Technology
Must-do privacy settings on your iPhone in iOS 18.1
With Apple rolling out the latest iOS 18.1 update, privacy has become an even hotter topic. The update introduces advanced AI capabilities through Apple Intelligence and Siri, giving your device more autonomy in understanding and learning from your behaviors.
While this sounds promising, it also means that your iPhone might be capturing and analyzing sensitive information, especially if you have certain financial or health-related apps on your device.
We’ll walk you through which settings to adjust, why it’s important and how to ensure that Apple’s AI isn’t overstepping its boundaries with your personal data.
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Apple Intelligence on iPhone (Apple)
Why privacy matters more than ever in iOS 18.1
iOS 18.1 brings a slew of AI-powered features aimed at enhancing your experience with Siri and Apple Intelligence, but it’s worth questioning: How much does your iPhone really need to know about you? If you’re like most people, privacy is a top priority, especially when it comes to sensitive data such as banking information, health details and your location.
When Apple Intelligence is enabled, it starts “learning” from your interactions with certain apps, creating a digital profile that can theoretically tailor your experience. This is a double-edged sword; while personalization might sound appealing, it’s crucial to consider what data Apple’s AI is learning and why you might want to limit its reach.
Apple Intelligence and Siri on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR IPHONE & IPAD FROM MALWARE
Apple Intelligence requirements for iPhone
Devices: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max
Settings: Device language and Siri language set to a supported language.
Storage: 4 GB available storage.
Operating systems: iOS 18.1, update to iOS 18.1 via Settings > General > Software Update. If available, tap Update Now and begin downloading and installing iOS 18.1
Steps to update your iPhone’s software (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
Recommended apps to turn off ‘Learn from this App’
Financial apps: Banking and finance apps often contain highly sensitive information. Disabling learning on these apps prevents Apple Intelligence from accessing details about your transactions, account balances or other financial data.
Health and fitness apps: Health-related apps can reveal personal information that you may not want to share with Apple Intelligence, even if it’s just being used for personalization.
Location-based apps: Location data can be incredibly telling. Maps and similar apps often gather your location history, places you frequent and travel patterns. Turning off learning from these apps will help you avoid disclosing this information.
IOS 18: MAXIMIZE YOUR PRIVACY BY TURNING OFF THESE 3 IPHONE SETTINGS NOW
The critical settings you need to change
Apple Intelligence and Siri settings are at the heart of managing your data privacy. By navigating here, you’re taking the first step in controlling what Apple’s AI can access. Here’s how to protect your sensitive information from being used by Apple Intelligence and Siri:
- Open your iPhone and go to Settings.
- Tap on Apple Intelligence and Siri.
- Enable Apple Intelligence by toggling it on.
Steps to enable Apple Intelligence (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Once you’re in the Apple Intelligence section, scroll to the bottom and tap Apps. These are all the apps that Apple Intelligence will learn from.
- You’ll find a list of all the apps from which Apple Intelligence learns.
- Click on each app and toggle off next to “Learn from this App.”
- Remember: Gray means off, and green means on.
Steps to turn on “Learn from this App” on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to customize Siri and Apple Intelligence settings
Even if you turn off learning for certain apps, you may want to activate other AI settings selectively based on your preferences. For instance, some users prefer Siri’s suggestions for navigation but don’t want AI involved with their social media or financial accounts. This customization is entirely up to you, but it’s essential to know where these toggles are and what each does.
Why you should revisit these settings regularly
One thing about privacy settings is that they can change with each software update. As Apple introduces more features, some apps may automatically gain access to Apple Intelligence. It’s essential to check these settings periodically to ensure that no new permissions have been granted without your knowledge.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
The arrival of iOS 18.1 is exciting, especially with the enhanced AI features, but it’s crucial to stay vigilant about your privacy. Banking, health and location apps contain some of your most sensitive data, and allowing Apple Intelligence to learn from them might open up unintended risks. By turning off “Learn from this App” in settings, you’re taking a proactive step to control your personal information. Remember, gray is off, green is on, and when it comes to privacy, sometimes it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Revisit these settings occasionally to ensure they remain as you want them and stay in control of your data. Taking a few minutes to manage these settings today can go a long way in safeguarding your privacy in the future.
How do you feel about the balance between convenience and privacy with AI features? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show
Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.
There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:
The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.
That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).
While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.
Technology
300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions
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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.
They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.
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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What you need to know about fake AI extensions
Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.
Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.
These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.
While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:
- AI Assistant
- Llama
- Gemini AI Sidebar
- AI Sidebar
- ChatGPT Sidebar
- Grok
- Asking ChatGPT
- ChatGBT
- Chat Bot GPT
- Grok Chatbot
- Chat With Gemini
- XAI
- Google Gemini
- Ask Gemini
- AI Letter Generator
- AI Message Generator
- AI Translator
- AI For Translation
- AI Cover Letter Generator
- AI Image Generator ChatGPT
- Ai Wallpaper Generator
- Ai Picture Generator
- DeepSeek Download
- AI Email Writer
- Email Generator AI
- DeepSeek Chat
- ChatGPT Picture Generator
- ChatGPT Translate
- AI GPT
- ChatGPT Translation
- ChatGPT for Gmail
FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE
These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)
How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works
These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.
Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.
In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.
The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.
Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.
If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.
We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”
BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK
Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions
If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.
1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions
On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.
2) Change your passwords
If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.
3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords
A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.
4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active
Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
5) Use an identity theft protection service
Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.
6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated
Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.
7) Use a personal data removal service
Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.
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.
Kurt’s key takeaway
Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.
Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Technology
Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance
Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.
It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.
In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”
He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)
The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.
Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”
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