Buying a hunting or fishing license should feel like one of the safest things you do online. You pick the license, pay for it and get ready for your next trip outdoors. But now, a cyberattack tied to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has put personal information for more than three million license customers at risk.

The agency says the attack hit a vendor that handles the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. Texas Cyber Command detected the incident, and the state says an unauthorized actor may have obtained personal data from customer profiles. That is the part that should get your attention. Even when credit card numbers and Social Security numbers are spared, your license details, phone number and home address can still give scammers a lot to work with.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily. 
• Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

FBI WARNS MICROSOFT USERS ABOUT PASSWORDLESS SCAM

What happened in the Texas Parks and Wildlife data breach

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says its license system vendor was hit by a cybersecurity incident.

The agency says the investigation found that an unauthorized actor may have obtained data tied to 3,087,721 Texas hunting and fishing license customers.

TPWD did not identify the vendor in its public notice. However, it says it has strengthened access controls for customer profile data and plans to add more security features.

In other words, this involved a state license system connected to millions of people.

What information may have been exposed

TPWD says the exposed information may include:

• Driver license information
• Passport numbers, if provided
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Residential addresses

That mix of data can help criminals sound convincing. A scammer who knows your name, phone number, home address and license-related details can make a fake call or email feel very personal.

The agency says Social Security numbers, dates of birth and financial information, including credit card details, were not obtained. TPWD also says there is no evidence that customers under 18 were involved or that any specific group was targeted.

Still, this breach should not be brushed off. Driver license information and passport numbers can create serious problems if they fall into the wrong hands.

Why this breach can still put you at risk

You might hear that hackers did not get credit card numbers and breathe a sigh of relief. I get that. But scammers do not always need your full financial file to cause trouble. Personal details can help them impersonate a state agency, a license vendor or even a bank. One message may claim there is a problem with your license account. Another may ask you to “verify” your identity. A fake link can also look official enough to trick someone who is moving fast.

That is where this kind of breach gets dangerous. The more a scammer knows about you, the easier it becomes to lower your guard. A fake message that includes accurate personal details can feel legitimate, especially if it shows up right after a public breach.

What Texas Parks and Wildlife says it has done

TPWD says immediate steps were taken to strengthen access controls for customer profile data. The agency also says it is working with the license system vendor to add more safeguards and enhanced monitoring.

In a statement to CyberGuy, TPWD said, “We recognize the seriousness of this issue and have identified and implemented additional security options to better protect customer information. Many of our staff are hunters and anglers and were affected by this incident. We are committed to working with the license system vendor to implement increased safeguards.”

TPWD also said license sales will continue on schedule for August and the next license year, adding that it believes “current and future customer data are not at risk.”

That means customers should be able to buy hunting and fishing licenses as planned while the state works through the fallout from the breach.

Who should take action now

If you bought a Texas hunting or fishing license, use this breach as a reason to check your accounts and tighten your identity protections.

Affected customers can confirm eligibility for one year of free credit monitoring by calling the dedicated response line at 844-959-7123.

The enrollment deadline is Sept. 14, 2026. The call center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT.

Do not wait for a suspicious charge or strange letter to show up. Breach cleanup works best when you act before someone tries to use your information.

How to protect yourself after the Texas Parks and Wildlife data breach

If you bought a Texas hunting or fishing license, these steps can help you reduce your risk and spot suspicious activity early.

1) Sign up for credit monitoring or consider identity theft protection

If you are eligible, sign up for the free credit monitoring before September 14, 2026. Credit monitoring can alert you when new credit activity appears in your name. It will not stop every type of identity fraud, but it can give you an early warning. If you were not affected by this breach, now is still a good time to consider identity theft protection. These services can help monitor your personal information, alert you to suspicious activity and guide you if someone tries to use your identity. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com

2) Freeze your credit

A credit freeze is one of the strongest moves you can make after a breach. It makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. You need to freeze your credit separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free. You can also lift the freeze when you need to apply for credit.

EMPTY ENVELOPES IN YOUR MAILBOX? DO NOT SCAN THAT CODE

3) Add a fraud alert

A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps before opening new credit in your name. You can place a free one-year fraud alert by contacting one of the major credit bureaus. That bureau should notify the other two. This is a good option if you want extra protection but are not ready to freeze your credit.

4) Report identity theft if something looks wrong

If you see signs that someone used your information, report it right away. That could include new accounts you did not open, strange letters about benefits, unfamiliar bills or credit checks you do not recognize. The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov can help you create a recovery plan based on what happened.

5) Remove your personal information from people-search sites

Your name, address and phone number may already appear on data broker sites. A breach can make that exposure feel even more personal. A data removal service can help reduce how much of your personal information appears online. You can also manually request removal from major people-search sites. 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.

6) Watch for driver’s license misuse

Because driver’s license information may have been exposed, pay close attention to anything tied to your ID. That includes notices about duplicate licenses, address changes, traffic issues, government benefits or accounts you did not request. If something feels off, contact the proper agency directly. Do not use a phone number or link from a surprise message.

7) Be careful with passport-related scams

If you provided a passport number, be extra cautious with calls or emails that claim there is a problem with your passport or travel documents. Do not give out personal information to someone who contacts you first. Go directly to the official agency website or call a verified number instead.

8) Watch for fake TPWD messages

Scammers may use this breach as bait. Be careful with any email, text or call that claims to come from Texas Parks and Wildlife, a license vendor or a credit monitoring service. Do not click links from surprise messages. Go directly to the official website or call the dedicated response line instead.

9) Use strong antivirus software

Scammers may use this breach to send fake emails, texts or links that look official. Strong antivirus software can help block malicious links, detect phishing attempts and warn you before you download something dangerous. Keep it updated on your phone, tablet and computer so it can catch newer threats. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

10) Do not share verification codes

If someone calls and asks for a code sent to your phone or email, stop. That is a major red flag. Scammers use those codes to get into accounts. No legitimate support agent should pressure you to hand one over.

11) Check your financial accounts

Even though TPWD says financial information was not obtained, you should still review your bank and credit card statements. Look for small test charges, unfamiliar subscriptions or anything that seems off. Report suspicious activity right away.

12) Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication

This breach does not appear to involve passwords, but scammers may use exposed personal details to target your other accounts. Use a password manager to create strong, unique passwords. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for important accounts, especially email, banking and shopping accounts.

WORLD CUP TICKET SCAMS TARGET DESPERATE FANS

Kurt’s key takeaways

This breach is a reminder that everyday government transactions can carry a lot of personal data behind the scenes. You may think of a hunting or fishing license as a routine purchase. But the information connected to that purchase can include driver’s license details, passport numbers, phone numbers and your home address. That gives imposters enough context to make a scam sound believable. The best move now is to stay ahead of it. Use the official response line, sign up for monitoring if you qualify, freeze your credit and be extra careful with any surprise message about your license or identity. The vendor may have been the target, but Texans are the ones left watching their information.

Should state agencies be required to publicly name vendors after a breach this large, or would that make future investigations harder? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
• Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

First announced over a year ago in April 2025, the Busy Bar will be available for purchase starting on July 14th when the device also starts shipping. Created by the same team behind the Flipper Zero wireless multitool, the Busy Bar is instead described as a “productivity multitool” that relies on a pixelated LED display to help reduce distractions and improve focus. The first 3,000 units purchased on July 14th will be discounted to $199, but the Busy Bar will normally retail for $249. Those who previously joined the Busy Bar waitlist will still be able to purchase one next month for $179.

The Busy Bar looks a lot like an alarm clock, but it’s designed to be used on a desk, perched atop a monitor or cubicle wall, or mounted to a wall or door. When installed in a place where it’s visible to coworkers, family, or roommates, the Busy Bar serves as a status display letting others know when you’re focusing on a task and shouldn’t be distracted.

At the push of a button, the Busy Bar will display a highly visible status message on its 72 x 16 LED pixelated screen that can include a countdown timer so potential distractors know when you’ll be available again. Alongside the status display, the Busy Bar can start a Pomodoro timer and mute notifications on other devices. The Busy Mode can be set to automatically activate through custom triggers, including when you join a phone call, start streaming, begin recording audio, or just open a specific app. It’s also Matter-compatible, allowing it to trigger smart home automations when you need to focus, such as dimming lights or playing music on a speaker.

Flipper Devices has created an open API for the Busy Bar so developers can create their own third-party apps to expand its usefulness and capabilities. You can potentially tie it into an office’s scheduling system to indicate when meeting rooms are booked or available, for example. There will also be accompanying apps available for the device on iOS, Android, macOS, and watchOS, with a native Windows app planned for later this year.

A routine heart test may be hiding a warning sign that doctors have missed for years. That is the big takeaway from new UC Berkeley research published in Nature. Researchers trained an artificial intelligence model to study ECGs, also called EKGs, and look for patterns tied to sudden cardiac death.

This is the scary part. Sudden cardiac arrest can strike people with known heart problems. However, it can also hit younger athletes and people who never knew they were at risk.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans die after cardiac arrest. Once it happens outside a hospital, survival can drop fast. CPR and a defibrillator can save lives, but timing is everything.

Now, AI may help doctors spot some patients earlier, while their hearts still look normal by today’s common tests.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
• Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

DIABETES DRUG COULD SLASH RISK OF FATAL HEART CONDITION IN ONE GROUP, SCIENTISTS REVEAL

How AI found a hidden heart risk

An ECG records the electrical activity of your heart. It creates the familiar spikes and waves doctors review to check rhythm and other heart clues.

For this study, researchers used more than 440,000 ECGs from Sweden. They paired those scans with death certificates and health records. Then they trained the AI model to look for waveform patterns linked to sudden cardiac death.

After that, they tested the model on separate patient data from the U.S. and Taiwan. That step is important because medical AI often looks good in one dataset, then fails in the real world. Here, the model held up across very different health systems.

Why today’s heart screening can miss people

Doctors often use a measurement called left ventricular ejection fraction, or LVEF, to judge risk. In plain terms, it shows how much blood the heart pushes out with each beat.

If that number falls below a certain threshold, a patient may qualify for an implantable defibrillator. That device can shock the heart back into rhythm during a dangerous event.

However, this method leaves big gaps. Many people who die suddenly never had that deeper heart evaluation. Others may have a heart that pumps normally but still be at risk for a dangerous rhythm problem.

The UC Berkeley model found a high-risk group with a 7% annual rate of sudden cardiac death. The standard reduced LVEF group had a 4.6% annual rate.

Even more striking, most patients flagged by the AI were missed by the LVEF method. In other words, a routine ECG may hold warning signs that current screening overlooks.

AI found a hidden ECG warning sign

The researchers did more than ask AI for a risk score. They also tried to understand what the model saw. That is important because medical AI can become a black box if doctors get an answer with no clear reason behind it.

To dig deeper, the team used another AI system to compare low-risk and high-risk ECG patterns. Think of it as a way to see how a normal-looking heartbeat pattern could shift into a higher-risk one.

That comparison pointed to a visible feature in one part of the ECG called aVL. This is one of the standard views doctors use to read the heart’s electrical activity. The feature showed up in the QRS complex, the part of the ECG that reflects the heart’s main electrical signal during each beat.

Researchers say this signal strongly predicted sudden cardiac death. They also say it had not been previously described in medical literature. That raises a fascinating possibility. AI may help doctors make better predictions and spot warning signs humans have missed.

LATEST COVID VACCINE MAY HAVE UNEXPECTED HEALTH BENEFIT, STUDY SUGGESTS

Why this could change defibrillator decisions

An implantable defibrillator can save a life. Still, putting one in the wrong patient has risks. The procedure can be invasive and costly. Also, many devices placed under current rules never need to fire.

So doctors face a brutal challenge. Miss the patient who needs the device and the result can be deadly. Implant too many and patients face procedures they may never need.

This new AI tool could help narrow that gap. It may flag patients who need closer monitoring before doctors consider bigger steps.

The next phase is already underway. Researchers are working with health systems in Sweden, Taiwan and the U.S. to test the algorithm on hospital ECG databases.

If the tool flags a scan as high risk, doctors could contact the patient. The patient may then wear a heart-monitoring patch. That could reveal more about the dangerous rhythm before it turns fatal.

The privacy question no one should ignore

There is another side to this story. Medical AI needs huge datasets to work well. Researchers said it took about a decade to compile the data used in this study. That tells you how hard serious clinical AI can be.

But it also raises a fair question. Who controls the data when your scan helps train a medical model? Hospitals, researchers and AI companies need clear guardrails. Patients should know how their health records get protected, shared and used.

Before sharing more health data, review health app permissions, logins and privacy settings. Health apps can hold sensitive information, so small privacy choices can have big consequences. Better prediction can save lives. However, trust will decide how quickly people accept these tools.

What this means to you

This AI tool is promising, but you cannot use it at home today. You cannot upload an ECG and get a personal risk score. Doctors are still testing it before it becomes part of routine care. Still, the idea is powerful. A routine heart test you may have already had could one day reveal a hidden risk that today’s screening might miss.

For now, do not ignore warning signs. Fainting, unexplained dizziness, a racing heartbeat or a family history of sudden cardiac death should be discussed with a doctor. A normal checkup does not always mean every heart risk has been ruled out. If your doctor wants you to track blood pressure, compatible cuffs can sync readings with Apple Health. Wearables can also flag some heart-health clues, including possible hypertension alerts, but they do not replace a doctor.

Also, know what to do in an emergency. Learn CPR if you can. Look for AEDs at work, school, gyms and public places. When cardiac arrest happens, fast action can help save a life.

Watch the CyberGuy Live replay: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes

Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here:CyberGuyLive.com

8 COMMON FOOD PRESERVATIVES LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART DISEASE

Kurt’s key takeaways

This is the kind of AI breakthrough that grabs me because it starts with something so ordinary: a routine ECG. Many of us have had one. You lie back, a few stickers go on your chest and a machine prints out a wave pattern most people never think about again. Now, researchers say AI may be able to find a hidden warning sign in that pattern. That is powerful because sudden cardiac death often gives families no time to prepare and doctors no second chance. However, this tool still needs more testing before it becomes part of everyday care. Doctors need to know it works across more patients. Hospitals need a plan for what happens after an AI alert. Patients also deserve clear privacy protections when their medical scans help train these systems. Still, the idea is hard to ignore. A common heart test could someday help spot danger before a person collapses. That to me is hopeful, unsettling and exactly why this kind of medical AI deserves very close attention.

Would you want an AI system scanning your old medical tests for hidden health risks? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
• Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join. 

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.