It was a bombshell. Operatives from two Russian spy agencies had infiltrated computers of the Democratic National Committee, months before the US national election. One agency — nicknamed Cozy Bear by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike — used a tool that was “ingenious in its simplicity and power” to insert malicious code into the DNC’s computers, CrowdStrike’s …

Did Uber break the law by collecting information on users’ iPhones to identify the devices even after people had deleted the Uber app? That’s what a consumer advocacy group asked the US Federal Trade Commission to find out in a complaint sent Thursday (PDF). Consumer Watchdog told the FTC in its complaint that this kind of tracking violates federal privacy …

Requests for Facebook user information from law enforcement agencies around the world increased by 9 percent in the last half of 2016, the company reported Thursday. The figure came as part of Facebook’s global government requests report, which it puts out twice a year. In total, law enforcement asked for user information 64,279 times, compared with 59,229 requests from the …

Facebook is bringing some cool tricks to its camera apps using machine learning technology. The social media giant is building features into the camera apps on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger that could let you shoot 3D pictures with a single lens and apply different artistic styles to videos, the company said Wednesday at F8, its annual developer conference. Powering those …

Can you hear that? It’s the sound of an FCC plan to let airplane passengers make phone calls fizzling out. On Monday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated an order that would end the agency’s 2013 plan to decide whether to change its recommendation that cell phones not be used on airplanes. The plan opened the issue for public comment and …

Chinese tech company LeEco won’t go through with a deal announced in July to buy US TV manufacturer Vizio for $2 billion. Citing “regulatory headwinds,” the companies said in a joint statement that they’d still be looking for ways to partner with each other. “We continue to believe that there is great synergy between the two companies,” the statement said. …

If you’re crossing the border into the US, customs officials have broad rights to search your phone, laptop and other electronic devices. You can try to resist. But refusing to tell Customs and Border Protection your password might lead agents to detain you indefinitely, confiscate your devices or send you off to be deported. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers, …

Password managers: they’re the best way to keep your accounts safe from hackers. They’re also one of the most tempting targets on the internet for hackers. That irony was on clear display for all of last week, when password manager LastPass said it was fixing a major flaw. Found by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy, the flaw was so serious …

Now playing: Watch this: VPN explained: A privacy primer — with robots and race… 1:39 Enlarge Image Interest in VPNs hit a five-year high after Congress voted to kill FCC internet privacy rules. Screenshot by CNET Your internet service provider can sell your browsing history to the highest bidder. That’s the creepy truth internet users in the US woke up …

Chances are, your Android phone would be easy pickings for hackers. That’s according to research released Thursday by cybersecurity company Skycure, which found that 71 percent of Android phones on the five major US carriers haven’t been patched with the latest security updates. The report highlights the risks posed by not updating smartphones, and the challenges Google faces in delivering …