Xiaomi has just given a global launch to two of its latest flagship phones, the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, along with a Leica-branded Leitzphone edition of the Ultra. There’s no sign, however, of the 17 Pro, which launched in China with an additional display mounted next to the rear cameras.
Technology
Auto parts giant exposed: 2.3 million customers at risk in massive data breach
Advance Auto Parts, an auto parts retailer with stores throughout the U.S., has been affected by a data breach impacting over 2.3 million people.
The incident is reported to be related to other breaches, such as the recent one at Ticketmaster.
Advance Auto Parts has confirmed that cyberattackers managed to access information, including Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and other government ID numbers.
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Advance Auto Parts store (Advance Auto Parts)
Breach confirmation and scope
On June 19, Advance Auto Parts confirmed that it had been impacted by a data breach, but it only puts current and former employees and job applicants at risk. Advance has now completed its internal investigation into the incident and has determined that it has impacted 2,316,591 people.
Timeline and details of the breach
“Our investigation determined that an unauthorized third party accessed or copied certain information maintained by Advance Auto Parts from April 14, 2024, to May 24, 2024,” states the notice sent by Advance Auto Parts to affected individuals. “We conducted a detailed review and analysis of the affected information to determine the types of information contained therein and to whom the information relates.”
Exposed information
The company has confirmed that the breach has exposed data, such as full names, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and government ID numbers, to hackers. This data is collected as part of Advance’s hiring process, so it seems only employee and applicant data has been leaked.
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET
Potential hacker involvement
While Advance didn’t name the hacker responsible for the attack, a threat actor known as “Sp1d3r” began selling a massive 3TB database on June 5, 2024. This database allegedly contains 380 million Advance customer records, including orders, transaction details and other sensitive information. Although the number claimed by Sp1d3r is significantly lower than the 2.3 million figure reported by Advance, it’s possible that Sp1d3r was behind the attack.
Part of a larger attack
Hackers gained access to Advance Auto Parts’ data stored on Snowflake, a cloud storage service, for over a month starting in mid-April 2024. This incident reportedly was part of a larger attack targeting Snowflake accounts with stolen credentials. Other companies impacted by this campaign include Pure Storage, Ticketmaster and more.
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Exterior of Advance Auto Parts store (Advance Auto Parts)
HERE’S WHAT RUTHLESS HACKERS STOLE FROM 110 MILLION AT&T CUSTOMERS
What is Advance Auto Parts doing about the breach?
Advance Auto Parts says it promptly terminated the unauthorized access and took proactive measures to prevent future unauthorized access. The company also notified law enforcement and is collaborating with third-party cybersecurity experts to further harden its systems.
The impacted individuals have also been offered free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for 12 months. They can enroll by Oct. 1, 2024.
We contacted Advance Auto Parts for a comment on this story but did not hear back before our deadline.
A car motor (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
WORLD’S LARGEST STOLEN PASSWORD DATABASE UPLOADED TO CRIMINAL FORUM
7 proactive steps to take in the face of the Advance Auto Parts data breach
If you think you have been affected by the Advance Auto Parts data breach, follow these steps to protect yourself and your personal data.
1. Stay informed: Keep up to date with the latest news from Advance Auto Parts data breach and other reliable sources to know the status of the systems and services.
2. Monitor your accounts and transactions: You should check your online accounts and transactions regularly for any suspicious or unauthorized activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the service provider or the authorities as soon as possible. You should also review your credit reports and scores to see if there are any signs of identity theft or fraud.
3. Use identity theft protection: Identity theft protection companies can monitor personal information, like your home title, Social Security Number, phone number and email address, and alert you if it is 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.
4. Change your passwords: Although Advance Auto Parts says your personal details like phone number and email address haven’t been leaked, it’s still advisable to change your passwords. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
5. Vigilance against phishing: Be extra cautious of phishing attempts as cyberattacks often lead to an increase in phishing emails and calls trying to exploit the situation. The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have strong antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
6. Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail. The data leak gives them access to your address. They may impersonate people or brands you know and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions and security alerts.
7. Invest in personal data removal services: While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
PHARMA GIANT’S DATA BREACH EXPOSES PATIENTS’ SENSITIVE INFORMATION
Kurt’s key takeaway
Hackers are launching campaigns that target big corporations. Recently, we saw a cyberattack that paralyzed CDK Global, and now, again in the automobile industry, Advance Auto Parts has been targeted. These companies need to fortify their systems so that they don’t get affected by such attacks. Also, the government needs to come up with required laws that should ban the retention of customers’ personal details, unless necessary.
How important is a company’s cybersecurity track record to you when deciding where to shop? Let us know in the comments below. Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Polymarket has been allowing people to bet on when the US would strike Iran next. Obviously, now that it’s actually happened and people have died, the prediction betting market is feeling some pressure. The site has been at the center of controversy before, including suspicions of insider trading on the Super Bowl halftime show and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement posted on its site, Polymarket defended its decision to allow betting on the potential start of a war, saying that it was an “invaluable” source of news and answers, before taking shots at traditional media and Elon Musk’s X. The statement reads:
…
Read the full story at The Verge.
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Google has officially discontinued its Dark Web Report feature, a free tool that once scanned known dark web breach dumps for personal information tied to a user’s Google account. The service delivered notifications when email addresses and other identifiers appeared in leaked datasets.
According to Google’s support page, the system ceased scanning for new dark web data Jan. 15, 2026, and the reporting function was removed entirely on Feb. 16, 2026, meaning users can no longer access the feature.
The company said the decision reflects a shift toward security tools it believes provide clearer guidance after exposure, rather than standalone scan alerts.
If you previously relied on the free dark web scan as an early warning signal for leaked data, this change removes one of your sources.
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Google officially ended its Dark Web Report tool, removing free breach alerts tied to user accounts. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
So what did users really lose?
Google’s Dark Web Report acted as a basic exposure scanner. It checked whether personal information linked to a Google account had surfaced in known breach collections circulating on the dark web.
When a match is found, users receive a notification identifying which type of data appeared in a leak. Depending on the data breach, that could include an email address, phone number, date of birth or other identifying details commonly harvested during large-scale hacks.
The report did not display stolen credentials or provide access to the leaked database itself. It also did not trace the origin of the compromise beyond referencing the breached service when available.
After an alert was issued, the next steps were left to the user. Google recommended actions such as changing passwords, enabling stronger authentication methods and reviewing account security settings. With the tool now removed, that automated breach check tied directly to a Google account is no longer available.
What you still have access to
Google directs users to its Security Checkup, a dashboard that scans your account for weak settings and unusual sign-in activity.
Its built-in Password Manager includes Password Checkup, which scans saved credentials against known breach databases and prompts you to change exposed passwords. Google also supports passkeys and two-factor verification to lock down account access.
The Results About You tool lets users search for personal information in Google Search and submit removal requests for certain publicly indexed details.
149 MILLION PASSWORDS EXPOSED IN MASSIVE CREDENTIAL LEAK
Without the automatic scan, users must now check for leaked data using other security tools. (iStock)
Alerts don’t always mean protection
Once personal information is compromised, it often ends up far beyond the breach itself. Stolen credentials and identity data are regularly trafficked on underground platforms where buyers can search for information tied to real people.
The BidenCash dark web marketplace was taken down by U.S. authorities in June 2025, and the Justice Department confirmed that the platform peddled stolen personal information and credit card data.
These illicit markets operate with a level of organization not unlike legitimate online stores. Search tools and bulk data sets are up for grabs and can be used to target any online account. This makes credential stuffing easier, where attackers test leaked passwords across multiple services in hopes of barreling into your account.
A breach alert tied to a dark web scan points to a leak at one moment in time; it does not follow whether that information has been sold to third parties or used in subsequent fraud attempts. For everyday users, this means that just knowing your data appeared in a leak doesn’t help much.
THINK YOUR NEW YEAR’S PRIVACY RESET WORKED? THINK AGAIN
Stolen personal information can circulate for years, making ongoing monitoring more important than a one-time alert. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Identity monitoring may be a better option
With Google’s scan gone, some people may consider dedicated identity protection services instead. Many of these services offer continuous monitoring of your personally identifiable information and send alerts about changes to your credit reports from all three major U.S. credit bureaus. That can include notifications about new inquiries, newly opened accounts and monthly credit score updates. Some plans also monitor a broader range of personal identifiers, such as driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and email addresses.
Beyond credit monitoring, certain services track linked bank, credit card and investment accounts for unusual activity. They may also monitor public records for changes to addresses or property titles and alert you if your information appears in those filings.
Many providers include identity theft insurance to help cover eligible out-of-pocket recovery costs. Coverage limits vary by plan and provider. Additional features often include spam call and message protection, a password manager, a virtual private network (VPN) and antivirus software.
No service can prevent every form of identity theft. However, ongoing monitoring and recovery support can make it easier to respond quickly if your information is misused.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Google’s decision to drop its Dark Web Report may seem small. But it removes a tool many users relied on. For some, those alerts were the first warning that their data appeared in a breach. That automatic scan is now gone. Google still offers Security Checkup, Password Checkup, passkeys and two-step verification. However, none of them actively scan dark web breach dumps for you. Stolen data does not disappear. Criminals copy, sell and reuse it. One alert shows a single moment. Ongoing identity theft monitoring helps you stay aware over time.
Now that Google has dropped its dark web monitoring feature, will you actively check your data exposure or assume someone else is watching it for you? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Related Article
The 17 and 17 Ultra will apparently be available soon in the UK, Europe, and select other markets. The 17 — pitched as a rival to the likes of the iPhone 17 and Samsung Galaxy S26 — will cost £899 / €999 (about $1,200), while the larger and more capable Ultra starts from £1,299 / €1,499 ($1,750). The limited-edition Leitzphone will be substantially more expensive at £1,699 / €1,999 ($2,300), though it includes 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with a few extra accessories.
The 17 is an extremely capable small-ish flagship, with a 6.3-inch OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and large 6,330mAh silicon-carbon battery (though sadly smaller than the 7,000mAh version launched in China). I won’t be writing a full review of the 17, but did spend a week using it as my main phone, and found that the battery cruised past the full-day mark, though wasn’t quite enough for two full days of my typical usage. That’s far better battery life than you’d find in similarly sized phones from Apple, Samsung, or Google.
The cameras impress too, with 50-megapixel sensors behind each of the four lenses, selfie included. Pound for pound, you won’t find many better camera systems in any phone this size.
1/10
The Ultra, unsurprisingly, takes things to another level. It’s much larger, with a 6.9-inch display, and weighs a hefty 218g. Despite that, the 6,000mAh is actually smaller, though I found it delivered pretty similar longevity.
The enormous camera is, as ever for Xiaomi’s Ultra phones, the highlight. There are 50-megapixel sensors for each of the main, ultrawide, and selfie cameras, with a large 1-inch-type sensor behind the primary lens. The periscope telephoto is even more impressive: 200-megapixel resolution, a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and continuous optical zoom from 3.2x to 4.3x, the equivalent of 75-100mm. Xiaomi isn’t the first to pull off a true zoom phone — Sony’s Xperia 1 IV got there first in 2022 — but the telephoto camera here is far more capable than that phone’s, with natural bokeh and impressive performance even in low light.
The camera capabilities are supported by Xiaomi’s ongoing photography partner Leica, but it’s the pair’s Leitzphone that really emphasizes that. Slightly redesigned from the 17 Ultra Leica Edition that was released in China last December, this includes Leica branding across the hardware and software, a range of Leica filters and shooting styles, and a rotatable rear camera ring that can be used to control the zoom. It’s the first Leica Leitzphone produced by Xiaomi — after a trio of Japan-only Sharp models — and comes with additional branded accessories, including a case with a lens cap and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Xiaomi has plenty of other announcements alongside the 17 series phones at MWC this year, including a super-slim magnetic power bank, the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Pro tablets, and a smart tag that supports both Google and Apple’s tech-tracking networks.
Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge
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