Technology

Panera Bread data breach exposes 5.1M customers

Published

1 week ago

February 19, 2026

Panera Bread data breach exposes 5.1M customers

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Another major consumer brand has joined the growing list of companies hit by serious data breaches. Panera Bread has confirmed a cybersecurity incident after the hacking group ShinyHunters claimed it stole millions of customer records.

The breach exposes a wide range of personal details, raising real concerns for anyone who has ever placed an order, created an account or shared contact information with the popular bakery chain.

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SUBSTACK DATA BREACH EXPOSES EMAILS AND PHONE NUMBERS

Panera Bread confirmed a data breach after hackers claimed they stole millions of customer records containing contact information. (AP Photo)

What happened in the Panera Bread data breach?

ShinyHunters added Panera Bread to its data leak site earlier this year, initially claiming it had stolen more than 14 million customer records. According to the group, the stolen data includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses and account-related information.

Panera Bread has since confirmed a cybersecurity incident. In a statement to media outlets, the company described the exposed data as customer “contact information” and said it has contacted law enforcement and taken steps to address the incident. Panera has not shared technical details about how the attack occurred or whether customers need to take specific actions.

Even “contact information” can be dangerous in the wrong hands. When combined, these details can be used for identity theft, targeted phishing and highly convincing social-engineering scams.

ShinyHunters claims the attackers accessed Panera’s systems through Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO). While Panera has not confirmed that claim, it closely mirrors recent warnings from Okta about a surge in voice-phishing attacks targeting SSO platforms.

In these attacks, criminals pose as IT or helpdesk staff and call employees directly. They pressure targets to approve authentication requests or enter login credentials on fake SSO pages. Once attackers capture session tokens or credentials, they can bypass some forms of multifactor authentication and move laterally through company systems. This approach relies on human trust rather than technical exploits, making it increasingly effective.

How many people were actually affected?

At first glance, claims that 14 million customers were affected suggested an enormous breach. However, researchers at Have I Been Pwned? later clarified that the attackers stole 14 million records, not data tied to 14 million unique individuals.

After reviewing the leaked dataset, researchers now estimate the breach affected approximately 5.1 million unique people. The exposed information includes email addresses along with associated names, phone numbers, and physical addresses.

That distinction matters, but it does not eliminate risk. Once stolen data is released publicly, it can spread quickly across criminal forums and be reused for years.

149 MILLION PASSWORDS EXPOSED IN MASSIVE CREDENTIAL LEAK

The hacking group ShinyHunters leaked stolen Panera customer data online after an attempted extortion failed. (Panera Bread)

Hackers leaked the data after extortion failed

ShinyHunters reportedly attempted to extort Panera Bread before publishing the stolen data. When those efforts failed, the group released a 760MB archive containing millions of customer records on its leak site.

This reflects a broader shift in cybercrime. Instead of locking systems with ransomware, many groups now focus on quietly stealing data and threatening public exposure. These attacks are faster, harder to detect, and often just as profitable.

ShinyHunters has used similar tactics in other high-profile incidents involving Bumble, Match Group, Crunchbase and other consumer platforms.

Lawsuits filed after Panera breach disclosure

The breach has already triggered legal fallout. Multiple class-action lawsuits have been filed in U.S. federal court, alleging that Panera failed to adequately protect customer data.

The lawsuits claim Panera knew or should have known about security weaknesses and seek damages, improved security practices, and long-term identity theft protection for affected customers. Panera has not publicly commented on the litigation.

A troubling pattern for Panera Bread

This is not Panera Bread’s first major security lapse. In 2018, a cybersecurity researcher revealed that Panera had left millions of customer records exposed online in plain text. That incident later led to lawsuits and settlements.

Repeated breaches often point to deeper challenges. Large organizations can struggle to secure cloud services, identity systems, and employee access at scale. When attackers target identity platforms instead of infrastructure, a single mistake can expose millions of records.

We reached out to Panera Bread for a comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.

GRUBHUB CONFIRMS DATA BREACH AMID EXTORTION CLAIMS

Exposed contact details like names, emails, and addresses can fuel phishing scams and identity theft long after a breach becomes public. (Donato Fasano/Getty Images)

7 steps you can take to protect yourself following the Panera data breach

When a major consumer brand suffers a breach, customers often don’t realize the risk until weeks or months later. These steps help limit what attackers can do with your information if your Panera data falls into the wrong hands.

1) Use a strong, unique password for every account

If you ever created a Panera Bread account, reset its password immediately. If you reused that password anywhere else, those accounts are now at risk, too. Attackers routinely test breached passwords across email, shopping and banking sites.

A password manager helps by generating strong, unique passwords for every account and storing them securely so you never need to reuse credentials. Many password managers also alert you if your email or passwords appear in known data breaches, giving you an early warning to lock things down fast.

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.

2) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second step to the login process, usually through an app or device you control. Even if someone gets your password through phishing or a breach, 2FA makes it much harder for them to access your account.

3) Be cautious of phishing messages

Cybercriminals often follow up breaches with fake emails or in-app messages pretending to offer help or security updates. Always double-check the sender and avoid clicking links. When in doubt, open the app or website directly rather than responding to the message. Using strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection by flagging malicious links and blocking known threats before they can do harm. 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) Limit the personal details you share

When names, email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses are exposed, identity theft becomes a real risk. Identity theft-protection services monitor your personal information, alert you if it appears on the dark web, and watch for attempts to open new accounts in your name.

If something does go wrong, these services often include recovery support to help freeze accounts, dispute fraud, and guide you through the cleanup process.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

5) Reduce your digital footprint with a data removal service

Scammers don’t rely on one breach alone. They combine leaked data with information from data broker sites to build detailed profiles. Data removal services help remove your phone number, home address and other personal details from hundreds of these sites.

While no service can erase everything, reducing what’s publicly available makes it much harder for criminals to target you with convincing scams or identity fraud. This is one of the most effective long-term ways to lower your risk after any major breach.

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) Secure your email account

Your email account controls password resets for most services. Protect it with a strong password and 2FA. Regularly review login activity and recovery settings, so attackers can’t use your email to take over other accounts.

7) Watch for account changes after breach news

Not every breach leads to immediate account takeovers. In some cases, attackers quietly test access weeks later. That is why staying alert after breach reports matters. Watch for password reset emails you did not request, profile changes you did not make, or new messages you did not send. Unexpected logouts or security alerts are also red flags. If you notice anything unusual, change your password immediately and review your security settings.

Kurt’s key takeaway

The Panera Bread data breach is another reminder that even familiar brands can become major cyber targets. While Panera says only contact information was exposed, that data is often enough to fuel scams and identity theft long after headlines fade. Staying proactive after breach news is now part of protecting your digital life.

Do you still trust large brands to protect your personal information, or have repeated breaches changed how much data you’re willing to share? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Published

7 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

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

Published

37 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

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.

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

Published

12 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

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.”