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Technology
Meet the Pentagon’s AI bro squad
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The Pentagon’s private-sector A-Team
This morning, in advance of a meeting between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, my colleague Hayden Field and I published a story about the Pentagon’s hardball contract renegotiations with Anthropic. The stakes are higher than it should reasonably be, with the Pentagon continuing to designate Anthropic a “supply-chain risk” if the company doesn’t comply with their demands about their acceptable use policy.
In a post-meeting readout, Axios reported that Hegseth brought several other senior Defense officials to the meeting in an attempt to show that the Pentagon was taking the dispute “seriously.” But in a post-DOGE Trump administration run by broligarchs, it’s always worthwhile to check the attendees’ bios. Some of them were normal senior officials who’d spent their careers in government and military work, but the others have somewhat unusual backgrounds:
- Pentagon CTO Emil Michael, who we reported has been spearheading negotiations with Anthropic. Michael may be familiar to longtime Verge readers and followers of Silicon Valley corporate drama as the former second-in-command at Uber when Travis Kalanick was CEO. Michael was pushed out in 2017 after an investigation found that he, and several other top executives that called themselves the “A-Team,” perpetuated a culture of sexual harassment at the company.
- For anyone curious about his history on surveillance: During a 2014 dinner with several journalists, Michael suggested that Uber hire opposition researchers to gather personal “dirt” on reporters publishing unfavorable news, suggesting that he’d wanted to target one female reporter who had recently criticized the company for its culture of misogyny. This was also around the time that Uber drew controversy for an internal tool known as “God Mode,” which employees used to track the movements of its users, including one BuzzFeed journalist who was writing about an Uber executive.
- Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg, the founder of the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, which manages roughly $65 billion in assets and specializes in “distressed properties.” Feinberg, who’s widely blamed for the death of the auto manufacturer Chrysler, was also an early supporter of Donald Trump, donating to his 2016 presidential campaign and serving on the president’s intelligence advisory board in 2018. During his 2025 Senate confirmation hearing, Feinberg touted Cerberus’ investments in several companies involved in national security, saying he had “significant experience with the Pentagon as a contractor and understand[s] how it functions and is organized.”
- At the time, Democrats raised concerns that Feinberg would have conflicts of interest due to Cerberus’ numerous investments in defense companies such as DynCorp. (That year, DynCorp settled a lawsuit with the Department of Justice over allegations that it had “knowingly inflated subcontractor charges under a State Department contract to train Iraqi police forces.”)
- In 2023, while Feinberg was still at Cerberus, the firm launched Cerberus Ventures, a venture capital arm that invests in early-stage companies that address national security issues in critical infrastructure.
- Hegseth’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, an Army veteran who, in 2021, attempted to run for an open Senate seat in Pennsylvania. While he won Trump’s endorsement in the heated Republican primary, he was forced to drop out in November after his ex-wife made several allegations of serious physical and psychological abuse during a custody hearing. She was afforded full legal custody. (Dr. Mehmet Oz, now serving in the Trump administration, subsequently won the nomination.)
Feinberg and Michael’s presence should draw eyeballs. Yes, they both have some amount of defense industry experience: Michael was a White House fellow during the Obama administration, and spent two years as a special assistant to Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon, which isn’t nothing. Feinberg has clearly spent time with defense contracts. But one must fully appreciate the rapacious business mindset that private sector types love to bring into the government — especially with high-stakes negotiations such as this. Parnell’s presence, meanwhile, makes sense within the context of “being the spokesman for Pete Hegseth.”
The single-supplier shuffle
One topic Hayden and I didn’t get to explore more was the “single-supplier vulnerability” issue, but it’s turning into a crucial factor in negotiations.
In 2024, the Biden administration released a national security memorandum on the use of artificial intelligence, which laid out several directives regarding the protection of the supply chain. Among them was a directive for the Department of Defense to maintain contracts with at least two frontier AI labs that were cleared to handle classified information, in order to prevent a scenario where one compromised vendor could take down an entire IT system. But as early as the summer of 2025, I’m told, the Trump administration was trying to address that vulnerability. While they had signed separate contracts with Anthropic, Google, xAI, and OpenAI, only Anthropic’s model was cleared for classified use when Hegseth published his memo outlining his new AI policy in January.
This has placed the Pentagon in a tight situation: Even if they successfully cut out Anthropic and go through the arduous process of making every defense contractor remove Claude from their workflows, they would risk being out of compliance with the Department’s own guidelines, to say nothing of common sense. (Avoiding single-supplier vulnerability is a very basic practice in the tech industry.)
It certainly provides more context to the Pentagon’s decision last night to suddenly grant xAI’s Grok access to classified systems, even though Grok is widely considered the least capable of the available models. While The New York Times reported that Google is also close to signing a deal allowing the Pentagon to use Gemini for classified work, defense insiders view Gemini as a quality rival to Claude, while xAi’s Grok “is not considered as advanced or as reliable as Anthropic’s.” OpenAI is not close to a deal, as the company reportedly believes that it must improve ChatGPT’s safety features before deploying it on classified networks.
So let’s do the math. You have four AI models, and you’re required to work with two of them. Your choices are:
1) A company with a pretty good AI model and increasingly flexible morals
2) A company with the best AI model, but which refuses to let you use it for autonomously killing people without human input
3) A company whose AI model isn’t secure enough to deploy yet
4) A company whose AI has racist hallucinations and generates child porn, and that you don’t consider “advanced [or] reliable”
If you can’t contract with companies 2 and 3, you’re stuck with companies 1 and 4, which even Defense officials admit is not optimal from a national security perspective. “The only reason we’re still talking to these people [Anthropic] is we need them and we need them now. The problem for these guys is they are that good,” a Defense official told Axios ahead of the meeting.
The latest Clarity Act negotiations between finance and crypto last week inadvertently turned into the latest episode of recurring segment I’m now calling: “Why is Laura Loomer tweeting about obscure deep-cut tech issues as if they are MAGA loyalty tests?”
Last Thursday, a small group of powerful crypto and finance players met at the White House to continue hashing out draft language over stablecoin yields. Coinbase, which sparked these negotiations after it withdrew support from Clarity over stablecoin yields, was in attendance. Prior to the meeting, however, Loomer tweeted a classic banger that demonstrated the tactics she uses to wield influence over Trump: Cast the target as someone who once supported Trump’s enemies and is therefore disloyal.
Ironically, Coinbase has turned into one of the biggest branded boosters of the Trump administration, donating money to his pet initiatives and even having their logo splashed all over last year’s military parade.
Though Loomer tweeted a similar sentiment about Coinbase last June, it seems to have had no impact on whether Coinbase has access to Trump, and likely won’t for a while: I’m told that CEO Brian Armstrong was at Mar-a-Lago the day before Loomer tweeted, attending a World Liberty Financial event.
A wild Trumpworld character has appeared!
If you followed the saga of Logan Paul auctioning off his Pokémon card collection, you may be aware that one of those cards sold for a record-setting $16.5 million last week. But who’s that Pokémon purchaser? It’s AJ Scaramucci, the son of the one and only Anthony Scaramucci, the New York financier and former Trump ally who famously served as Trump’s White House Communications Director in 2017 for 10 days.
AJ is the founder of Solari Capital, which invested $100 million in a Bitcoin mining platform run by Eric Trump. He also now owns the Pikachu Illustrator card, one of only 39 cards in existence and in Grade 10 condition, as well as the diamond chain and carrying case that Paul wore to display the card when he appeared at WrestleMania 38. Scaramucci told reporters that he purchased the card as part of his upcoming “planetary treasure hunt,” adding that he also hoped to purchase a T. rex skull and the Declaration of Independence. (He later posted on X that he hoped to place the card in the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto and cement it as “the ‘Mona Lisa’ of the Pokemon franchise.”)
We can’t believe that a court has to tell you this, much less the Southern District of New York: If you put correspondence between you and your lawyer into a publicly available AI platform, it is no longer protected by attorney-client privilege and becomes subject to discovery!!!!
In any case, have a pleasant State of the Union watch party (if anyone does that anymore) and see you next week.
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Less than a week ago, Apple announced the forthcoming AirPods Max 2, a pair of over-ear headphones that leverage the company’s H2 chip for AI-powered live translation, conversation awareness, and a host of newer features. However, if you’re okay with a pair of earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 offer access to all the same features for less — especially given they’re currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $199.99 ($50 off), matching their second-best price to date.
For iPhone owners, nothing else really compares to the AirPods Pro 3. Apple’s latest pair of premium earbuds deliver the best active noise cancellation and richest sound of any AirPods model to date, combined with a more comfortable, angled design that fits securely and naturally in your ear canal. They also feature a new XXS ear tip size and a more robust IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance, making them better suited for long-distance runs and various gym activities.
Speaking of workouts, the Pro 3 can also pull double duty as a fitness tracker, thanks to a built-in heart rate sensor that works with Apple’s Fitness app to track calories burned across more than 50 workout types. It’s a welcome addition if you don’t use an Apple Watch; however, it may not be as useful for those who already own and rely on Apple’s wearable for its health tracking and wellness features.
Lastly, as mentioned up top, the AirPods Pro 3 also boast an H2 chip, allowing for the aforementioned real-time translation features and Apple’s newer Voice Isolation tech, which uses machine learning to isolate and enhance voice quality by removing unwanted background noise. That’s on top of their seamless integration with other Apple devices, mind you, which lets you take advantage of automatic device switching and a Find My-compatible charging case.
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A new phishing scam is tricking people into installing malware by pretending to be a Google security check. The page looks convincing and tells you that your Google account needs additional protection. It walks you through a simple setup process that appears to strengthen your security and protect your devices.
If you follow those steps, you may end up installing what looks like a harmless security tool. In reality, security researchers say the page installs a malicious web app that can spy on your device. It can steal login verification codes, watch what you copy and paste, track your location and quietly send internet traffic through your browser.
The most troubling part is that nothing is technically hacked. Instead of exploiting a software flaw, attackers simply trick you into granting the permissions they need. Once that happens, your own browser can start working for them without you realizing it.
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THE #1 GOOGLE SEARCH SCAM EVERYONE FALLS FOR
The fake site mimics a Google security page and urges visitors to complete a quick “account protection” setup. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)
All about the fake Google security page
Security researchers at Malwarebytes, a cybersecurity company, recently discovered a phishing website that pretends to be part of Google’s account protection system. The site uses the domain google-prism[.]com and presents what looks like a legitimate security page asking you to complete a short verification process. Visitors are told they should complete a four-step setup to improve their account protection. The page explains that these steps will help secure your Google account and protect your devices from threats. During the process, the site asks you to approve several permissions and install what it claims is a security tool.
The tool it installs is actually a Progressive Web App. This type of application runs through your browser but behaves like a regular app on your computer. It opens in its own window, can send notifications and can run tasks in the background. Once installed, the malicious web app can collect contacts, read information you copy to your clipboard, track GPS location data and attempt to capture one-time login codes sent to your phone. These codes are commonly used when you sign in to accounts that use two-factor authentication.
The fake security page may also offer an Android companion app described as a “critical security update.” Researchers found that this app requests 33 permissions, including access to text messages, call logs, contacts, microphone recordings and accessibility features. Those permissions give attackers the ability to read messages, capture keystrokes, monitor notifications and maintain control over parts of the device. Even if the Android app is never installed, the web app alone can still collect sensitive information and quietly run activity through your browser.
How it works and why it matters to you
The scam works because it looks like something you would normally trust. Many people expect security alerts from the services they use, especially when it comes to protecting email or cloud accounts. Attackers take advantage of that trust by presenting the fake page as a helpful security feature. When you approve the permissions and install the web app, you are essentially giving the attackers access to certain parts of your device. One of the main things they try to capture is one-time passwords. These are the short codes you receive when logging in to accounts that require two-factor authentication.
If attackers manage to capture those codes while also knowing your password, they may be able to break into your accounts. That could include your email, financial services, or cryptocurrency wallets, depending on which accounts you use. The malware also watches what you copy and paste. Many people copy cryptocurrency wallet addresses before sending digital currency, and those addresses can be valuable to criminals. The malicious app can collect that information and send it back to the attackers.
Another feature allows attackers to route internet requests through your browser. This means they can run online activity through your device so it appears to come from your home network. The app can also send notifications that look like security alerts or system warnings. When you click those notifications, the app opens again and gains another opportunity to capture information such as login codes or clipboard data.
Google says built-in protections can block the threat
After learning about the phishing campaign, we asked Google about the malicious site and whether users are protected.
A Google spokesperson told CyberGuy that several built-in security systems are designed to stop threats like this before they cause harm.
“We can confirm that Safe Browsing in Chrome warns any user who tries to visit this site. Chrome also shows a confirmation dialog whenever anyone attempts to download an APK. Android users are automatically protected against known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services.”
Google also said that its current monitoring shows no apps containing this malware are available on the Google Play Store.
ANDROID MALWARE HIDDEN IN FAKE ANTIVIRUS APP
Even if malicious apps are installed from outside official stores, Google says Android devices still have an additional layer of protection. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps known to exhibit malicious behavior, including apps installed from third-party sources.
However, it is important to note that Google Play Protect may not be enough. Historically, it isn’t 100% foolproof at removing all known malware from Android devices, which is why we recommend additional strong antivirus software to detect malicious downloads, suspicious browser activity and phishing attempts before they cause serious damage. It acts as an early warning system that helps block dangerous apps and websites before they gain access to your device or your data.
During the process, users are prompted to approve permissions and install what appears to be a security tool. (iStock)
Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
7 ways to protect yourself from fake security pages
If you ever come across a suspicious “security check” like this, a few simple habits can help you avoid falling into the trap and protect your accounts and devices.
1) Never run security checks from random websites
Google does not ask you to install security tools through pop-ups or unfamiliar websites. If a page claims your account needs a security check, close the tab and go directly to Google’s official account page by typing the address yourself. Visiting the real account settings page prevents attackers from redirecting you to a fake site.
2) Check website addresses carefully before trusting them
Phishing pages often use domains that look similar to real companies. Attackers rely on people clicking quickly without paying attention to the address bar. If the website address is not an official Google domain, do not trust it. Even a small change in the spelling can indicate a fake site designed to steal information.
3) Remove suspicious web apps from your browser
If you installed an app through a website and it opens like a standalone program, check your browser’s installed apps or extensions list. Remove anything you do not recognize or do not remember installing. Uninstalling the app immediately prevents it from collecting more information or running commands through your browser.
4) Check your Android phone for unfamiliar apps
Researchers say the malicious Android app may appear as “Security Check” or “System Service.” If you see unfamiliar apps with these names, review the permissions they request and remove them if they look suspicious. Apps asking for extensive permissions such as SMS access, accessibility features, and microphone control should always be investigated.
5) Use a password manager for your accounts
A password manager helps you create and store strong, unique passwords for every account you use online. If attackers obtain one password, they will not automatically gain access to other accounts. Password managers can also help prevent you from entering credentials on fake sites because they usually refuse to auto-fill on lookalike domains.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
6) Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection beyond your password. Even though this attack tries to capture SMS verification codes, many services allow you to use authenticator apps instead. These apps generate login codes on your device and make it much harder for attackers to intercept them.
7) Monitor your accounts for unusual activity
If you think you interacted with a suspicious security page, keep a close eye on your accounts over the following days. Watch for login alerts, password reset emails, or transactions you do not recognize. Acting quickly after suspicious activity can help prevent attackers from gaining full control of your accounts.
Pro tip: Reduce how easily scammers can target you
Scammers often gather personal details from data broker sites to make phishing messages look more convincing. A data removal service can help remove your personal information from many of those databases, reducing the amount of information criminals can use to impersonate companies or craft targeted scams.
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.
Researchers say the malicious web app could collect login codes, clipboard data and other sensitive information. (Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaway
Attackers are changing tactics. Instead of breaking into systems through technical flaws, they are relying on convincing security messages that persuade people to install tools themselves. All of us rely on familiar brands like Google when making security decisions, and attackers know that. Preventing these scams will likely require faster action against impersonation sites and stronger safeguards around what web apps are allowed to do once installed.
Should companies like Google be required to automatically block lookalike domains that pretend to run official security checks before people fall for them? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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A California jury determined that Elon Musk misled Twitter investors before making a $44 billion deal to buy the company in 2022, reports CNBC. The New York Times reports that Musk had testified this month that he didn’t believe his posts would spook markets, but he did say that “If this was a trial about whether I made stupid tweets, I would say I’m guilty.”
CNBC reports Musk’s attorneys are expected to file an appeal, as damages could reach as high as $2.6 billion, according to attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
While finding that Musk did not engage in a specific scheme to defraud shareholders, the jury cited two of Musk’s tweets, from May 13th and May 27th, 2022, as materially false or misleading, causing some investors to sell shares in Twitter at values below the $54.20 per share bid.
Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users
20% fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be *much* higher.
My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate.
Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of
This deal cannot move forward until he does.
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