker is found with an iPhone user, they’ll get an alert and can play a sound to locate it. The feature is part of an industry specification created to prevent stalking across iPhones and Android devices. Several companies that make Bluetooth tracking devices, including Chipolo, Pebblebee, and Eufy are on board with the new standard.
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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.
The companies confirmed the partnership in a joint statement, signaling a major shift in how Apple plans to deliver AI features across the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
The deal comes as Apple faces growing pressure to catch up in AI, especially after delaying a long-promised overhaul of Siri.
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5 BEST APPS TO USE ON CHATGPT RIGHT NOW
Apple and Google have entered a multiyear AI partnership that will shape the future of Apple Intelligence and Siri. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Why Apple chose Google’s Gemini
Apple evaluated multiple AI options before settling on Gemini. According to the joint statement, Apple believes Google’s AI provides the strongest foundation for its own models. Gemini has quickly become one of the most capable large language model families, backed by Google’s massive cloud infrastructure.
For Apple, this means faster development, more reliable performance and the ability to roll out advanced features without rebuilding everything from scratch. At the same time, Apple says Apple Intelligence will still run on the device and through its Private Cloud Compute system. In other words, Apple controls how user data flows, even if the underlying models come from Google.
The joint statement from Apple and Google
Here is the full joint statement from the two companies:
“Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.
“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.”
That last line is critical. Apple is clearly trying to reassure users that privacy remains central, even with Google’s technology involved.
CHATGPT’S GPT-5.2 IS HERE, AND IT FEELS RUSHED
Google’s Gemini models will help power Apple’s next-generation AI features while Apple keeps control of on-device processing and privacy. (REUTERS/Norbert von der Groeben)
A long-delayed Siri overhaul finally moves forward
A more personalized Siri is one of the biggest promises tied to this deal. Apple had already previewed major Siri improvements but ran into development problems. Reports described internal frustration, bugs and delays that pushed the revamped assistant further out than planned. This partnership helps explain why. By leaning on Gemini, Apple can accelerate Siri’s evolution instead of trying to solve every AI challenge internally. The result should be a smarter assistant that better understands context, handles complex requests and integrates more deeply across Apple apps.
Behind-the-scenes pressure at Apple
This deal did not happen in a vacuum. Apple has faced criticism for moving too slowly on AI while rivals pushed ahead. Apple had reportedly been in talks to license a custom version of Gemini for Siri and was expected to pay roughly $1 billion per year, though the official announcement did not confirm any financial terms.
Apple has also reshuffled its AI leadership. The company recently hired Amar Subramanya as vice president of artificial intelligence. He replaced John Giannandrea, who stepped down from the role after leading Apple’s AI strategy since 2018.
Antitrust questions loom
There is also a regulatory angle. Apple and Google already face scrutiny for their long-standing search agreement. That partnership came under renewed attention after U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google holds a monopoly in online search, while still allowing payments to Apple to keep Google as the default search engine on iPhones. This new AI collaboration could attract fresh attention from antitrust regulators who worry about powerful tech companies becoming even more intertwined.
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The deal signals a strategic shift as Apple accelerates its AI roadmap to deliver smarter, more personalized experiences across its devices. (Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
What this means for you
For those of you using Apple devices, the impact is straightforward. You should see smarter Apple Intelligence features arrive faster, starting with a more capable Siri. Tasks like summarizing messages, handling complex reminders and understanding context across apps should improve. At the same time, Apple insists your data stays protected. Apple Intelligence will still rely on device processing and Private Cloud Compute, rather than funneling personal data directly into Google’s systems. In short, users get better AI without giving up Apple’s privacy stance, at least in theory.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple’s partnership with Google marks a turning point in its AI story. Instead of going it alone, Apple is betting that combining its privacy-focused platform with Google’s AI muscle is the fastest path forward. If Apple delivers on its promises, this deal could finally close the AI gap that has frustrated users and investors alike. The real test will come when those features land on your devices.
Do you trust Apple to balance powerful AI with privacy now that Google’s technology sits under the hood? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Flock is an AI-powered surveillance camera company that has reportedly allowed government agencies — including ICE — to access data from its nationwide camera network. Amazon-owned home security company Ring announced a partnership with Flock last year as part of its new Community Requests tool. This allows local law enforcement agencies to request footage from nearby Ring users when investigating an active case.
“Ring has no partnership with ICE … and does not share video with them.”
According to reporting from Futurism, activists are pushing a grassroots campaign across social media, including TikTok and Bluesky, telling Ring users to get rid of their cameras to prevent footage from being used by ICE. However, Ring spokesperson Yassi Yarger told The Verge in an email that “Ring has no partnership with ICE, does not give ICE videos, feeds, or back-end access, and does not share video with them.”
Yarger also said that the Flock integration in question, which was announced last October, is not yet live. Meaning Flock does not have access to Community Requests.
“As we explore the integration, we will ensure the feature is built for the use of local public safety agencies only — which is what the program is designed for,” she said. According to Ring’s support site, local agencies are limited to city and county organizations.
Still, once footage is in the hands of local authorities, it’s out of Ring’s control. Ring founder Jamie Siminoff has told The Verge that he believes widespread cameras can prevent crime. But once deployed, the potential for such a large-scale local surveillance system to be used for other purposes is very real.
Since returning to the company last year, Siminoff has leaned into his belief that more cameras lead to safer communities, launching Community Requests last September.
This is essentially a rebrand of Ring’s controversial Request for Assistance feature, which was discontinued in 2024. Only, instead of direct partnerships with law enforcement, Community Requests works through integrations with “third-party evidence management platforms,” such as Flock and Axon, a Taser and body-cam company.
Any local agency partnered with either company can request users’ footage through the Ring’s apps. According to Yarger, currently, only the Axon partnership is live.
According to Ring, Community Requests sends a request from the local agency to both the Ring Neighbors app and the Ring app’s Community Feed. The request appears to all users in the area of an active investigation, and a user can choose to share footage or ignore the request. Ring says no one will be notified if you ignore a request.
How to disable Community Requests and enable E2E
If you don’t want to participate in Community Requests, you can disable it in the Ring or Neighbors app. Go to the app’s settings page, find the Neighbors Settings, then scroll down to Neighborhood Settings, click Feed Settings, uncheck Community Requests, and click Apply.
However, Ring — like many security camera companies — may provide footage to law enforcement without a warrant in what it deems an emergency.
To prevent anyone from accessing your Ring footage, you can enable end-to-end encryption (E2E) in the Ring app.
While your footage is still stored in Ring’s cloud, with E2E turned on, only the mobile device you set up the camera with can view the video; it cannot be accessed by Ring or used for Community Requests.
Enabling E2E means you lose several features, including person detection, rich notifications that show a snapshot of activity, and Ring’s new AI-powered descriptions, all of which rely on the cloud.
While most cloud-based security cameras encrypt footage in transit and at rest, they need to access it in the cloud to analyze it and enable those features.
Alternatives to cloud-dependent cameras
If you want to avoid cloud-dependent cameras entirely, there are several other options for keeping your camera footage private and secure.
As mentioned, Ring cameras use the cloud to process footage for features like person detection; however, some security cameras can process video locally and fully encrypt it before sending it to the cloud. Generally, this requires a hub to process the footage.
If you are an iPhone user, Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video service is fully E2E encrypted. Video analysis is done locally on a home hub, such as a HomePod or Apple TV, and stored in your iCloud account. It requires compatible cameras, including models from Eve, Aqara, and Eufy.
Anker-owned Eufy is another company that offers local storage and video processing for its wide selection of cameras and video doorbells. The company had some serious security breaches involving the cloud in 2022, but its newer HomeBase hardware can run locally.
TP-Link’s Tapo, Aqara, and Reolink recently launched local hubs for storage and processing of footage from their cameras, and these companies also offer cameras and video doorbells with onboard local processing and local storage via microSD cards.
The new Matter standard now supports security cameras, which could open more options for local, secure storage and processing of camera footage.
Ultimately, any camera connected to the internet comes with the risk that it could be accessed by someone other than you, no matter what the company says. So it remains important to think carefully before adding any type of surveillance to your home or your neighborhood.
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Online shopping feels familiar and fast, but a hidden threat continues to operate behind the scenes.
Researchers are tracking a long-running web skimming campaign that targets businesses connected to major payment networks. Web skimming is a technique where criminals secretly add malicious code to checkout pages so they can steal payment details as shoppers type them in.
These attacks work quietly inside the browser and often leave no obvious signs. Most victims only discover the problem after unauthorized charges appear on their statements.
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WHATSAPP WEB MALWARE SPREADS BANKING TROJAN AUTOMATICALLY
Web skimming attacks hide inside checkout pages and steal card details as shoppers type them in. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What Magecart is and why it matters
Magecart is the name researchers use for groups that specialize in web-skimming attacks. These attacks focus on online stores where shoppers enter payment details during checkout. Instead of hacking banks or card networks directly, attackers slip malicious code into a store’s checkout page. That code is written in JavaScript, which is a common type of website code used to make pages interactive. Legitimate sites use it for things like forms, buttons and payment processing.
In Magecart attacks, criminals abuse that same code to secretly copy card numbers, expiration dates, security codes and billing details as shoppers type them in. The checkout still works, and the purchase goes through, so there is no obvious warning sign. Magecart originally described attacks against Magento-based online stores. Today, the term applies to web-skimming campaigns across many e-commerce platforms and payment systems.
Which payment providers are being targeted?
Researchers say this campaign targets merchants tied to several major payment networks, including:
- American Express
- Diners Club
- Discover, a subsidiary of Capital One
- JCB Co., Ltd.
- Mastercard
- UnionPay
Large enterprises that rely on these payment providers face a higher risk due to complex websites and third-party integrations.
700CREDIT DATA BREACH EXPOSES SSNS OF 5.8M CONSUMERS
Criminals use hidden code to copy payment data while the purchase still goes through normally. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How attackers slip skimmers into checkout pages
Attackers usually enter through weak points that are easy to overlook. Common entry paths include vulnerable third-party scripts, outdated plugins and unpatched content management systems. Once inside, they inject JavaScript directly into the checkout flow. The skimmer monitors form fields tied to card data and personal details, then quietly sends that information to attacker-controlled servers.
Why web skimming attacks are hard to detect
To avoid detection, the malicious JavaScript is heavily obfuscated. Some versions can remove themselves when they detect an admin session, which makes inspections appear clean. Researchers also found the campaign uses bulletproof hosting. These hosting providers ignore abuse reports and takedown requests, giving attackers a stable environment to operate. Because web skimmers run inside the browser, they can bypass many server-side fraud controls used by merchants and payment providers.
Who Magecart web skimming attacks affect most
Magecart campaigns impact three groups at the same time:
- Shoppers who unknowingly give up card data
- Merchants whose checkout pages are compromised
- Payment providers that detect fraud after the damage is done
This shared exposure makes detection slower and response more difficult.
NEW MALWARE CAN READ YOUR CHATS AND STEAL YOUR MONEY
Simple protections like virtual cards and transaction alerts can limit damage and expose fraud faster. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to stay safe as a shopper
While shoppers cannot fix compromised checkout pages, a few smart habits can reduce exposure, limit how stolen data is used, and help catch fraud faster.
1) Use virtual or single-use cards
Virtual and single-use cards are digital card numbers that link to your real credit or debit account without exposing the actual number. They work like a normal card at checkout, but add an extra layer of protection. Most people already have access to them through services they use every day, including:
Major banks and credit card issuers that offer virtual card numbers inside their apps
Mobile wallet apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay generate temporary card numbers for online purchases, keeping your real card number hidden.
Some payment apps and browser tools that create one-time or merchant-locked card numbers
A single-use card typically works for one purchase or expires shortly after use. A virtual card can stay active for one store and be paused or deleted later. If a web skimming attack captures one of these numbers, attackers usually cannot reuse it elsewhere or run up repeat charges, which limits financial damage and makes fraud easier to stop.
2) Turn on transaction alerts
Transaction alerts notify you the moment your card is used, even for small purchases. If web skimming leads to fraud, these alerts can expose unauthorized charges quickly and give you a chance to freeze the card before losses grow. For example, a $2 test charge on your card can signal fraud before larger purchases appear.
3) Lock down financial accounts
Use strong, unique passwords for banking and card portals to reduce the risk of account takeover. A password manager helps generate and store them securely.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager 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.
4) Install strong antivirus software
Strong antivirus software can block connections to malicious domains used to collect skimmed data and warn you about unsafe websites.
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.
5) Use a data removal service
Data removal services can reduce how much personal information is exposed online, making it harder for criminals to pair stolen card data with full identity details.
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.
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6) Watch for unexpected card activity
Review statements regularly, even for small charges, since attackers often test stolen cards with low-value transactions.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Magecart web skimming shows how attackers can exploit trusted checkout pages without disrupting the shopping experience. While consumers cannot fix compromised sites, simple safeguards can reduce risk and help catch fraud early. Online payments rely on trust, but this campaign shows why that trust should always be paired with caution.
Does knowing how web skimming works make you rethink how safe online checkout really is? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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