Technology
Your Microsoft text codes are going away
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If you have ever waited for a login code that never showed up, you already know the pain. You type in your password. Microsoft asks for a code. Then you stare at your phone like it owes you money. Now Microsoft wants to move even further away from that routine.
The company says it will phase out SMS codes as a sign-in and account recovery method for personal Microsoft accounts. Instead, Microsoft wants more people to use passkeys and verified email. This affects anyone who uses a personal Microsoft account. That can include Outlook, OneDrive, Windows, Xbox or Microsoft 365 users.
That may sound like another tech company forcing you to change your habits. In this case, though, there is a real security reason behind it. Text-message codes helped make account logins safer for years. They were never built, however, to protect your digital life. Crooks have learned how to abuse them, steal them and trick people into handing them over.
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Microsoft is phasing out SMS codes for personal account sign-ins and recovery, pushing users toward passkeys and verified email for stronger security. (Photo Illustration by Serene Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Why Microsoft is moving away from SMS codes
Microsoft says SMS authentication has become a major source of fraud. Text messages can be intercepted, stolen through SIM-swap scams or captured through phishing attacks. That creates a real problem because your Microsoft account can unlock a lot. It may connect to Outlook, OneDrive, Xbox, Windows, Microsoft 365 and saved payment details.
Once a criminal gets into that account, the damage can spread fast. They may read your email, reset other passwords or look for private files stored in the cloud. SMS codes once felt like a strong extra layer. Today, they can give people a false sense of security.
A scammer may call your phone carrier and try to move your number to another SIM card. They may also send a fake Microsoft login page that asks for your code. If you type it in, the scammer can use it right away. That is why Microsoft wants users to move toward passkeys. Microsoft has not listed a universal cutoff date for every personal account. However, it says users who still rely on SMS will be guided to add a verified email and set up a passkey.
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What a Microsoft passkey does
A passkey lets you sign in without typing a traditional password. Instead, you use something already tied to your device. That may be your face, fingerprint, device PIN or a physical security key.
Here is the key difference. A passkey uses cryptography behind the scenes. One part stays with Microsoft. The private part stays on your device or inside your password manager. A scammer cannot simply trick you into reading a passkey over the phone.
That makes passkeys much harder to steal than SMS codes. They can also feel easier once you set them up. You may be able to sign in with your fingerprint or face instead of waiting for a text that may never arrive.
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Why Microsoft passkeys may feel confusing at first
Security upgrades can be annoying. SMS codes are familiar. Most people know how they work. Even when they are clunky, they feel simple. Passkeys can feel confusing at first. You may wonder where the passkey lives. You may also wonder what happens if you lose your phone or whether you need one for every device.
That confusion is real. It can get worse if you set up a new Windows PC, use a shared computer or switch devices often. The good news is that Microsoft says verified email will remain part of the account recovery process. So you should make sure your backup email address is current before you run into a lockout.
How to set up or add a passkey to your Microsoft account
Before you start, use a device you trust. Also, make sure your browser and operating system are updated.
- Go to Microsoft’s account security page at account.microsoft.com/security and sign in.
- Under Account Security, select Manage how I sign in.
- Under Ways to prove who you are, look for Use a passkey.
- If you already see a passkey listed, such as Apple iCloud Keychain, your account already has one set up.
- To add another passkey or sign-in method, select Add another way to sign in to your account.
- Choose Use a passkey or Face, fingerprint, PIN or security key, depending on the wording you see.
- Follow the prompts on your device.
- Choose where you want to save the passkey, such as Apple iCloud Keychain, a password manager, your phone, your computer or a physical security key.
- Finish the setup process and confirm the passkey works.
Note: Microsoft’s support pages may say Advanced Security Options, or Add a new way to sign in or verify. However, in the current Microsoft account dashboard, many users may see Manage how I sign in and then Add another way to sign in to your account instead.
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The tech giant says text-message authentication is increasingly vulnerable to phishing attacks, SIM-swap scams and account takeovers. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Microsoft account security steps to take now
Do not rush through this change. A few minutes of cleanup can save you a big headache later.
1) Add a backup email you still use
Your recovery email should be an account you can access today. If it points to an old work email or a forgotten inbox, update it.
2) Remove old phone numbers
Check whether your Microsoft account still lists an old number. If it does, remove it or replace it with your current number.
3) Turn on Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator can give you another secure way to verify your identity. It can also help if you have trouble with SMS or email.
4) Save recovery codes safely
If Microsoft offers backup codes, store them somewhere secure. Do not keep them in a plain note called “Microsoft password.”
5) Use a strong password manager
Even if you move to passkeys, a password manager still helps. It can store strong passwords, flag reused logins and help you avoid fake sign-in pages. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
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Passkeys allow Microsoft users to sign in with a fingerprint, face scan, device PIN or security key instead of waiting for a text code. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Microsoft’s move away from SMS codes may feel inconvenient at first. However, the old text-code system has too many weak spots. A passkey will not make you invincible. No security tool can promise that. Still, it can make account theft much harder for scammers who rely on fake login pages, stolen codes and SIM-swap tricks. If your Microsoft account holds years of email, family photos or work files, this change deserves your attention. Set up a passkey, verify your backup email and remove old recovery options.
Would you trust a text message to protect your most important account, or has that comfort become the risk? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
If you’re planning to travel this summer, both a Bluetooth tracker and a personal safety device can come in handy, especially if you’ll be exploring on your own. The Pebblebee Halo combines those two gadgets into one, and it’s currently on sale for $49.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is the best price we’ve seen. Amazon is also throwing in a fourth Halo for free when you buy three as a part of a limited time promotion.
Whether you’re touring a new city or heading back to your hotel after a night out, the Halo can help in a variety of situations. Like the Pebblebee Clip 5 — our favorite AirTag and Tile alternative — the rechargeable, water-resistant tracker does a good job of accurately helping you keep tabs of bags, wallets, keys, and other valuables. It offers up to 500 feet of Bluetooth range and taps into both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, so you can locate items even further away.
What really sets it apart is that it’s also a personal safety device. With a quick pull, you can trigger off a piercingly loud 130dB siren, bright strobe lights, and automatic location sharing with one trusted contact. If you’d like to send your real-time location to multiple contacts at once, you’ll need Pebblebee’s Alert Live subscription (which costs $24.99 a year), but the good news is the service is included free for the first year, making the Halo an even better value at this price.
We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.
“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.
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Apple devices have earned a reputation for being tough to break into. That comes from Apple’s tight control over the hardware, software and many of the protections standing between you and an attacker. However, a new claim from security startup Calif shows how quickly the cybersecurity world may be changing.
Calif says a small team of researchers used a preview version of Anthropic’s Claude Mythos to help build a working macOS kernel exploit against Apple’s new M5 chip protections in less than a week. A kernel exploit targets the core part of an operating system, which controls how your device runs and what apps can access.
The company says the exploit survived Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement, or MIE, a security feature designed to make memory-based attacks much harder on newer chips. The bigger concern is speed. Artificial intelligence may help skilled researchers find serious software flaws faster than ever before, which means scammers and cybercriminals could eventually use similar tools to find weak spots before companies have time to patch them.
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Security researchers claim an AI-assisted tool helped build a working macOS kernel exploit against Apple’s M5 chip protections in less than a week. The report raises new questions about how quickly AI could accelerate vulnerability discovery. (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Join CyberGuy Live: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes (Saturday, June 13, 10 am ET)
Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free, live online class, Kurt the CyberGuy will walk you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do in real time. 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. Register here: CyberGuyLive.com.
Apple M5 AI exploit claim explained
Calif says its researchers built what it describes as the first public macOS kernel memory corruption exploit on M5 silicon with MIE enabled. The company says the attack targets macOS 26.4.1 on Apple M5 hardware.
It begins with a regular local user account and ends with root access. Root access gives someone the highest level of control on a Mac. That could let an attacker change system settings, reach sensitive files or run commands with powerful permissions.
That sounds alarming, but it needs context. Calif described this as a local privilege escalation chain. In everyday terms, an attacker would already need some way to get code running on the Mac first. This type of attack would more likely follow another step, such as a malicious download or compromised installer. Once bad code gets that first foothold, a privilege escalation bug can help it dig much deeper.
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Why Apple M5 security protections matter
Memory corruption bugs have been a favorite target for attackers for years. These flaws can let attackers crash software, steal data or take over parts of a system.
Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement was designed to make that type of attack far more difficult. Apple says MIE uses hardware-assisted memory safety protections on A19 and M5 processors or later. In simpler terms, MIE helps the chip and operating system check whether software touches memory in suspicious ways. That makes many older attack tricks harder to pull off.
That is why Calif’s claim warrants attention. The researchers say they found a way around those protections with help from Mythos Preview. That suggests AI could speed up the hunt for flaws, even in systems with advanced built-in defenses.
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How Claude Mythos helped find Apple bugs
Calif says Mythos Preview helped identify the bugs and assisted throughout exploit development. The company also made clear that human expertise still mattered.
According to Calif, Mythos found the bugs quickly because they belonged to known bug classes. However, bypassing Apple’s new protection required experienced researchers.
Think of it this way: AI helped point the researchers toward weak spots. People still had to understand how to turn those findings into a working exploit. That makes the story more concerning because AI may help skilled teams move much faster.
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Mozilla has already seen similar potential. The organization said an early version of Claude Mythos Preview helped identify 271 vulnerabilities fixed in Firefox 150. Mozilla said those findings came during an evaluation of the model’s ability to help with security work.
So the bigger story goes beyond Apple. Advanced AI tools may give security researchers more speed. Those same tools could eventually help attackers search for software flaws faster, too.
Why the Apple M5 AI exploit should worry Mac users
Most people do not think about kernel exploits when they open up their laptops. They think about email, work and family photos. That is exactly why this story hits closer to home than it may seem.
If researchers can find high-impact bugs faster with AI, attackers may eventually try to do the same. The unsettling part is the speed. A flaw that once took months to discover might surface much sooner when AI helps scan code and suggest attack paths.
Calif called its work “a glimpse of what is coming.” That may sound dramatic, but the warning is easy to understand. Cybersecurity teams may need AI to defend systems as quickly as attackers use AI to search for weak spots.
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A cybersecurity startup says researchers used Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview to uncover flaws that bypass Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement on M5-powered Macs. (Photo by Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
What the Apple M5 exploit means to you
This does not mean your Mac has suddenly become unsafe. Apple’s security model remains one of the strongest in consumer tech. It also does not mean MIE failed as a protection. No security feature blocks every attack forever.
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However, updates now matter more than ever. Calif says it shared its findings with Apple and plans to release full technical details after Apple ships a fix. That is how responsible disclosure should work. Researchers report the issue first, the company investigates it, and users get a patch before attackers get a roadmap.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
That brings us to this: what you can do now to lower your risk.
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How to protect your Mac from AI-powered attacks
You do not need to become a cybersecurity expert to lower your risk. A few smart habits can make it much harder for attackers to get the access they need.
1) Keep macOS updated
Start with software updates. On your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. Install any available macOS updates. Also, turn on automatic updates where possible. This helps your Mac get important security fixes without waiting for you to remember.
2) Avoid suspicious downloads
Be careful with apps from links, pop-ups or unfamiliar websites. If an attacker needs code running on your Mac first, a fake app can become the front door. Download apps from the Mac App Store or directly from trusted developers. Also, pause before opening installers sent through email or social media links. Strong antivirus software can add another layer of protection by helping detect malicious downloads, suspicious links and scam websites before they put your Mac at risk. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
3) Check app permissions
Review which apps have access to sensitive parts of your Mac. Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security and check permissions for areas such as Accessibility, Camera, Microphone and Screen Recording. Remove access for apps you do not recognize or no longer use. These permissions can give apps powerful reach across your device.
4) Use strong Apple Account protection
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Apple Account. This adds another layer of protection if someone steals or guesses your password. Also, use a strong, unique password. Do not reuse the same password you use for email or banking. A password manager can help create and store unique passwords for each account, so you do not have to remember them all yourself. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
5) Keep browsers and extensions updated
Your browser is one of the most common places where attacks begin. Keep Safari, Chrome, Firefox or any other browser updated. Then, review your browser extensions. Remove anything you do not use or do not recognize. A shady extension can track your activity, inject ads or collect sensitive data.
Safari: Open Safari > Settings > Extensions. Uncheck any extension you do not recognize or select it and click Uninstall. Safari extensions update automatically with their apps.
Chrome: Open Chrome > three dots > Help > About Google Chrome to check for updates. To review extensions, go to Chrome > three dots > Extensions > Manage Extensions. Remove anything suspicious or unnecessary.
Firefox: Open Firefox > Firefox menu > About Firefox to check for updates. To review add-ons, go to Firefox > Add-ons and themes > Extensions. Remove anything you do not recognize. Firefox recommends keeping add-ons set to update automatically.
6) Watch for fake security alerts
Scammers love fake pop-ups that claim your Mac has a virus. These alerts often push you to download software or call a fake support number. Do not click the warning or call the number on the screen. Close the tab or quit the browser. If you feel unsure, restart your Mac and check for updates through System Settings.
7) Back up your Mac
Use Time Machine or another trusted backup method. A recent backup can help you recover if malware damages files or locks you out. Keep at least one backup separate from your Mac. That way, a device problem does not take your backup down with it.
8) Restart your Mac regularly
Many people leave their Macs running for weeks. A restart can help clear temporary processes and apply pending updates. A restart will not solve every security problem, but it can help your Mac finish updates and clear out processes that no longer need to run.
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Apple’s latest chip security features are under scrutiny after researchers claimed an AI-assisted exploit achieved root access on M5 hardware running macOS 26.4.1. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple built serious protections into its newest chips, and that still matters. But Calif’s claim shows that even the strongest consumer security systems now face a new kind of pressure. AI is starting to change the speed of vulnerability research. For you, the lesson is this. Keep your Mac updated. Be careful what you install. Review the apps that have deep access to your system. The age of “set it and forget it” security is fading fast. Your device may be smart, but the tools looking for its weak spots are getting smarter too.
If AI can help a small team challenge Apple’s newest defenses in days, should companies be required to disclose how they are using AI to find and fix security flaws before attackers do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
- 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.
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