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         October 05, 2026
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         October 22, 2026
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         October 22, 2026
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         October 21, 2026
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         October 21, 2026
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             6 min read
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         October 21, 2026
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               WhatsApp rolls out new parental controls for teens. Here’s how to set them up
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         October 05, 2026
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      </a><!----><!----> <!----></div> <a href="/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/cult-like-online-harassment-targeting-children" title="How cult-like online groups target children through gaming" class="tw-block"><h3 class="tw-font-bold tw-leading-tight tw-line-clamp-3 tw-text-lg">
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         October 05, 2026
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         October 01, 2026
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         October 01, 2026
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         September 21, 2026
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{layout:"default",data:[{featuredPost:[{id:ar,title:as,slug:at,feature_image:au,featured:y,published_at:av,custom_excerpt:K,html:aw,tags:[{id:L,name:M,slug:N,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:$,name:aa,slug:ab,profile_image:ac,cover_image:ad,bio:ae,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:K,reading_time:af,url:ax}],topPost:[{id:O,title:P,slug:Q,feature_image:R,featured:c,published_at:S,custom_excerpt:a,plaintext:"Britain’s financial regulator is warning financial institutions that increasingly autonomous AI systems could cause widespread disruption, expose customers to cyber threats, and make accountability harder to establish. It wants firms to report serious AI failures and near-misses before they turn into bigger problems.\n\nArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday banking, from customer service chatbots to fraud detection and automated financial decisions. But what happens when an AI system makes a costly mistake, exposes sensitive information, or nearly triggers a disaster?\n\nThe UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) wants financial firms to prepare for precisely those scenarios — and report significant AI-related failures, including incidents that were narrowly avoided.\n\n\nKey points\n\n\n * The FCA wants financial institutions to report significant AI failures and near-misses, not just incidents that cause actual damage\n * 86% of financial firms now use AI, the regulator says, citing an upcoming joint survey with the Bank of England\n * Autonomous AI agents could introduce new cybersecurity risks as they gain the ability to manage payments, investments and other transactions\n * Firms are being urged to stress-test AI systems, maintain human oversight and prepare fallback procedures\n * Consumers are increasingly using general-purpose AI chatbots for financial advice, often without understanding the limits of their protections\n\n\n\nAI failures could become a regulatory priority\n\n\n\nJessica Rusu, the FCA's chief data, information and intelligence officer, warned that the financial sector's growing dependence on AI creates risks that existing safeguards must address.\n\n\"Poorly governed AI can create consumer harm, cyber vulnerabilities and operational failures, potentially at much greater speed and scale,\" Rusu said at Bloomberg's UK Policy Series on Oct. 19.\n\nThe regulator already requires firms to report major operational incidents. Rusu argued that this obligation must also cover significant AI failures and near-misses.\n\nA near-miss might involve an AI system attempting an unauthorized transaction that is blocked by a security control, or a chatbot generating dangerously incorrect financial information that’s spotted before reaching customers.\n\nNeither scenario necessarily inflicts immediate harm, but both could reveal weaknesses that might cause serious problems later.\n\nThe idea is similar to safety reporting in aviation, where investigating narrowly avoided accidents can help prevent future disasters.\n\nThe FCA's announcement signals a supervisory expectation, rather than a new, finalized AI-specific reporting regime.\n\n\nWhen AI starts making financial decisions\n\n\n\nThe FCA is particularly concerned about the emergence of agentic AI — systems capable of taking actions on behalf of users rather than simply answering questions.\n\nUnlike conventional chatbots, AI agents could compare financial products, initiate payments, manage investments and interact with other automated systems.\n\nSuch capabilities promise greater convenience but also introduce new security challenges.\n\nAn AI assistant that merely provides inaccurate information can mislead a customer. An autonomous agent acting on that information could potentially execute an unwanted transaction before anyone notices.\n\nCompromised AI agents, manipulated instructions, excessive permissions and weak authentication could also create opportunities for cybercriminals.\n\nFor example, an attacker might try to manipulate an AI-powered financial assistant into changing payment details or disclosing sensitive customer information.\n\nThe regulator wants the industry to develop clearer safeguards around agent identity, delegated authority, accountability and transaction execution.\n\nIn other words, financial institutions need to establish not only what an AI system can do, but who is responsible when something goes wrong.\n\n\nBanks are already making mistakes with AI\n\n\n\nAlongside Rusu's speech, the FCA published examples of good and poor AI practices observed during its engagement with financial firms.\n\nSome findings suggest that institutions are adopting AI faster than they’re developing safeguards to manage it.\n\nThe regulator identified firms that deployed AI tools with insufficient testing, introduced governance procedures only after deployment, or failed to maintain adequate records of automated decisions.\n\nIt also warned against treating human oversight as a formality.\n\nIn one example, reviewers increasingly accepted AI-generated recommendations without meaningful scrutiny, even when there were signs of errors.\n\nThe FCA highlighted better practices, including limiting chatbots to approved information sources, maintaining audit trails, and allowing customers to escalate problems to human advisers.\n\nA system that works correctly during testing may behave differently when exposed to unusual circumstances, changing models or large numbers of simultaneous transactions.\n\nRusu urged financial firms to stress-test AI systems, understand their dependence on external technology suppliers, and maintain fallback options when automated services fail.\n\n\nConsumers may not realize AI financial advice comes without protection\n\n\n\nThe regulator also raised concerns about consumers turning to general-purpose AI chatbots for financial guidance.\n\nAccording to figures cited by the FCA, four in five less-experienced investors aged 18 to 40 have used AI to help with investing.\n\nYet only 40% of consumers recognize that acting on advice from a general-purpose AI tool doesn’t result in the same regulatory recourse as receiving advice from an authorized financial adviser.\n\nThe FCA is calling on AI providers to make these limitations clearer through consistent, proportionate warnings.\n\nThe watchdog wants consumers to understand when they are dealing with an authorized financial institution and when they are simply receiving information generated by an AI model.\n\n\nHow to protect your finances when using AI for financial decisions\n\n\n\nAI can be useful for explaining financial concepts, comparing terminology or helping consumers formulate questions. However, it should not be treated as an unquestionable financial authority.\n\nA few precautions can help reduce the risks:\n\n * Verify financial recommendations independently. Check investment claims, fees, risks and product details against official sources before making decisions\n * Check who you're dealing with. In the UK, use the FCA Firm Checker to establish whether a financial services provider is authorized\n * Be cautious about granting AI agents financial access. Understand what an assistant can see, what transactions it can initiate, and whether it requires your approval\n * Avoid sharing sensitive financial information. Don't paste banking passwords, authentication codes or unnecessary personal details into general-purpose chatbots\n * Watch for AI-powered impersonation scams. Criminals can use convincing AI-generated messages, voices and websites to impersonate banks, investment advisers and support representatives\n * Secure your accounts and devices. Enable multi-factor authentication, keep software updated, and use reputable security software to help detect phishing, malicious links and other threats\n\nIf an AI-powered banking service produces an unexpected transaction or suspicious recommendation, stop interacting with it and contact the financial institution through an official channel.\n\n\nBottom line\n\n\n\nThe FCA isn't calling for banks to abandon artificial intelligence. It wants them to recognize that the technology introduces risks that can spread faster than conventional operational failures.\n\nAs AI moves from answering questions to making decisions and carrying out transactions, the consequences of a mistake become harder to contain.\n\nReporting close calls, maintaining meaningful human oversight and testing systems against unexpected behavior could help financial institutions catch dangerous weaknesses before customers pay the price.\n\nOn topic:\n\nUK warns powerful AI models could pose security risks before they're even released\n\nAI agents want to shop for you; banks warn of scams and privacy risks\n\nBritain’s big push to make the internet safer",authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:T,name:U,slug:V,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:z,name:A,slug:B,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:W,url:X},{id:ay,title:az,slug:aA,feature_image:aB,featured:c,published_at:aC,custom_excerpt:a,plaintext:"WhatsApp is rolling out new controls that let parents manage parts of their teenager’s experience without accessing their private conversations.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n\n * WhatsApp is rolling out optional parental controls for users aged 13 to 17\n * Parents can manage privacy settings and some features using a six-digit PIN\n * Teens need parental approval to make protected settings less restrictive\n * Parents can receive alerts about activity such as new contacts and groups, but can’t read their teen’s messages\n * Parents can restrict Channels, Status and their teen’s experience with Meta AI\n * The controls require the parent and teen to agree to link their WhatsApp accounts\n * The feature is rolling out gradually and may not yet be available everywhere\n\n\n\nMore oversight without reading their messages\n\n\n\nWhatsApp is giving parents more say over how their teenagers use the messaging service, including who can see their information, how they interact with groups and Channels, and what content they can access through Meta AI.\n\nThe messaging service announced the new controls on Sept. 30, describing them as a way for parents to guide teenagers without looking over their shoulder.\n\nOnce accounts are linked, parents can manage privacy settings such as who can see their teen’s profile information and who can add them to groups. A teen can still adjust their own privacy settings, but making a protected setting less restrictive requires approval using the parent's PIN.\n\nParents can also receive notifications about certain changes and activities. For example, WhatsApp can alert them when their teenager adds a contact, creates or joins a group, or changes their profile picture, or when a group they belong to grows significantly. Parents can choose which of these notifications to receive.\n\nThe system also gives parents some control over WhatsApp features that extend beyond one-to-one messaging.\n\nFor Status, parents can decide whose updates their teen can see and who can see their teen's updates.\n\nFor Channels, they can allow access to all Channels, limit their teen to parent-approved Channels, or block Channel access. They can also prevent their teen from creating a Channel.\n\nPerhaps most notably, given the growing use of AI among young people, parents can choose between WhatsApp's standard 13+ Meta AI experience and a Limited setting designed to further restrict the topics their teenager can discuss with the chatbot.\n\n\nWhat parents still can't see\n\n\n\nSource: WhatsApp\n\nThe new controls don't turn WhatsApp into a surveillance tool.\n\nParents can’t read their teenager's personal messages or listen to their calls. WhatsApp says conversations remain end-to-end encrypted, meaning nobody outside a conversation – including a linked parent or WhatsApp itself – can access their contents.\n\nThat's an important distinction.\n\nParental controls can reduce exposure to strangers, inappropriate content and unwanted interactions. But they don't tell parents everything happening inside a conversation. A teenager could still encounter scams, manipulation, cyberbullying, inappropriate requests or malicious links from someone they're already communicating with.\n\nThe controls work best as guardrails rather than a substitute for conversations about online safety.\n\n\nHow to set up WhatsApp parental controls for your teen\n\n\n\nWhatsApp says its new controls are designed for kids aged 13 to 17, while the parent or guardian linking the account must be at least 18. Both parent and teen must agree to link their accounts, and both devices need the latest version of WhatsApp.\n\nTo set up parental controls, you'll need both phones:\n\n1.     On your teen's phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings \u003E Parental controls \u003E Continue\n\n2.     Enter your teen's birthday and confirm their age\n\n3.     Tap Continue to begin linking a parent's account\n\n4.     A QR code will appear on the teen's device\n\n5.     Using the parent's phone, scan the QR code with the phone's camera and follow the link into WhatsApp\n\n6.     Tap Continue and complete the adult-verification process\n\n7.     Create a six-digit parent PIN and confirm it. This PIN is required to access and change protected settings\n\n8.     Return to your teen's phone, enter the parent PIN and review the available privacy and feature settings\n\n9.     Tap Continue \u003E Done to finish setup\n\nAfterwards, parents can manage settings from the teen's device by opening WhatsApp \u003E Settings \u003E Parental controls and entering the parent PIN.\n\nParents can also review activity from their own device by opening WhatsApp \u003E Settings \u003E Parental controls and selecting their teenager's account.\n\nThe controls are optional and can be removed later. WhatsApp says the feature is rolling out gradually, so don't be surprised if it isn’t in your settings yet. Keeping WhatsApp updated will ensure the feature becomes available when it reaches your account or region.\n\n\nWhat about younger children?\n\n\n\nWhatsApp now makes an important distinction between teenagers and younger children.\n\nEarlier this year, the company began rolling out parent-managed accounts for children under 13 – or an older minimum age where required by local rules. These accounts are much more restrictive and focus primarily on messaging and calling under parental supervision.\n\nParents can manage who contacts the child, review requests from unknown people, control privacy settings and receive alerts about certain account activity. Personal conversations still remain end-to-end encrypted and inaccessible to the parent.\n\nBoth parent-managed accounts and the newer controls for teens are being introduced gradually, so availability can vary by country and account.\n\n\nParental controls are only one layer of protection\n\n\n\nGiving parents better controls inside WhatsApp is useful, particularly because messaging apps sit at the intersection of so many risks young people encounter online.\n\nBut no collection of privacy switches can prevent every scam, malicious link, compromised account or manipulation attempt.\n\nParents should teach children and teenagers to be suspicious of unexpected requests for money or personal information, to never share passwords or verification codes, and to be cautious when someone suddenly asks them to move a conversation, download a file or click a link.\n\nYoung people should also know that identities can be faked online. A message appearing to come from a friend or relative doesn't necessarily mean that person actually sent it – particularly if an account has been compromised.\n\nAnd make sure children know that blocking and reporting someone is always an option if a conversation makes them uncomfortable.\n\n\nAdd another layer of protection for the whole family\n\n\n\nWhatsApp's parental controls can help manage what happens inside WhatsApp, but a child's digital life doesn't stop at a single app.\n\nThat's where device-level security and broader parental controls can complement the safeguards built into individual platforms.\n\nBitdefender Family Plans provide security for up to five family members and 25 devices, with different roles and protections for parents, teenagers and children. Depending on the plan, families can combine real-time protection against online threats with parental controls, scam protection, privacy features and other security tools.\n\nBitdefender Parental Control lets parents set internet time limits, filter inappropriate content and get a clearer picture of children's online activity, while the wider security suite helps protect family devices against malicious websites, phishing attempts, risky downloads and other threats.\n\nThe goal isn't to watch everything children do online. It's to put sensible safeguards around them while they learn how to make safer decisions themselves.\n\nOn topic:\n\nSafer messaging for kids: how to set up a parent-managed WhatsApp account for your child\n\nWhatsApp makes account theft harder: how to turn on the new defenses\n\nWhatsApp usernames explained: how to reserve yours and stay safe",authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:aD,name:aE,slug:aF,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:aG,url:aH},{id:aI,title:aJ,slug:aK,feature_image:aL,featured:c,published_at:aM,custom_excerpt:a,plaintext:"A recent ABC investigation highlights a troubling form of online exploitation affecting Australian children through coercive, cult-like networks that use games, social platforms and messaging apps.\n\nThese networks can use friendship, harassment, threats and blackmail to gain control over a child. In some cases, victims are pressured into creating sexual material, isolating themselves from the people who care about them, or harming themselves.\n\nThis risk isn’t limited to children in Australia. The individuals behind these networks operate across borders, targeting children with online access, particularly those who are lonely, distressed, looking for acceptance, or going through a difficult time.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n * Children can be approached through online games, then encouraged to move to private chat apps\n * Seemingly harmless questions can be used to collect personal information and make threats more convincing\n * Some victims are pressured into sharing intimate content, self-harming or isolating themselves from family and friends\n * Police warn that victims can also be coerced into targeting other children\n * Parents should know which games, platforms and chat apps their children use, keep conversations open and use parental controls as an added layer of protection\n\n\nHow a gaming conversation can turn into exploitation\n\nIn the ABC report, a teenager identified as Emma described meeting someone through an online game (Roblox) after he praised her gaming skills. He then encouraged her to move the conversation to the Discord platform, which allows messaging, video chat and file-sharing.\n\n\"I met this guy … he said that I was really good at the game,\" the young girl told ABC.\n\nAt first, the questions seemed ordinary: her age, school and other personal details. But the conversation escalated. Emma was asked for selfies and then more explicit images. The person threatened to share material if she didn’t comply.\n\n\"Then he started asking me for, like, pics that were not good … [telling] me 'if you don't do this, I will leak you,'\" she said.\n\nBy that point, he had gathered enough information to identify Emma and her parents, including their contact details.\n\nHer story shows why parents shouldn't assume a child will recognize danger immediately. The first message may come from someone who seems friendly, supportive or close in age. They may be playing the same game, listening to the same music or simply offering the kind of attention a child feels they need at that moment.\n\n\"They made me upset, but I was too scared to tell my parents. That's the main thing. I never told my parents about any of this,\" Emma explains.\n\n\nWhat law enforcement is seeing\n\nEmma’s case is among 19 referrals made to the WA Police Force cybercrime squad in the past 18 months, according to the ABC. That figure reflects referrals, not necessarily confirmed cases tied to one specific group.\n\nPolice say victims may be pressured into self-harm, sexual exploitation or other harmful acts. One especially troubling pattern is that some children are then coerced into becoming offenders themselves by approaching, manipulating or harassing others.\n\nThese groups do not necessarily function like a traditional cult with a fixed leader or formal membership. But they can use cult-like methods: creating a sense of belonging, rewarding obedience, making harmful behavior appear normal, and convincing victims that they cannot leave or ask for help. For the child, the experience can quickly become frightening and isolating.\n\nLaw enforcement describes this as a growing global threat. The Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation says offenders may approach children through gaming platforms, social media apps and forums, first offering friendship, attention or a sense of belonging.\n\nThe relationship can then become extremely controlling. An offender may encourage a child to move to a private chat app, ask increasingly personal questions, make them keep secrets or use threats to make them comply.\n\nIn October 2025, the AFP said it had identified 59 alleged Australian members of a decentralized online crime network associated with child exploitation, cybercrime and violence.\n\n\nDoxxing and swatting: tactics used to scare children into silence\n\nOnce an offender has personal information, threats can become more believable.\n\nDoxxing is the act of sharing someone’s personal information online without their permission. This could include a child’s name, phone number, home address, school, or details about their parents and their work. The goal is to frighten the victim or encourage others to harass them.\n\nSwatting is another intimidation tactic these individuals use. It involves making a false emergency report to send police or emergency responders to someone’s home.\n\nA child who believes an offender knows where they live, who their parents are or how to reach them may feel trapped. They may hide what is happening because they are ashamed, frightened or worried that they will get in trouble.\n\nThat’s why the response at home matters so much. Children need to know they can ask for help, even if they have shared something personal, spoken to a stranger or ignored well established rules within the family.\n\n\nWarning signs parents should not ignore\n\nThere is no single sign that proves a child is being targeted. But a sudden change in behavior around devices, games, or online friends is worth noticing.\n\nBe on the lookout for these changes in your child’s behavior:\n\n * Hides their screen, quickly closes apps or becomes unusually protective of a device\n * Withdraws from family, friends, school or activities they would normally enjoy\n * Seems distressed, anxious or angry after being online\n * Becomes secretive about a particular game, chat app or online friend\n * Suddenly uses unfamiliar apps, has multiple accounts or private group chats\n * Receives unexplained gifts, in-game currency or attention from strangers\n * Appears fearful that someone will share information or images about them\n * Talks about self-harm, appears to be self-harming or seems overwhelmed and isolated\n\nThese signs can have many causes. The goal is not to interrogate a child or assume the worst. It is to create an opening for a calm conversation.\n\n\nWhat parents can do\n\nStart by knowing where your child spends time online. Ask them to show you the games they play, the apps they use and how messaging works on those platforms. You do not need to understand every feature. Being interested makes it easier for your child to bring concerns to you later.\n\nSet clear family rules about private chats, friend requests and moving conversations from one app to another. Younger children should generally only interact with people they know offline, while older children should understand that an online friend can still be a stranger.\n\nUse privacy settings and parental controls to limit direct messages, voice chat, unknown friend requests and access to age-inappropriate content. A solution such as Bitdefender Family Plan can help parents manage their children’s online activity, set healthy boundaries and add protection across the family’s devices. A security solution should support and not replace regular conversations.\n\nMost importantly, tell your child this clearly: if someone asks for photos, makes threats, wants them to keep secrets, pressures them to move to another app or makes them feel unsafe, they can come to you. They will not be blamed, and you will deal with it together.\n\n\nIf you think a child is being targeted\n\n * Stay calm. Thank them for telling you and reassure them that they are not in trouble.\n * Save usernames, messages, links and screenshots where possible, but do not share or forward harmful material.\n * Block and report the account through the relevant platform.\n * Report suspected child exploitation to law enforcement or the relevant child-protection reporting service.\n * If there is an immediate risk of self-harm or danger, contact emergency services straight away.\n\n\nFAQS\n\n\nWhat are the warning signs that a child may be targeted online?\n\nA child may become unusually secretive about their phone, games or online friends, quickly hide their screen, withdraw from family and friends, or seem upset after going online. They may also appear frightened by notifications, use new apps without explaining why, or worry that someone will share private information about them. These signs do not always mean exploitation is happening, but they are a reason to start a calm, supportive conversation.\n\n\nCan children be targeted through online games?\n\nYes. Online games can be enjoyable social spaces, but chat and messaging features can also allow strangers to contact children. An offender may begin with a friendly conversation about the game, then encourage the child to move to another app or private chat. Teach children not to share personal information, photos, their school, address or contact details with people they only know online.\n\n\nWhat should I do if someone threatens or blackmails my child online?\n\nStay calm and reassure your child that they are not in trouble. Save usernames, messages, links and screenshots, but do not share or forward harmful material. Block and report the account through the platform, then report suspected exploitation to law enforcement or the appropriate child-protection reporting service. If your child may be at immediate risk of self-harm or physical danger, contact emergency services immediately.\n\n\nWhat is doxxing?\n\nDoxxing is when someone shares another person’s private information online without permission. This may include their full name, address, school, phone number or information about their family. It is often used to intimidate someone or encourage others to harass them.",authors:[{id:C,name:D,slug:E,profile_image:F,cover_image:a,bio:G,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:aN,url:aO}],postsWhite:[{id:aP,title:aQ,slug:aR,feature_image:aS,featured:c,published_at:aT,custom_excerpt:a,html:aU,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:L,name:M,slug:N,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:aV,reading_time:r,url:aW},{id:aX,title:aY,slug:aZ,feature_image:a_,featured:c,published_at:a$,custom_excerpt:Y,html:ba,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:bb,name:bc,slug:bd,profile_image:be,cover_image:a,bio:bf,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:Y,reading_time:ag,url:bg},{id:O,title:P,slug:Q,feature_image:R,featured:c,published_at:S,custom_excerpt:a,html:ah,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:T,name:U,slug:V,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:z,name:A,slug:B,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:W,reading_time:r,url:X}],postsBlack:[{id:"6ac7f7318beeea965802aa66",title:"Even Prime Ministers Are Not Immune to Data Leaks",slug:"french-prime-minister-phone-leak-old-data-breach",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FEven-Prime-Ministers-Are-Not-Immune-to-Data-Leaks.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-08T23:20:03.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003EAccording to French media reports, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s mobile phone number has appeared online following the 2024 data breach at underwear retailer Le Slip Français.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is a stark reminder that a data breach does not stop being a problem once it fades from the news. Stolen information can remain online for years, being copied and resold, and later be used in new scams.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFrench media \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.it-connect.tech\u002Fhow-a-le-slip-francais-purchase-exposed-the-prime-ministers-number-online\u002F\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003Ereports \u003C\u002Fa\u003Elink the exposure of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s phone number to the 2024 Le Slip Français breach\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPersonal data stolen years ago can still be copied, shared and misused\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENames, email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses can help scammers create more convincing phishing and impersonation attempts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDigital Identity Protection can alert you when your information appears in known breaches, while mobile Scam Protection and Call Blocking can help protect you from suspicious messages and calls\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELecornu’s phone number is now circulating online, according to media reports. This case is a highly public example of a risk that can affect anyone whose personal information was exposed in a breach.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"a-quick-reminder-what-happened-in-2024\"\u003EA quick reminder: what happened in 2024?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn April 2024, Le Slip Français disclosed that it had suffered a cyberattack. The incident reportedly exposed customer information including names, email addresses, postal addresses and phone numbers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the time, the company said customer passwords and payment-card data were not affected. But as this latest report shows, contact details can still create problems long after a breach is disclosed.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead our original coverage: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fbreach-at-famous-french-underwear-company-exposes-personal-data-of-1-5-million-shoppers\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EData breach at famous French underwear company exposes personal data of 1.5 million shoppers\u003C\u002Fa\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"it-is-not-an-isolated-case\"\u003EIt is not an isolated case\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to \u003Cem\u003ELe Canard enchaîné\u003C\u002Fem\u003E, personal data belonging to 25 of the government’s 36 members may be accessible online. Not all the reported exposures are connected to the Le Slip Français breach.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\u002Fstrong\u003Eunderlying problem is the same: once personal data has been stolen, it can be reused in unexpected ways.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"why-old-breach-data-can-still-cause-problems\"\u003EWhy old breach data can still cause problems\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAttackers can copy a stolen database many times and combine it with information from other breaches or public sources. Even when passwords and payment-card details are not involved, a name, phone number, email address and home address can help a scammer make an approach feel legitimate.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESomeone who knows those details may send a convincing message posing as a bank, mobile provider, delivery company or another business you use. Their goal may be to steal a password, obtain a verification code or persuade you to click a malicious link.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-you-can-do\"\u003EWhat you can do\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf your information was exposed in a breach, use unique passwords for important accounts and enable two-factor authentication. Be especially cautious with unexpected calls, texts and emails (even when they include accurate details about you).\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDo not use the phone number or link included in an unsolicited message. Instead, contact the company through its official app, website or published customer-service number.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fdigital-identity-protection\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EBitdefender Digital Identity Protection\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can help you find out whether your personal information has appeared in known data breaches, including older exposures that may still put you at risk. If a breach leads to suspicious calls, texts or links, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fmobile-security-android\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EBitdefender Mobile Security\u003C\u002Fa\u003E’s Scam Protection and Call Blocking features can add another layer of protection.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",authors:[{id:C,name:D,slug:E,profile_image:F,cover_image:a,bio:G,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:H,name:s,slug:I,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:"66f50fb228045a04f10ce9b3",name:"Data Breach",slug:"data-breach",description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:"According to French media reports, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s mobile phone number has appeared online following the 2024 data breach at underwear retailer Le Slip Français.\n\nIt is a stark reminder that a data breach does not stop being a problem once it fades from the news. Stolen information can remain online for years, being copied and resold, and later be used in new scams.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n * French media reports link the exposure of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s phone number to",reading_time:ag,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Ffrench-prime-minister-phone-leak-old-data-breach\u002F"},{id:"6ac7953e8beeea965802aa47",title:"Are you oversharing online? Learn the risks before scammers make you their target",slug:"oversharing-online-scams-deepfakes-privacy",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FAre-you-oversharing-online.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-08T16:12:11.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003ECybersecurity Awareness Month is a good time for a reminder that online safety is not only about strong passwords, software updates or avoiding suspicious links.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt’s also about the information we give away without really thinking about it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis may look like a long read, but stay with us. Oversharing is often discussed as a small privacy mistake, but the details we share can help criminals build convincing scams, impersonate people we trust and, in some cases, put our digital or physical safety at risk.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOversharing can take place in chats, dating apps, gaming platforms, forums and online profiles, not just on public social media\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESmall personal details can help criminals create convincing scams, impersonation attempts and account-recovery attacks\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChildren and teens can also face cyberbullying, doxxing, harassment and misuse of their photos, including AI-generated or manipulated images\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDetails exposed in a data breach can become more dangerous when criminals combine them with the information you share online\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYou do not need to disappear from the internet—the goal is to share with more intention\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"for-adults-the-risk-is-often-a-scam-that-feels-relevant\"\u003EFor adults, the risk is often a scam that feels relevant\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn overshared detail can turn a generic scam into something tailored to you, enough to make you react.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaybe you post about starting a new job and receive a convincing “HR” email. Maybe you mention an upcoming trip and get a fake airline, hotel or bank alert while you are away. Maybe you share that you are selling furniture and a supposed buyer sends a fake payment notification that looks real.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInformation that can be useful to scammers includes:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYour full date of birth, phone number, address or personal email\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYour employer, role, colleagues, clients or work travel\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYour relationship status or recent life changes\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYour regular routine, gym, favorite café, school run or travel plans\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAnswers that resemble account-security questions, such as a childhood street, first pet or hometown\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPhotos of tickets, documents, screens, badges or mail\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERemember, a message can include real information about you and still be a scam.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf an unexpected text, call or email claims that there is an urgent problem with your account, payment, booking or delivery, do not use the link or phone number it provides. Open the company’s official app or website yourself.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"think-before-you-share-someone-else%E2%80%99s-information\"\u003EThink before you share someone else’s information\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOversharing is not only about the information we reveal about ourselves.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA parent may post a child’s full name, birthday, school photo and sports schedule without realizing how much of their routine is now visible. A proud partner may share a new address or holiday plans. A colleague may upload a team photo that shows badges, screens or a workplace layout. Someone may tag a friend at a location they did not want to make public.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe person in the photo or post may not have agreed to any of it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is where digital consent matters. Before posting about another person, especially a child, ask: would they be comfortable with this being seen, copied or resurfacing later? Could it reveal their location, routine, contact details, workplace or school?\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith children, this can be especially important. Family photos can be copied and misused by strangers, including in false profiles or “digital kidnapping” situations, where someone reposts a child’s image and pretends the child is their own.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChildren deserve a say in what is shared about them online when they are old enough to understand.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"children-and-teens-information-can-become-ammunition\"\u003EChildren and teens: information can become ammunition\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor children and teenagers, oversharing can lead to more than a targeted scam.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA school logo in a photo, a gaming username connected to a real name, a public birthday post, a shared location, or a photo of a sports uniform can make it easier for someone to identify, contact, or harass them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn gaming spaces and group chats, an online acquaintance may slowly gather details that seem harmless: age, school year, town, parents’ jobs, when they are home alone or which other platforms they use.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat information can also be used for cyberbullying, doxxing or other forms of harassment. Someone may share private details, create fake accounts, circulate screenshots out of context, or encourage others to target a child online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI has added another difficult layer. Photos, videos and voice notes can be altered or reused to create fake content. Deepfake and “nudify” tools can be used to make abusive or sexualized fake images of real people, including children and teens.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is not a reason to frighten young people or tell them that a single photo means something terrible will happen. It is a reason to make sure they know they can ask for help without feeling ashamed or blamed.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents can talk with children about a few clear boundaries:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDo not share full names, school details, addresses, phone numbers or passwords in games, chats or profiles\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBe careful about moving a conversation from a game to Discord, Snapchat or another private platform\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENever let someone pressure you into sending a photo, recording a video or keeping a conversation secret from a trusted adult\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETell an adult if someone becomes threatening, sexual, manipulative or obsessed with personal details\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDo not forward, share or participate in humiliating content about another child\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf a child is facing harassment, threats or image-based abuse, save evidence, report the account or content to the platform, and reach out to the school or appropriate local authorities where needed.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"older-adults-familiarity-can-make-impersonation-harder-to-spot\"\u003EOlder adults: familiarity can make impersonation harder to spot\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOlder adults can also be targeted by particularly persuasive scams that don’t feel like they come from strangers at all.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA criminal may use public family photos, birthday wishes, local community posts or information about a recent trip to impersonate a grandchild, a bank representative, a neighbor, a charity or a local business.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnowing a family name or mentioning a real event does not prove that a caller is genuine.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHelp older relatives review privacy settings, limit public access to contact details and recognize common pressure tactics. A simple family rule can help: if someone creates panic and asks for money, codes, personal information or secrecy, stop and verify.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECall the family member, bank or organization using a trusted number.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"employees-and-creators-have-a-different-kind-of-exposure\"\u003EEmployees and creators have a different kind of exposure\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmployees may share a conference badge, post about an upcoming project, tag colleagues in a team photo, or mention that they are out of the office. Creators may share brand partnerships, business email addresses, filming locations, travel details and moments from their personal lives.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis visibility can make them targets for impersonation, fake sponsorship offers, fraudulent invoices, account-security scams and business email compromise attempts.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn attacker does not always need technical access to a company or creator account. Sometimes they only need enough context to send an email that looks as though it comes from a manager, client, brand partner or platform support team.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore posting work-related content, consider:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIs there confidential information in the image, background or caption?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDoes this reveal a client, project, system, location, travel plan or absence?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECould someone use this to impersonate me, my organization or a colleague?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIs this contact information really needed publicly, or could it be handled through a dedicated business channel?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor creators, public visibility can also provide material for cloned accounts, fake brand pitches and deepfake content. Protecting accounts with unique passwords and two-factor authentication is essential, but so is being thoughtful about how much personal information is available for someone to imitate your life or business.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"when-digital-oversharing-becomes-physical-stalking\"\u003EWhen digital oversharing becomes physical stalking\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe line between online safety and physical safety is not always clear.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELive location tags, regular posts from the same running route, a child’s school uniform, a photo outside a home or an announcement that a family is away can reveal patterns that someone should not have.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis can enable digital stalking that can look like repeated monitoring, unwanted contact, harassment or impersonation online, but it can also contribute to physical stalking or theft.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDoxxing is another serious risk. It involves exposing someone’s personal information without permission. In more serious cases, that information can be used for swatting: making a false emergency report intended to send armed police to a person’s home.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is not the outcome of every public post. But it is a reminder that location, routine and personal information deserve more care than we often give them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAvoid posting travel updates in real time. Check photos for house numbers, license plates, school names and documents in the background. If you sell something online, arrange meetings in a safe public place rather than sharing unnecessary details about your home.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"data-breaches-fill-in-the-gaps\"\u003EData breaches fill in the gaps\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen data breaches expose consumers' personal information, scams usually follow.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven the most careful person could have information exposed in a data breach. An email address, phone number, password, date of birth or other personal details can be stolen from a company or service you use.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe risk grows when criminals combine that data with what they find online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, an attacker may know your email address from a breach, see your new job on LinkedIn, and send a convincing fake message about a work account. Or they may see a family member’s name online and use it in a phishing or impersonation attempt.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is why you should take breach notifications seriously. Change affected passwords, make every password unique, turn on two-factor authentication, and monitor your accounts for unfamiliar activity.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fdigital-identity-protection\"\u003EBitdefender Digital Identity Protection\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can help monitor your digital footprint and alert you when personal information appears in a breach or is exposed online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThis cybersecurity set up a simple rule: stop, verify and check before you post, send or fill out a new online profile.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAsk yourself:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWho can see this now — and who could see it later?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhat could someone learn if they combined this with my other posts or profile details?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDoes this reveal my location, routine, workplace, family or something that could be used to impersonate me?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAm I sharing information about someone else that they may not want online?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECould I share the same thing with less detail, with a smaller audience or at a later time?\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt’s also worth reviewing privacy settings regularly. Change public profiles to friends-only where possible, limit who can tag you or see your friend list, and check what appears in the background of photos and screenshots before you share them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor broader protection across your devices, privacy and identity, check Bitdefender security solutions like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fultimate-security\"\u003EBitdefender Ultimate Security\u003C\u002Fa\u003E that brings together layered protection in one plan, or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-au\u002Fconsumer\u002Fsecurity-for-creators\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EBitdefender Security for Creators\u003C\u002Fa\u003E. And if a message, profile, ad or link feels suspicious, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fscamio\"\u003EBitdefender Scamio\u003C\u002Fa\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Flink-checker\"\u003EBitdefender Link Checker\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can give you a second opinion before you click, reply or send money – FOR FREE!\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"faqs\"\u003EFAQs\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-is-online-oversharing\"\u003EWhat is online oversharing?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnline oversharing means revealing more personal information than necessary in posts, profiles, comments, chats or online forms. It can include obvious details such as an address or phone number, as well as smaller clues about your family, location, workplace, routines, travel plans or personal history.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-are-the-risks-of-oversharing-online\"\u003EWhat are the risks of oversharing online?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOversharing can make it easier for criminals to create targeted scams, impersonate someone you trust, guess account-recovery answers, take over accounts or steal your identity. It can also contribute to cyberbullying, doxxing, digital stalking and physical-safety risks when posts reveal someone’s location or routine.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-two-things-should-you-avoid-sharing-on-social-media\"\u003EWhat two things should you avoid sharing on social media?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo of the most important things to avoid sharing are:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInformation that reveals your identity or location, such as your full date of birth, home address, phone number, school, workplace, live location or travel plans.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInformation that could help someone access your accounts, including passwords, recovery codes, security-question answers, boarding passes, account documents or screenshots containing personal details.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E",authors:[{id:C,name:D,slug:E,profile_image:F,cover_image:a,bio:G,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:bh,name:bi,slug:bj,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:H,name:s,slug:I,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:"Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a good time for a reminder that online safety is not only about strong passwords, software updates or avoiding suspicious links.\n\nIt’s also about the information we give away without really thinking about it.\n\nThis may look like a long read, but stay with us. Oversharing is often discussed as a small privacy mistake, but the details we share can help criminals build convincing scams, impersonate people we trust and, in some cases, put our digital or physical safe",reading_time:af,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Foversharing-online-scams-deepfakes-privacy\u002F"},{id:"6ac4f8a38beeea965802a8f8",title:"AI chats aren't private diaries: Florida woman arrested after journaling about possible armed attack",slug:"ai-chats-arent-private-diaries-florida-woman-arrested-after-journaling-about-possible-armed-attack",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Falexandra_koch-chat-7767693_1920.jpg",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-06T16:44:54.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:bk,html:"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInvestigators have charged a woman in Florida after discovering alleged threats against the Lee County Sheriff's Office that she posted on Anthropic's Claude AI platform while chatting with the bot.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case, which the company reported to police, is a clear reminder that an AI chatbot isn't a private diary, even when its conversational style feels very personal.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fswfl.io\u002F2026\u002F09\u002F30\u002Fwoman-arrested-after-ai-threat-against-lee-county-sheriffs-office-investigators\"\u003ESWFL.io's report, citing WINK News\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, investigators said that messages from a user identified as Carli Michelle Heller were flagged and escalated to a human review team. Heller was then arrested and charged under Florida's written-threat law.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EInvestigators say violent statements made in an AI chat prompted a safety escalation and a report to law enforcement\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EFlorida law includes electronic records in its prohibition on written threats to kill, injure or carry out a mass shooting\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAI chats can feel like an intimate conversation, but these online services will keep all content, enforce policies and respond to valid or urgent legal requests\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDon't put ohighly sensitive personal information, including passwords or financial details, into a chatbot\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Ch2 id=\"what-investigators-say-happened-in-lee-county\"\u003EWhat investigators say happened in Lee County\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Lee County Sheriff's Office identified the defendant as Carli Michelle Heller of Bonita Springs. News reports based on the arrest report say a Claude user made a statement on Sept. 26 about shooting up the sheriff's office and followed it with another message the next day about a new gun.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E“Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, and like any technology, it can be misused,” said Marceno to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.winknews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fwoman-arrested-after-ai-threat-against-lee-county-sheriffs-office-investigators\u002Farticle_3d4c5915-7015-43c0-b86a-d7fa5eadf958.html\"\u003EWINK News\u003C\u002Fa\u003E. “When someone uses AI to make or facilitate a threat, we have to take that threat seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI may be changing the way threats are created, but our commitment to protecting the people of Lee County has not changed,” Marceno added.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInvestigators said the platform's safeguards flagged the content, escalated it for human review, and the information was passed to law enforcement. Sheriff Carmine Marceno told WINK News that Heller later described using AI as a diary. She was detained without incident.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"why-an-ai-chat-can-feel-more-private-than-it-is\"\u003EWhy an AI chat can feel more private than it is\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI platforms are digital services operated by companies. They have terms, safety rules, retention practices and account information. Anthropic says its Safeguards Team uses detection and monitoring tools to enforce its Usage Policy, which prohibits harmful misuse including violent or extremist activity.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnthropic's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fprivacy.anthropic.com\u002Fen\u002Farticles\u002F9519291-what-is-anthropic-s-policy-for-handling-governmental-requests-for-user-information\"\u003Egovernment-request policy\u003C\u002Fa\u003E says it evaluates requests for legal validity and may make an exception when it believes an emergency involving imminent harm or death could be averted by providing information without delay.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile this means that not every prompt is read by a person or automatically sent to the police, it does mean that typing into a chatbot creates a private, off-the-record conversation.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-use-ai-chatbots-more-safely\"\u003EHow to use AI chatbots more safely\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUse AI as a tool, not as a confidential diary. Before you send a prompt, pause and ask whether you'd be comfortable with the text being retained by the provider, reviewed to enforce safety rules or later connected to your account.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAvoid entering passwords, recovery codes, bank details, government ID numbers, medical and legal records, confidential work files, another person's private data or anything that could put somebody in danger.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReview the privacy settings and policies of each tool you use, especially before uploading documents or linking email, cloud storage or other accounts.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more privacy guidance, read Bitdefender's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-au\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhat-not-to-share-with-ai-chatbots\"\u003EWhat Not to Share With AI Chatbots\u003C\u002Fa\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-gb\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-chatbot-business-data-mistakes\"\u003E10 AI chatbot mistakes that can expose your small business data\u003C\u002Fa\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"faq\"\u003EFAQ\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"are-ai-chatbot-conversations-private\"\u003EAre AI chatbot conversations private?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo. They may be retained and handled under the provider's terms, privacy settings and safety policies.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"did-anthropic-report-every-claude-message-to-police\"\u003EDid Anthropic report every Claude message to police?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo evidence supports that claim. The reported case concerns alleged violent threats that investigators say were escalated through safety processes.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"can-a-chat-message-lead-to-criminal-charges\"\u003ECan a chat message lead to criminal charges?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt can, depending on what was written, transmitted and the applicable law.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"should-i-use-a-chatbot-for-mental-health-support\"\u003EShould I use a chatbot for mental-health support?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt may offer general information, but it isn't a substitute for a qualified professional or emergency support.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-shouldnt-i-put-into-an-ai-chat\"\u003EWhat shouldn't I put into an AI chat?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDon't share threats, passwords, payment details, ID numbers, confidential files or another person's sensitive information unless you have a clear, appropriate reason and understand the service's rules.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",authors:[{id:$,name:aa,slug:ab,profile_image:ac,cover_image:ad,bio:ae,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:H,name:s,slug:I,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:bk,reading_time:bl,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-chats-arent-private-diaries-florida-woman-arrested-after-journaling-about-possible-armed-attack\u002F"},{id:"6abf9e528beeea965802a5a7",title:"Should couples share passwords? Trust, control and security risks",slug:"sharing-passwords-with-family",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fsharing-passwords-with-family.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-05T12:49:43.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003ESharing passwords with someone you love can feel completely normal. Couples may know each other's phone PINs, share passwords for household accounts, or even have access to each other's email or social media. It can be practical, but it can also feel like a sign of trust:&nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EWe have nothing to hide from each other.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut sharing passwords raises two very different questions.&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDoes giving someone access to your digital life make a relationship more transparent and trusting? And even when you trust that person completely, is sharing passwords actually secure?\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWe talked to clinical psychologist and CBT psychotherapist Anca Ivu about what password sharing can tell us about trust, privacy and control, and where relationship habits can also create cybersecurity risks.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways:\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESharing passwords can be practical, but it isn't necessarily a sign of trust. Requiring access as proof of love or loyalty can cross personal boundaries.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPrivacy isn't the same as secrecy. Couples can be open with each other without having unrestricted access to each other's accounts, messages or devices.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESharing a password increases the opportunities for that credential to be exposed, even when you completely trust the person you're sharing it with.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPersonal email, banking, work, social media, primary Apple or Google accounts, and password manager credentials should generally remain personal.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFor accounts the whole household needs, use separate profiles, family accounts, delegated access or secure password-sharing features whenever possible.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFamily cybersecurity can be shared without everyone sharing their digital identity or giving up their privacy.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"is-sharing-passwords-a-sign-of-trust-in-a-relationship\"\u003EIs sharing passwords a sign of trust in a relationship?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnowing each other's passwords can be part of a trusting relationship. The important question is whether access is&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Efreely offered or required as proof of trust\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPsychotherapist Anca Ivu points to a classic definition of trust from researchers Roger Mayer, James Davis and F. David Schoorman. \u003Cstrong\u003EAt its core, trust means being willing to make yourself vulnerable to another person's actions because you expect them to behave in a certain way, even when you can't monitor or control them.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat last part matters when we talk about passwords.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"If, in order to trust someone, I need to be able to constantly check their phone or conversations, the password gives me control and certainty rather than trust,\" Ivu explains. In other words, knowing your partner's phone PIN because you sometimes use their phone to change the music in the car is very different from needing that PIN so you can check who they have been talking to.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVoluntarily sharing a password can be practical or even feel like a gesture of closeness. The dynamic changes when access becomes a condition of the relationship:&nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EIf you love me, you'll give me your password. If you trust me, why won't you let me see your phone? If you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt that point, Ivu says, \"we are no longer talking about transparency that is freely offered, but about pressure to give up a personal boundary in order to prove loyalty.\"\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"password-sharing-privacy-and-secrecy-in-relationships\"\u003EPassword sharing, privacy and secrecy in relationships\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne reason password conversations become complicated is that privacy can easily be interpreted as secrecy. But the two aren't necessarily the same. You can be honest with your partner about things that concern both of you without giving them unrestricted access to every conversation, message, account or personal space.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E \"Privacy protects what belongs to me; secrecy becomes problematic when I intentionally hide something that legitimately concerns the other person or could have consequences for the relationship,\" Anca Ivu explains.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch into romantic relationships also suggests that respecting someone's autonomy can encourage disclosure rather than prevent it. Ivu points to research published in&nbsp;“\u003Cem\u003EPersonal Relationships”\u003C\u002Fem\u003E&nbsp;that found people approached in ways that supported their autonomy provided more information and made more personal disclosures.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat may seem counterintuitive if you've ever felt that knowing someone's password would provide reassurance. But being able to verify what your partner is doing isn't necessarily the same as having a relationship in which both people feel safe enough to be open. As the therapist puts it,&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ea couple can have a very transparent relationship without having total access to each other's digital identities.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"when-does-password-sharing-become-digital-monitoring-or-control\"\u003EWhen does password sharing become digital monitoring or control?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch into intimate partner surveillance and digital coercive control looks at how technology can be used to monitor, verify or restrict another person's autonomy. Password requests can be part of that pattern, particularly when access is accompanied by pressure or surveillance.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn a relationship based on trust, a boundary can be discussed and negotiated. In a controlling dynamic, refusing access may instead be treated as evidence of guilt.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo how can you tell the difference? Anca Ivu suggests starting with a surprisingly simple question:&nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EWhat happens if the other person says no?\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"In a controlling dynamic, t\u003Cstrong\u003Ehe password becomes the price the person has to pay for peace in the relationship.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\", says the therapist.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWarning signs can include:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYou can't refuse to share a password without facing accusations, anger, threats or withdrawal of affection.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPassword access becomes a test of love, trust or fidelity.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccess turns into repeated checking of messages, contacts, social media activity, browsing history or location.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChecking provides reassurance only temporarily, followed by a need to check again.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInformation discovered through monitoring is then used to restrict who the other person can talk to, where they can go or what they can do.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe monitored person begins changing their behavior because they are afraid of how their partner will react.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are situations that don't fit neatly into either category. After a real breach of trust, such as infidelity, for example, a couple may mutually agree to greater transparency for a period of time.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe distinction, Ivu says, is&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Econsent, the freedom to negotiate boundaries, and the absence of fear or punishment for refusing\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. Password sharing itself, then, doesn't tell you whether a relationship is trusting or controlling. The circumstances around it matter.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-are-the-security-risks-of-sharing-passwords-with-family\"\u003EWhat are the security risks of sharing passwords with family?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is another problem with password sharing that has nothing to do with how much you trust each other. You can trust your partner or family member completely and still make an account less secure by sharing its password.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe security risk isn't necessarily&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe person you trust with your password. It's what can happen to the password once you've shared it.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere are some of the risks to consider:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhishing and scams.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003EYour family member might enter the password on a fake login page, respond to a convincing scam message, or unknowingly give it to someone impersonating a legitimate company.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EData breaches.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;If a family member uses or stores the shared password on another service that suffers a breach, the password could end up in criminals' hands.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPassword reuse.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;If the same or a similar password is used for other accounts, one stolen password could give attackers access to email, social media, shopping or other services.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMore people and devices mean more opportunities for exposure.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003EA shared password may be saved in browsers, messages or notes, or on devices that aren't equally well protected. A lost, stolen or compromised device can put that password at risk too.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESuspicious logins can be harder to spot.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003EIf several people regularly use the same account from different devices, you may be more likely to dismiss an unfamiliar login or security alert as another family member.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAccount takeover or identity theft.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;Some accounts contain personal, financial or identity information that criminals can exploit. Your primary email is particularly sensitive because it can also be used to reset passwords and recover other accounts, potentially giving an attacker access to much more of your digital life.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor these reasons,&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Epersonal accounts should generally have their own unique passwords\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, particularly when they contain sensitive information, can be used to verify your identity, or provide access to other accounts.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESome credentials should remain personal\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, particularly those for:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eyour primary email account\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EApple, Google or other main platform accounts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ebanking and payment services\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ework accounts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Egovernment and identity services\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Epersonal social media\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eyour password manager\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd remember that passwords aren't the only credentials that should be protected.&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EOne-time verification codes, passcodes and account recovery codes should stay private too.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is a difference between preparing for an emergency and giving another person permanent access to your digital life. If you want a trusted family member to be able to access something when necessary, look for emergency access, delegated access or secure sharing features instead of simply handing over your personal password.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-manage-passwords-securely-as-a-family\"\u003EHow to manage passwords securely as a family\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor personal accounts, use a strong, unique password for every service and turn on multi-factor authentication or passkeys where available. Don't reuse passwords between family members or across accounts, and don't routinely send credentials through messages or email.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor household accounts, use individual profiles or family access whenever the service offers them. If credentials genuinely need to be shared, store and share them securely through a password manager rather than creating one family password that everyone knows and reuses.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is also worth periodically reviewing who has access to what, particularly after a separation, divorce, household change or other situation in which someone who once legitimately had access should no longer have it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFamily security itself can work the same way.&nbsp;With Bitdefender Family Plans, for example, up to five family members and 25 devices can be protected under one subscription without everyone sharing one account or password. Family members have their own Bitdefender accounts, while different roles determine how the family's security is managed. A Family Manager oversees the subscription and overall protection, while other adult members maintain their own accounts, devices and privacy. Children can have supervised profiles managed through parental controls. \u003C\u002Fstrong\u003EIt's a useful model for family cybersecurity more generally: protection can be shared without access to everything being shared.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, healthy digital boundaries are not about hiding things from the people closest to you. They're about deciding&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ewhat genuinely needs to be shared, what should remain personal, and how to protect both without turning passwords into a test of trust.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ffamily\"\u003ELearn more\u003C\u002Fa\u003E about Bitdefender Family Plans and how they can help protect your family's devices, accounts and privacy.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou may also want to read:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Ffamily-location-tracking\"\u003EShould family members track each other's location?\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fsecret-social-media-account-teen\"\u003EHow to tell if your teen has a secret social media account\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fhow-to-keep-teens-safe-online\"\u003EYour teen outgrew parental controls. Now what? How to keep teens safe online\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResources:&nbsp; \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjournals.aom.org\u002Fdoi\u002F10.5465\u002Famr.1995.9508080335\"\u003EAn Integrative Model Of Organizational Trust | Academy of Management Review\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com\u002Fdoi\u002F10.1111\u002Fpere.12419\"\u003EAutonomy support in disclosure and privacy maintenance regulation within romantic relationships\u003C\u002Fa\u003E,\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"faqs\"\u003EFAQs\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"is-it-safe-to-share-passwords-with-family-members\"\u003EIs it safe to share passwords with family members?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESharing a password always creates some additional security risk because the credential is now known, stored or used by more than one person. Even someone you trust could accidentally expose it through phishing, an insecure device or unsafe storage. Where possible, use separate accounts, family profiles or secure sharing features instead.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"should-couples-share-passwords\"\u003EShould couples share passwords?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECouples don't need to share passwords to have a trusting or transparent relationship. Some couples voluntarily share certain credentials for practical reasons, but access shouldn't be required as proof of trust or loyalty. From a security perspective, personal accounts should generally have individual credentials.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"which-passwords-should-you-never-share\"\u003EWhich passwords should you never share?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBe particularly careful with passwords for your primary email, banking and payment accounts, Apple or Google accounts, work accounts, government services, personal social media and password managers. These accounts may contain sensitive information, verify your identity or provide access to other accounts.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"is-sharing-passwords-a-sign-of-trust-in-a-relationship-1\"\u003EIs sharing passwords a sign of trust in a relationship?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt can be a voluntary gesture of trust or simply a matter of convenience, but sharing passwords doesn't prove that a relationship is trusting. If one partner needs access to the other's phone or accounts to monitor their activity, that access may provide reassurance or control rather than trust.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"whats-the-safest-way-to-share-passwords-with-family\"\u003EWhat's the safest way to share passwords with family?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst check whether the service offers separate accounts, family profiles or delegated access so you don't need to share a password at all. If a credential genuinely needs to be shared, use a password manager or secure password-sharing feature rather than sending the password through messages or email.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"should-family-members-use-the-same-password\"\u003EShould family members use the same password?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo. Each person should use strong, unique passwords for their individual accounts. Using the same password across family members or multiple services means that one exposed credential could potentially put several accounts at risk.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",authors:[{id:ai,name:aj,slug:ak,profile_image:al,cover_image:a,bio:am,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],tags:[{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:H,name:s,slug:I,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],excerpt:"Sharing passwords with someone you love can feel completely normal. Couples may know each other's phone PINs, share passwords for household accounts, or even have access to each other's email or social media. It can be practical, but it can also feel like a sign of trust: We have nothing to hide from each other.\n\nBut sharing passwords raises two very different questions. Does giving someone access to your digital life make a relationship more transparent and trusting? And even when you trust tha",reading_time:8,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fsharing-passwords-with-family\u002F"}],tagWhiteDetail:{slug:j,id:h,name:i,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a,url:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Ftag\u002Findustry-news\u002F"},tagBlackDetail:{slug:I,id:H,name:s,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a,url:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Ftag\u002Fdigital-privacy\u002F"},settings:{title:an,description:bm,logo:bn,icon:a,accent_color:bo,cover_image:bp,facebook:bq,twitter:br,lang:d,locale:d,timezone:bs,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,navigation:[{label:bt,url:ao},{label:bu,url:bv},{label:s,url:bw},{label:J,url:bx},{label:by,url:bz},{label:x,url:bA}],secondary_navigation:[],meta_title:a,meta_description:a,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,members_support_address:bB,members_enabled:c,allow_self_signup:c,members_invite_only:c,paid_members_enabled:c,firstpromoter_account:a,portal_button_style:bC,portal_button_signup_text:bD,portal_button_icon:a,portal_signup_terms_html:a,portal_signup_checkbox_required:c,portal_plans:[bE,bF,Z],portal_default_plan:Z,portal_name:y,portal_button:c,comments_enabled:bG,recommendations_enabled:c,outbound_link_tagging:c,default_email_address:bH,support_email_address:bI,editor_default_email_recipients:bJ,labs:{},url:bK,version:bL},allBiTags:[]}],fetch:{"BlogMenu:0":{settings:{title:an,description:bm,logo:bn,icon:a,accent_color:bo,cover_image:bp,facebook:bq,twitter:br,lang:d,locale:d,timezone:bs,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,navigation:[{label:bt,url:ao},{label:bu,url:bv},{label:s,url:bw},{label:J,url:bx},{label:by,url:bz},{label:x,url:bA}],secondary_navigation:[],meta_title:a,meta_description:a,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,members_support_address:bB,members_enabled:c,allow_self_signup:c,members_invite_only:c,paid_members_enabled:c,firstpromoter_account:a,portal_button_style:bC,portal_button_signup_text:bD,portal_button_icon:a,portal_signup_terms_html:a,portal_signup_checkbox_required:c,portal_plans:[bE,bF,Z],portal_default_plan:Z,portal_name:y,portal_button:c,comments_enabled:bG,recommendations_enabled:c,outbound_link_tagging:c,default_email_address:bH,support_email_address:bI,editor_default_email_recipients:bJ,labs:{},url:bK,version:bL},blogNames:bM,blogTitles:{hotforsecurity:an,labs:"Labs",businessinsights:"Business Insights",cyberpedia:"Cyberpedia"},blogRegions:{hotforsecurity:[d,"ro","de",bN,"es"],labs:[d],businessinsights:[d,bN],cyberpedia:[d]},activeBlog:ap,blogFound:ap},"FilterSection:0":{posts:[{id:"6ad8ce8a8beeea965802b02f",title:"Halloween party safety: 5 digital rules to discuss with your teen",slug:"halloween-party-digital-safety-rules-teens",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FHalloween-party-safety.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-22T20:50:00.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003EHalloween parties are a big deal for teenagers. As a parent, you're likely thinking about where the party is, who's going, whether there will be adults around and how your teen will get home. But there's another conversation worth having before they leave: what they'll be sharing online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom posting photos of friends to sharing their location or joining party group chats, a few small decisions can affect their own privacy and someone else's.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere are five digital safety rules to talk about before your teen heads out.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways:\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAsk before posting photos or videos of other people, even if they're close friends.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBe careful with live location sharing and posts that reveal where the party is happening.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGroup chats aren't always private, and messages or screenshots can travel beyond the group.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAgree on how your teen can contact you if plans change or they need help.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERespect the privacy of the people hosting the party, including their home and family.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"5-digital-safety-rules-for-teens-at-halloween-parties\"\u003E&nbsp;5 digital safety rules for teens at Halloween parties\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"1-ask-permission-before-posting-halloween-party-photos\"\u003E1. Ask&nbsp;permission&nbsp;before&nbsp;posting&nbsp;Halloween&nbsp;party&nbsp;photos\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHalloween costumes are made for photos, and teenagers will probably take plenty of them. Some will end up on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok before the party is even over. But just because someone agrees to be in a photo doesn't mean they're happy for it to be posted online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETalk to your teen about asking permission before sharing photos or videos of friends, especially if someone looks uncomfortable, is caught in an embarrassing moment or doesn't know they're being filmed. Remind them that this applies to videos too.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd if a friend asks them to take something down, they should respect that request without making a big deal out of it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"2-be-careful-with-live-location-sharing\"\u003E2. Be careful with live location sharing\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Snapchat story, Instagram post or photo tagged with a location can reveal exactly where a party is happening. And even without a location tag, street signs, house numbers and recognizable landmarks can give it away.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore the party, check together who can see your teen's location on the apps they use. On Snapchat, for example, location visibility depends on their Snap Map settings.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf they want to share photos from the party, suggest waiting until later rather than posting their whereabouts in real time.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"3-think-before-sharing-in-party-group-chats\"\u003E3. Think before sharing in party group chats\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYour teen is probably already in a group chat where everyone is discussing costumes, who's coming, what time to meet and who's bringing what.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt's worth reminding them that anything shared in the chat can end up somewhere else. Someone can take a screenshot, forward a photo or show a private conversation to people outside the group.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAsk your teen to be careful with photos of other people, personal information and jokes that might embarrass someone. And if the conversation turns nasty, with rumors, insults or photos shared without permission, they don't have to take part.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey can also speak up if someone is being targeted, or come to you if they're not sure how to handle it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"4-agree-on-how-youll-stay-in-touch\"\u003E4. Agree on how you'll stay in touch\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust because your teen has their phone with them doesn't mean they'll see your messages or hear you calling. They might check Snapchat every few minutes but barely open WhatsApp. And at a party, with loud music and friends around, they may not notice their phone ringing.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore they leave, agree on the best way to reach each other. Ask which app they're most likely to check, and agree on a couple of times when they'll look at their phone and send you a quick update.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMake sure their phone is charged, and talk about what to do if you need to reach them urgently. You could agree that if they don't answer a message, you'll call, or that they'll check their phone at a specific time.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd remind them that they can always contact you if plans change or they need to leave early.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"5-respect-your-host%E2%80%99s-privacy-when-posting-from-their-home\"\u003E5. Respect your host’s privacy when posting from their home\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf your teenager is attending a Halloween party at someone's house, remind them that they're a guest in someone else's home. Taking photos of costumes and decorations is one thing. Posting videos that show the inside of the house, family photos, valuables, security cameras or the home's address is another.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven a harmless-looking video can reveal more than the person posting it realizes.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEncourage your teen to think about what's visible in the background before uploading anything. Does the photo show a house number? Are there younger siblings in the video? Is someone sharing a private family moment without knowing they're being filmed?\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd if the hosts have asked guests not to take photos or post from the party, that request should be respected.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"before-the-halloween-party-have-a-quick-conversation\"\u003EBefore the Halloween party, have a quick conversation\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou don't need a long list of rules or warnings before your teen goes to a Halloween party. But a few minutes talking about photos, group chats, privacy and how to stay in touch can make a difference.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYour teen will make plenty of decisions without you around, both at the party and online. What matters is that they know how to respect other people's privacy, protect their own and come to you if something goes wrong.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while you help them make safer choices, \u003Cstrong\u003EBitdefender Family Plans\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E add another layer of protection. They help keep your loved ones safer from scams, phishing, malicious links, and other online threats, whether your teen is chatting with friends, browsing social media, or opening links shared in a group.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFind out more about how&nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ffamily\"\u003EBitdefender Family Plans can support your family’s digital safety.\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou may also want to read:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhen-parties-become-content-the-hidden-risks-for-teens\"\u003EWhen parties become content: The hidden risks for teens\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fhow-to-keep-teens-safe-online\"\u003EYour teen outgrew parental controls. Now what? How to keep teens safe online\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fdigital-consent\"\u003EDigital consent: When should you ask before sharing online?\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fchild-receives-hurtful-comments-online\"\u003EWhat to do if your child receives hurtful comments online\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"faqs\"\u003EFAQs\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"should-parents-track-their-teens-location-at-a-halloween-party\"\u003EShould parents track their teen's location at a Halloween party?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocation sharing can be useful for safety and arranging transportation, but it's best to agree on it beforehand. Talk about who can see your teen's location, when sharing is appropriate and how to respect their growing need for privacy.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"is-it-safe-for-teens-to-post-halloween-party-photos-on-social-media\"\u003EIs it safe for teens to post Halloween party photos on social media?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt depends on what's visible in the photos, who can see them and whether everyone pictured has agreed to be included. Encourage teens to check backgrounds for personal information, avoid sharing their live location and ask permission before posting photos of others.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-should-my-teen-do-if-someone-posts-an-embarrassing-photo-of-them\"\u003EWhat should my teen do if someone posts an embarrassing photo of them?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey can ask the person to remove it and use the platform's reporting tools if necessary. If the photo is being used to bully, threaten or humiliate them, encourage them to save evidence and ask a trusted adult for help.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"should-teens-share-their-location-on-snapchat-during-a-party\"\u003EShould teens share their location on Snapchat during a party?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeens should check who can see their location on Snap Map and avoid sharing their whereabouts with people they don't know or trust. If they want to share their location with a parent or close friend for safety, they can choose who has access.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"how-can-i-contact-my-teenager-if-they-dont-answer-their-phone-at-a-party\"\u003EHow can I contact my teenager if they don't answer their phone at a party?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore they leave, agree on which messaging app they'll check and when. If they're unlikely to hear calls over loud music, arrange a couple of check-in times. Have a backup plan in case their phone runs out of battery or they need to borrow someone else's phone.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:ai,name:aj,slug:ak,profile_image:al,cover_image:a,bio:am,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:"Halloween parties are a big deal for teenagers. As a parent, you're likely thinking about where the party is, who's going, whether there will be adults around and how your teen will get home. But there's another conversation worth having before they leave: what they'll be sharing online.\n\nFrom posting photos of friends to sharing their location or joining party group chats, a few small decisions can affect their own privacy and someone else's.\n\nHere are five digital safety rules to talk about be",reading_time:bO,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fhalloween-party-digital-safety-rules-teens\u002F"},{id:aP,title:aQ,slug:aR,feature_image:aS,featured:c,published_at:aT,custom_excerpt:a,html:aU,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:L,name:M,slug:N,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:aV,reading_time:r,url:aW},{id:ar,title:as,slug:at,feature_image:au,featured:y,published_at:av,custom_excerpt:K,html:aw,tags:[{id:L,name:M,slug:N,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:$,name:aa,slug:ab,profile_image:ac,cover_image:ad,bio:ae,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:K,reading_time:af,url:ax},{id:aX,title:aY,slug:aZ,feature_image:a_,featured:c,published_at:a$,custom_excerpt:Y,html:ba,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:bb,name:bc,slug:bd,profile_image:be,cover_image:a,bio:bf,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:Y,reading_time:ag,url:bg},{id:O,title:P,slug:Q,feature_image:R,featured:c,published_at:S,custom_excerpt:a,html:ah,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:T,name:U,slug:V,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:z,name:A,slug:B,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:W,reading_time:r,url:X},{id:"6ad8c9518beeea965802afcb",title:"What parents should know about the Cat in the Hat trend",slug:"cat-in-the-hat-trend-kids-online-safety",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FWhat-parents-should-know-about-the-Cat-in-the-Hat-trend.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-21T17:37:28.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003EThe&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ECat in the Hat trend\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;uses creepy, often AI-generated images and videos to place the familiar character in real-life locations. Some posts have gone further, using&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ereal schools, towns and even children's names\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat may start as a joke can quickly raise questions about privacy, location sharing and how much information kids reveal about themselves and each other online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways:\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe Cat in the Hat trend uses creepy, often AI-generated or edited images that make it look as if the character has appeared in real places.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESome posts use real schools, neighborhoods, names and other details that can reveal information about children.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENaming or targeting a child can turn a joke into something frightening and, in some cases, threatening.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIf your child appears in one of these posts, save the evidence, report the content and check what personal information has been shared.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-is-the-cat-in-the-hat-trend\"\u003EWhat is the Cat in the Hat trend?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cat in the Hat trend started as a horror-style hoax, with creepy, often AI-generated or manipulated images showing the character lurking on streets, outside homes or peering through windows.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe posts are made to look as if the Cat has been spotted somewhere in real life. Creators use AI or photo-editing tools to place him in photos of streets, neighborhoods and schools, then post the images or videos on TikTok and other social media. Some add captions suggesting he's \"coming\" to a particular place, along with dates, school names or people's names.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the trend spread, the posts became increasingly local. Instead of a generic scary image, someone might use a photo of an actual school or a place kids in the area immediately recognize.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Washington, Sequim School District \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sequimschools.org\u002Flive_feeds\u002F12968706?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003Ereported \u003C\u002Fa\u003Ea doctored photo of its high-school sign accompanied by a list of first names. Schools in Kentucky investigated similar posts naming local schools, students and staff. In Colorado, a high-school student \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fabcnews.com\u002FGMA\u002FFamily\u002Fparents-cat-hat-social-media-trend-prompting-school\u002Fstory?id=136120706&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003Ewas arrested\u003C\u002Fa\u003E in connection with a threatening Cat in the Hat post.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat local twist is part of what makes the trend work:&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe scare feels more real when you recognize the place or the people named in the post.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;But it also means real information about children and where they spend their time can end up circulating far beyond the original joke.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"why-the-cat-in-the-hat-trend-can-frighten-children\"\u003E&nbsp;Why the cat in the Hat trend can frighten children\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEven when a post is intended as a joke, the child named in it may experience it very differently. Seeing their name, school or places they regularly visit associated with a threatening message can make the situation feel personal and frightening.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Anca Ivu, clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioral therapist, explains:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E“\u003Cstrong\u003EOur emotional reactions depend not only on what happens, but also on how we interpret the situation and whether we feel capable of dealing with it. For younger children, frightening images and threatening messages can cause fear, even when the character is fictional. For preteens and teenagers, being named publicly can also bring fears of embarrassment, classmates' reactions, or feeling targeted and intimidated.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E”\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn some cases, this fear can develop into heightened alertness to potential dangers, known as&nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ehypervigilance\u003C\u002Fem\u003E. A child might avoid certain places, repeatedly check whether new posts about them have appeared, or seek reassurance from adults.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents should pay attention to changes in their child's usual behavior, including trouble sleeping, irritability, social withdrawal, reluctance to go to school, excessive phone checking or a growing need for reassurance.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat doesn't mean every frightened reaction is a cause for concern. Feeling worried after discovering your name in a threatening post is understandable.&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat matters is whether the fear persists, becomes more intense or starts affecting the child's sleep, school life or relationships.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhat if your child shares one of these posts? \u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003ETalk about the difference between sharing a scary meme and making someone feel personally threatened. Remind them that even if they don't mean to frighten anyone, the person named in the post may not see it as a joke. And once it's shared, they can't control who sees it or how others interpret it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-should-you-do-if-your-child-is-named-in-one-of-these-posts\"\u003EWhat should you do if your child is named in one of these posts?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou may feel angry, worried or tempted to act immediately, but how you react matters. An alarmed reaction can make your child feel even more frightened, while dismissing the post as a joke may make them feel that you don't understand why they're upset.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStart by listening.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;Ask how they felt when they saw the post, whether being named frightened or embarrassed them, and whether anything similar has happened before. Don't assume you already know how they feel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou can acknowledge their feelings without suggesting they're in immediate danger. For example:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"I understand why that upset you. Even if someone thought it was funny, using your name to scare you isn't okay. We'll figure out what happened and what to do next.\"\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Anca points out,&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe responsibility lies with the person who created or shared the post, not the child targeted by it.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;Your child should feel comfortable asking for help even if they previously interacted with that person, shared the content or revealed personal information online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat parents should avoid:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDismissing their feelings:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;\"It's just a joke. There's nothing to be scared of.\"\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaking the situation sound worse:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;\"This is serious! Someone is stalking you!\" when there's no evidence of an actual threat.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlaming the child:&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\"I told you not to share so much information online!\" You can discuss privacy later, but this isn't the moment for criticism.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReacting impulsively:&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003EPublicly confronting the person who posted it, resharing the content to expose them or aggressively contacting other children can make things worse.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaking every decision without your child:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;Especially with teenagers, explain what you're planning to do and involve them in decisions where appropriate. They shouldn't have to handle the situation themselves, but they should have a say in what happens next.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce you've talked, take practical steps:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESave evidence.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;Take screenshots showing the post, account name, date and any threatening messages, without sharing them further.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReport the content&nbsp;to the platform where it appeared.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheck what personal information is exposed,\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E including names, school details, locations or other information that could identify your child.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EContact the school\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;if students or school locations are mentioned, particularly if the post appears to target someone.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EContact the police\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E&nbsp;if the post contains a credible threat or suggests your child may be in danger.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Fol\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHelp your child feel safe again and understand that they don't have to deal with something like this alone. How you respond now can also make it easier for them to come to you the next time something frightening happens online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-protect-your-childs-privacy-on-social-media\"\u003EHow&nbsp;to&nbsp;protect&nbsp;your&nbsp;child's&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;on&nbsp;social&nbsp;media\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETalk to your child about the information they share online, including details they may not think of as private, such as their school name, places they visit or photos that reveal where they are. Remind them to be just as careful with other people's information.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt's also worth checking their privacy settings together. Who can see their posts? Who can tag or mention them? What can someone they don't know find out from their profile?\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd if you need a little help managing your child's online activities, there are tools for that, too.&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBitdefender Parental Control\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, included in&nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBitdefender Family Plans\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, can help you set age-appropriate boundaries, while Family Plans also help protect your loved ones from scams, phishing, malicious links, and other online threats.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou may also want to read:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fhow-to-teach-your-child-online-safety-without-scaring-them\"\u003EHow to teach your child online safety without scaring them\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Ftiktok-bathroom-swearing-trend\"\u003EThe TikTok bathroom swearing trend- Why kids swear and how parents should respond\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fscreen-time-child-digital-ecosystem\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EParents, It’s Time to Look Beyond Screen Time\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"faqs\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFAQs\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-is-the-cat-in-the-hat-trend-on-tiktok\"\u003EWhat is the Cat in the Hat trend on TikTok?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cat in the Hat trend involves creepy images and videos, often created with AI, that turn the familiar Dr. Seuss character into a horror figure. Some versions place the character in real towns, near schools or other recognizable locations and may include names of real people.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"is-the-cat-in-the-hat-trend-dangerous\"\u003EIs the Cat in the Hat tren\u003Cstrong\u003Ed dangerous?\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot every Cat in the Hat meme is dangerous. The privacy and safety concerns arise when posts include real names, schools, locations or threatening language, particularly when children are identified or targeted.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"why-are-schools-concerned-about-the-cat-in-the-hat-trend\"\u003EWhy are schools concerned about the Cat in the Hat trend?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPosts that name schools or students or appear to make threats can be difficult to dismiss as jokes, particularly when they spread beyond the group that understands the original context. Schools may become involved when students are targeted, identifiable or frightened by the content.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"can-someone-find-your-location-from-a-social-media-post\"\u003ECan someone find your location from a social media post?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESometimes. Photos and videos can reveal location clues such as school names, street signs, businesses, sports clubs, landmarks or house numbers. Combined with information from other posts or a public profile, these details may make it easier to work out where someone lives, studies or spends time.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-should-i-do-if-someone-posts-my-childs-name-or-school-online\"\u003EWhat should I do if someone posts my child's name or school online?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESave evidence of the post, check exactly what information has been shared and report&nbsp;the&nbsp;post&nbsp;and&nbsp;request&nbsp;its&nbsp;removal&nbsp;through&nbsp;the&nbsp;platform. If the post contains a credible threat or you believe your child is in immediate danger, contact the appropriate authorities.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:ai,name:aj,slug:ak,profile_image:al,cover_image:a,bio:am,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:"The Cat in the Hat trend uses creepy, often AI-generated images and videos to place the familiar character in real-life locations. Some posts have gone further, using real schools, towns and even children's names.\n\nWhat may start as a joke can quickly raise questions about privacy, location sharing and how much information kids reveal about themselves and each other online.\n\n\nKey takeaways:\n\n * The Cat in the Hat trend uses creepy, often AI-generated or edited images that make it look as if the ",reading_time:bP,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcat-in-the-hat-trend-kids-online-safety\u002F"}],sidePosts:[{id:O,title:P,slug:Q,feature_image:R,featured:c,published_at:S,custom_excerpt:a,html:ah,tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:T,name:U,slug:V,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:z,name:A,slug:B,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:W,reading_time:r,url:X},{id:ay,title:az,slug:aA,feature_image:aB,featured:c,published_at:aC,custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhatsApp is rolling out new controls that let parents manage parts of their teenager’s experience without accessing their private conversations.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWhatsApp is rolling out optional parental controls for users aged 13 to 17\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EParents can manage privacy settings and some features using a six-digit PIN\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETeens need parental approval to make protected settings less restrictive\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EParents can receive alerts about activity such as new contacts and groups, but can’t read their teen’s messages\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EParents can restrict Channels, Status and their teen’s experience with Meta AI\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe controls require the parent and teen to agree to link their WhatsApp accounts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe feature is rolling out gradually and may not yet be available everywhere\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Ch2 id=\"more-oversight-without-reading-their-messages\"\u003EMore oversight without reading their messages\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatsApp is giving parents more say over how their teenagers use the messaging service, including who can see their information, how they interact with groups and Channels, and what content they can access through Meta AI.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe messaging service \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.whatsapp.com\u002Fnew-controls-to-help-parents-guide-their-teens-on-whatsapp\"\u003Eannounced the new controls\u003C\u002Fa\u003E on Sept. 30, describing them as a way for parents to guide teenagers without looking over their shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce accounts are linked, parents can manage privacy settings such as who can see their teen’s profile information and who can add them to groups. A teen can still adjust their own privacy settings, but making a protected setting less restrictive requires approval using the parent's PIN.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents can also receive notifications about certain changes and activities. For example, WhatsApp can alert them when their teenager adds a contact, creates or joins a group, or changes their profile picture, or when a group they belong to grows significantly. Parents can choose which of these notifications to receive.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system also gives parents some control over WhatsApp features that extend beyond one-to-one messaging.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor \u003Cstrong\u003EStatus\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, parents can decide whose updates their teen can see and who can see their teen's updates.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor \u003Cstrong\u003EChannels\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, they can allow access to all Channels, limit their teen to parent-approved Channels, or block Channel access. They can also prevent their teen from creating a Channel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerhaps most notably, given the growing use of AI among young people, parents can choose between WhatsApp's standard \u003Cstrong\u003E13+ Meta AI experience\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and a \u003Cstrong\u003ELimited\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E setting designed to further restrict the topics their teenager can discuss with the chatbot.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-parents-still-cant-see\"\u003EWhat parents still can't see\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fheader-whatsapp-teens-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"978\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002Fsize\u002Fw600\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fheader-whatsapp-teens-1.jpg 600w, https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fheader-whatsapp-teens-1.jpg 978w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 720px) 720px\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESource: \u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.whatsapp.com\u002Fnew-controls-to-help-parents-guide-their-teens-on-whatsapp\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhatsApp\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new controls don't turn WhatsApp into a surveillance tool.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents \u003Cstrong\u003Ecan’t read their teenager's personal messages or listen to their calls\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. WhatsApp says conversations remain end-to-end encrypted, meaning nobody outside a conversation – including a linked parent or WhatsApp itself – can access their contents.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat's an important distinction.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParental controls can reduce exposure to strangers, inappropriate content and unwanted interactions. But they don't tell parents everything happening inside a conversation. A teenager could still encounter scams, manipulation, cyberbullying, inappropriate requests or malicious links from someone they're already communicating with.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe controls work best as guardrails rather than a substitute for conversations about online safety.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-set-up-whatsapp-parental-controls-for-your-teen\"\u003EHow to set up WhatsApp parental controls for your teen\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatsApp says its new controls are designed for kids \u003Cstrong\u003Eaged 13 to 17\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, while the parent or guardian linking the account must be at least 18. Both parent and teen must agree to link their accounts, and both devices need the latest version of WhatsApp.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffaq.whatsapp.com\u002F1761199628372670\"\u003Eset up parental controls\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, you'll need both phones:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On your \u003Cstrong\u003Eteen's phone\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, open WhatsApp and go to \u003Cstrong\u003ESettings &gt; Parental controls &gt; Continue\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Enter your teen's birthday and confirm their age\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tap \u003Cstrong\u003EContinue\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E to begin linking a parent's account\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A QR code will appear on the teen's device\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Using the \u003Cstrong\u003Eparent's phone\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, scan the QR code with the phone's camera and follow the link into WhatsApp\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tap \u003Cstrong\u003EContinue\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and complete the adult-verification process\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Create a \u003Cstrong\u003Esix-digit parent PIN\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and confirm it. This PIN is required to access and change protected settings\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Return to your teen's phone, enter the parent PIN and review the available privacy and feature settings\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tap \u003Cstrong\u003EContinue &gt; Done\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E to finish setup\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfterwards, parents can manage settings from the teen's device by opening \u003Cstrong\u003EWhatsApp &gt; Settings &gt; Parental controls\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and entering the parent PIN.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents can also review activity from their own device by opening \u003Cstrong\u003EWhatsApp &gt; Settings &gt; Parental controls\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and selecting their teenager's account.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe controls are optional and can be removed later. WhatsApp says the feature is rolling out gradually, so don't be surprised if it isn’t in your settings yet. Keeping WhatsApp updated will ensure the feature becomes available when it reaches your account or region.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-about-younger-children\"\u003EWhat about younger children?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatsApp now makes an important distinction between teenagers and younger children.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this year, the company began rolling out \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fset-up-parent-managed-whatsapp-account-child\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eparent-managed accounts\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E for children under 13 – or an older minimum age where required by local rules. These accounts are much more restrictive and focus primarily on messaging and calling under parental supervision.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents can manage who contacts the child, review requests from unknown people, control privacy settings and receive alerts about certain account activity. Personal conversations still remain end-to-end encrypted and inaccessible to the parent.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth parent-managed accounts and the newer controls for teens are being introduced gradually, so availability can vary by country and account.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"parental-controls-are-only-one-layer-of-protection\"\u003EParental controls are only one layer of protection\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGiving parents better controls inside WhatsApp is useful, particularly because messaging apps sit at the intersection of so many risks young people encounter online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut no collection of privacy switches can prevent every scam, malicious link, compromised account or manipulation attempt.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParents should teach children and teenagers to be suspicious of unexpected requests for money or personal information, to never share passwords or verification codes, and to be cautious when someone suddenly asks them to move a conversation, download a file or click a link.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYoung people should also know that identities can be faked online. A message appearing to come from a friend or relative doesn't necessarily mean that person actually sent it – particularly if an account has been compromised.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd make sure children know that blocking and reporting someone is always an option if a conversation makes them uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"add-another-layer-of-protection-for-the-whole-family\"\u003EAdd another layer of protection for the whole family\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatsApp's parental controls can help manage what happens \u003Cstrong\u003Einside WhatsApp\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, but a child's digital life doesn't stop at a single app.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat's where device-level security and broader parental controls can complement the safeguards built into individual platforms.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ffamily\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBitdefender Family Plans\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E provide security for up to five family members and 25 devices, with different roles and protections for parents, teenagers and children. Depending on the plan, families can combine real-time protection against online threats with parental controls, scam protection, privacy features and other security tools.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBitdefender Parental Control lets parents set internet time limits, filter inappropriate content and get a clearer picture of children's online activity, while the wider security suite helps protect family devices against malicious websites, phishing attempts, risky downloads and other threats.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe goal isn't to watch everything children do online. It's to put sensible safeguards around them while they learn how to make safer decisions themselves.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOn topic:\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fset-up-parent-managed-whatsapp-account-child\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESafer messaging for kids: how to set up a parent-managed WhatsApp account for your child\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhatsapp-account-theft-defense\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhatsApp makes account theft harder: how to turn on the new defenses\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhatsapp-usernames-explained-how-to-reserve\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhatsApp usernames explained: how to reserve yours and stay safe\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:aD,name:aE,slug:aF,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:aG,reading_time:bO,url:aH},{id:aI,title:aJ,slug:aK,feature_image:aL,featured:c,published_at:aM,custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003EA recent ABC investigation highlights a troubling form of online exploitation affecting Australian children through coercive, cult-like networks that use games, social platforms and messaging apps.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese networks can use friendship, harassment, threats and blackmail to gain control over a child. In some cases, victims are pressured into creating sexual material, isolating themselves from the people who care about them, or harming themselves.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis risk isn’t limited to children in Australia. The individuals behind these networks operate across borders, targeting children with online access, particularly those who are lonely, distressed, looking for acceptance, or going through a difficult time.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChildren can be approached through online games, then encouraged to move to private chat apps\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESeemingly harmless questions can be used to collect personal information and make threats more convincing\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESome victims are pressured into sharing intimate content, self-harming or isolating themselves from family and friends\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPolice warn that victims can also be coerced into targeting other children\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EParents should know which games, platforms and chat apps their children use, keep conversations open and use parental controls as an added layer of protection\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-a-gaming-conversation-can-turn-into-exploitation\"\u003EHow a gaming conversation can turn into exploitation\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the ABC report, a teenager identified as Emma described meeting someone through an online game (Roblox) after he praised her gaming skills. He then encouraged her to move the conversation to the Discord platform, which allows messaging, video chat and file-sharing.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"I met this guy … he said that I was really good at the game,\" the young girl \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abc.net.au\u002Fnews\u002F2026-10-05\u002Faustralian-children-at-risk-from-sadistic-online-cults-like-764\u002F107217600\"\u003Etold\u003C\u002Fa\u003E ABC.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt first, the questions seemed ordinary: her age, school and other personal details. But the conversation escalated. Emma was asked for selfies and then more explicit images. The person threatened to share material if she didn’t comply.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"Then he started asking me for, like, pics that were not good … [telling] me 'if you don't do this, I will leak you,'\" she said.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy that point, he had gathered enough information to identify Emma and her parents, including their contact details.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer story shows why parents shouldn't assume a child will recognize danger immediately. The first message may come from someone who seems friendly, supportive or close in age. They may be playing the same game, listening to the same music or simply offering the kind of attention a child feels they need at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"They made me upset, but I was too scared to tell my parents. That's the main thing. I never told my parents about any of this,\" Emma explains.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-law-enforcement-is-seeing\"\u003EWhat law enforcement is seeing\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmma’s case is among 19 referrals made to the WA Police Force cybercrime squad in the past 18 months, according to the ABC. That figure reflects referrals, not necessarily confirmed cases tied to one specific group.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPolice say victims may be pressured into self-harm, sexual exploitation or other harmful acts. One especially troubling pattern is that some children are then coerced into becoming offenders themselves by approaching, manipulating or harassing others.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese groups do not necessarily function like a traditional cult with a fixed leader or formal membership. But they can use cult-like methods: creating a sense of belonging, rewarding obedience, making harmful behavior appear normal, and convincing victims that they cannot leave or ask for help. For the child, the experience can quickly become frightening and isolating.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaw enforcement describes this as a growing global threat. The Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accce.gov.au\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2025-07\u002FSaditstic%20Online%20Exploitation%20Factsheet_AFP-JPC3-ACCCE_Jul2025.pdf\"\u003Esays\u003C\u002Fa\u003E offenders may approach children through gaming platforms, social media apps and forums, first offering friendship, attention or a sense of belonging.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe relationship can then become extremely controlling. An offender may encourage a child to move to a private chat app, ask increasingly personal questions, make them keep secrets or use threats to make them comply.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn October 2025, the AFP said it had \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.afp.gov.au\u002Fnews-centre\u002Fmedia-release\u002Fnew-taskforce-target-decentralised-online-crime-network-exploiting\"\u003Eidentified\u003C\u002Fa\u003E 59 alleged Australian members of a decentralized online crime network associated with child exploitation, cybercrime and violence.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"doxxing-and-swatting-tactics-used-to-scare-children-into-silence\"\u003EDoxxing and swatting: tactics used to scare children into silence\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce an offender has personal information, threats can become more believable.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDoxxing is the act of sharing someone’s personal information online without their permission. This could include a child’s name, phone number, home address, school, or details about their parents and their work. The goal is to frighten the victim or encourage others to harass them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESwatting is another intimidation tactic these individuals use. It involves making a false emergency report to send police or emergency responders to someone’s home.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA child who believes an offender knows where they live, who their parents are or how to reach them may feel trapped. They may hide what is happening because they are ashamed, frightened or worried that they will get in trouble.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat’s why the response at home matters so much. Children need to know they can ask for help, even if they have shared something personal, spoken to a stranger or ignored well established rules within the family.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"warning-signs-parents-should-not-ignore\"\u003EWarning signs parents should not ignore\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is no single sign that proves a child is being targeted. But a sudden change in behavior around devices, games, or online friends is worth noticing.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe on the lookout for these changes in your child’s behavior:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHides their screen, quickly closes apps or becomes unusually protective of a device\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWithdraws from family, friends, school or activities they would normally enjoy\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESeems distressed, anxious or angry after being online\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBecomes secretive about a particular game, chat app or online friend\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESuddenly uses unfamiliar apps, has multiple accounts or private group chats\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReceives unexplained gifts, in-game currency or attention from strangers\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAppears fearful that someone will share information or images about them\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETalks about self-harm, appears to be self-harming or seems overwhelmed and isolated\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese signs can have many causes. The goal is not to interrogate a child or assume the worst. It is to create an opening for a calm conversation.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-parents-can-do\"\u003EWhat parents can do\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStart by knowing where your child spends time online. Ask them to show you the games they play, the apps they use and how messaging works on those platforms. You do not need to understand every feature. Being interested makes it easier for your child to bring concerns to you later.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESet clear family rules about private chats, friend requests and moving conversations from one app to another. Younger children should generally only interact with people they know offline, while older children should understand that an online friend can still be a stranger.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUse privacy settings and parental controls to limit direct messages, voice chat, unknown friend requests and access to age-inappropriate content. A solution such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ffamily\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EBitdefender Family Plan\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can help parents manage their children’s online activity, set healthy boundaries and add protection across the family’s devices. A security solution should support and not replace regular conversations.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost importantly, tell your child this clearly: if someone asks for photos, makes threats, wants them to keep secrets, pressures them to move to another app or makes them feel unsafe, they can come to you. They will not be blamed, and you will deal with it together.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"if-you-think-a-child-is-being-targeted\"\u003EIf you think a child is being targeted\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStay calm. Thank them for telling you and reassure them that they are not in trouble.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E Save usernames, messages, links and screenshots where possible, but do not share or forward harmful material.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBlock and report the account through the relevant platform.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReport suspected child exploitation to law enforcement or the relevant child-protection reporting service.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIf there is an immediate risk of self-harm or danger, contact emergency services straight away.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"faqs\"\u003EFAQS\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-are-the-warning-signs-that-a-child-may-be-targeted-online\"\u003EWhat are the warning signs that a child may be targeted online?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA child may become unusually secretive about their phone, games or online friends, quickly hide their screen, withdraw from family and friends, or seem upset after going online. They may also appear frightened by notifications, use new apps without explaining why, or worry that someone will share private information about them. These signs do not always mean exploitation is happening, but they are a reason to start a calm, supportive conversation.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"can-children-be-targeted-through-online-games\"\u003ECan children be targeted through online games?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYes. Online games can be enjoyable social spaces, but chat and messaging features can also allow strangers to contact children. An offender may begin with a friendly conversation about the game, then encourage the child to move to another app or private chat. Teach children not to share personal information, photos, their school, address or contact details with people they only know online.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-should-i-do-if-someone-threatens-or-blackmails-my-child-online\"\u003EWhat should I do if someone threatens or blackmails my child online?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStay calm and reassure your child that they are not in trouble. Save usernames, messages, links and screenshots, but do not share or forward harmful material. Block and report the account through the platform, then report suspected exploitation to law enforcement or the appropriate child-protection reporting service. If your child may be at immediate risk of self-harm or physical danger, contact emergency services immediately.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\"what-is-doxxing\"\u003EWhat is doxxing?\u003C\u002Fh3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDoxxing is when someone shares another person’s private information online without permission. This may include their full name, address, school, phone number or information about their family. It is often used to intimidate someone or encourage others to harass them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:C,name:D,slug:E,profile_image:F,cover_image:a,bio:G,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:aN,reading_time:bP,url:aO},{id:"6abe4ad88beeea965802a458",title:"Cybersecurity Awareness Month Starts With Protecting Older Adults",slug:"protect-older-adults-cybersecurity-awareness-month",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FCybersecurity-Awareness-Month-Starts-With-Protecting-Older-Adults.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-01T15:29:59.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003EI can’t believe it’s already October. The start of this month means we are kicking off Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a time to slow down, look at the risks we face online, and talk about the small things that can help protect us and the people we love.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut Oct. 1 also marks the International Day of Older Persons, a meaningful reminder that online safety is not only for younger generations.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOlder adults are active online, which means they can encounter scams through texts, emails, social media, messaging apps, ads and phone calls.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFinancial exploitation can have a particularly serious impact when someone has limited time or resources to recover from a loss\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EScams do not only come from obvious strangers; criminals can impersonate a bank, a delivery company, a government agency, a friend or even a family member\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAI is making scams more convincing, including through realistic fake voices, videos, messages and images\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAwareness matters, but so does a safety net: family support, simple verification habits and real-time scam protection can make a real difference\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOlder adults are online every day. They use smartphones to communicate with family, manage banking and health appointments, follow the news, shop, share photos, and take part in their communities.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, the online world has become much harder to navigate. A convincing text can appear to come from a bank. A sponsored social-media post can lead to a fraudulent website. And an urgent call may now sound remarkably like someone we know.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor older adults, a scam can mean more than an embarrassing moment or an annoying message. It can jeopardize savings, personal information and peace of mind. This month is a good opportunity to make protection practical: talk openly about suspicious messages, agree that it is always okay to pause, and put a few extra safeguards in place before a scammer gets the chance.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is why this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we should make room for a more caring family conversation: not one built on fear or judgment, but one that helps older relatives recognize suspicious moments, ask for a second opinion and know that support is always there.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"why-older-adults-can-face-a-greater-risk-of-financial-exploitation\"\u003EWhy older adults can face a greater risk of financial exploitation\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo one is “too smart” to get scammed. Fraud works by catching people off guard at just the right moment, whether you’re worried, in a rush or even lonely. &nbsp;For older adults, the consequences can be especially painful. A stolen retirement fund, a fraudulent bank transfer or an identity theft incident may be difficult to recover from and can affect a person’s independence and peace of mind.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch also shows that vulnerability is not one-size-fits-all. It can be influenced by social isolation, digital experience, memory and the type of deception used. Some scams rely on urgency, while others play on trust, generosity or the desire to help.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"the-scams-can-arrive-from-almost-anywhere\"\u003EThe scams can arrive from almost anywhere\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA suspicious email is no longer the only thing we need to watch out for.&nbsp; An older relative may receive a text from somebody claiming to represent a bank, a social-media ad for a miracle investment, a message from a supposed government agency, or a call from someone saying a grandchild needs urgent help.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScammers may also pose as a trusted business, a doctor’s office, a charity, a delivery company or a familiar contact. In some cases, the first message may look harmless. The conversation becomes more convincing over time, until the victim is asked to share a code, click a link, install an app or send money.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe best response is as simple as pausing before acting and verifying the request through a trusted contact method.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"and-ai-is-making-deception-more-personal\"\u003EAnd AI is making deception more personal\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence has not created scams, but it has made them faster to produce, easier to personalize, and more convincing at scale. AI also excels at tailoring these attacks through voice cloning and video manipulation, making impersonation feel extremely real.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is why families should agree on a simple rule: any unexpected request for money, gift cards, passwords, verification codes or sensitive information should be checked independently first.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECall the person back using a number you already trust. Contact the bank through its official app or website, and ask another family member.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"awareness-is-important-but-a-safety-net-matters-too\"\u003EAwareness is important, but a safety net matters too\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeople shouldn’t have to identify every scam on their own.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScam prevention works best when it combines awareness with support. A warning when someone is about to open a dangerous link, respond to a suspicious text or enter details on a fraudulent website can stop a split-second decision from becoming a serious loss.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ffamily\" rel=\"noreferrer\"\u003EBitdefender family plans\u003C\u002Fa\u003E help provide that extra layer through anti-malware, anti-fraud and anti-scam technologies that can warn people in real time about dangerous links, malicious websites and emerging scam activity. Scam Protection and Scam Radar alerts can help families spot new scam waves before they turn into personal losses.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are also two free tools worth keeping close:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fscamio\"\u003EBitdefender Scamio\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can help you check suspicious texts, emails, screenshots, offers and messages. If an older relative receives something that feels urgent or confusing, they can ask Scamio before replying, clicking or paying.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Flink-checker\"\u003EBitdefender Link Checker\u003C\u002Fa\u003E lets you check a questionable link before opening it. This can be especially useful for unexpected delivery notices, bank alerts, social-media ads and messages that claim an account needs immediate attention.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-families-can-protect-older-loved-ones-without-being-patronizing\"\u003EHow families can protect older loved ones without being patronizing\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe goal is not to monitor every click or make someone feel incapable. It’s to make safety a family habit.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStart a conversation without judgment. Ask: “Have you seen any strange messages lately?” or “If something online ever feels off, can we check it together?”\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou can also agree on a few practical safeguards:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETurn on two-factor authentication for important accounts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUse unique passwords stored in a password manager\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EKeep phones, computers and apps updated\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReview privacy settings on social-media accounts\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECreate a family verification phrase for urgent calls or messages\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMake it normal to ask for a second opinion before sending money or sharing personal details\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E",tags:[{id:bh,name:bi,slug:bj,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:u,name:v,slug:w,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:C,name:D,slug:E,profile_image:F,cover_image:a,bio:G,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:"I can’t believe it’s already October. The start of this month means we are kicking off Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a time to slow down, look at the risks we face online, and talk about the small things that can help protect us and the people we love.\n\nBut Oct. 1 also marks the International Day of Older Persons, a meaningful reminder that online safety is not only for younger generations.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n * Older adults are active online, which means they can encounter scams through texts, em",reading_time:r,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fprotect-older-adults-cybersecurity-awareness-month\u002F"},{id:"6abe3e1e8beeea965802a439",title:"Apple patches zero-day behind ‘extremely sophisticated’ iPhone attacks",slug:"apple-patches-coregraphics-zero-day-sophisticated-iphone-attacks",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fheader-1.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-10-01T14:06:05.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EApple is urging users to update after patching a CoreGraphics vulnerability that attackers have already exploited against specific individuals. The flaw could let malicious files run code on vulnerable iPhones, iPads and Macs.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EApple has patched a CoreGraphics zero-day tracked as CVE-2026-86950\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EProcessing a maliciously crafted file could let attackers execute code on a vulnerable device\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EApple says the vulnerability may have been exploited in an “extremely sophisticated attack” against specific targeted individuals\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe company has not said who was targeted, how the attacks worked or whether spyware was involved\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe vulnerability affects older iOS, iPadOS and macOS releases and was reported by Meta Product Security\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EApple users should install the latest operating system available for their device as soon as possible\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EApple has released security updates for iPhones, iPads and Macs to address a dangerous vulnerability that attackers appear to have discovered before a patch was available.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe vulnerability, tracked as \u003Cstrong\u003ECVE-2026-86950\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, affects CoreGraphics, an Apple framework responsible for drawing and processing graphics across its operating systems.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProcessing a specially crafted file on a vulnerable device could lead to \u003Cstrong\u003Earbitrary code execution\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E – potentially allowing malicious code to run on the device, Apple said in its security advisory.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis isn't merely a theoretical threat.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 27,” the company \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.apple.com\u002Fen-us\u002F149226\"\u003Esays\u003C\u002Fa\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-happened\"\u003EWhat happened?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECVE-2026-86950 is an \u003Cstrong\u003Eout-of-bounds write vulnerability\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, a type of memory-safety flaw that can allow software to write data outside the area of memory allocated to it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDepending on the circumstances, bugs of this kind can cause crashes or memory corruption and, more seriously, give attackers a way to execute their own code.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple says it fixed the problem through improved bounds checking. The vulnerability was reported by \u003Cstrong\u003EMeta Product Security\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple has provided very few details about the attacks themselves. They haven’t said who was targeted, how attackers delivered the malicious content, how many people were affected or what happened after the vulnerability was exploited.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe wording of Apple's advisory is nevertheless significant. The company says the flaw was used in an “extremely sophisticated” attack against “specific targeted individuals,” suggesting a focused operation rather than widespread attacks against ordinary Apple users.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cupertino tech titan typically reserves this kind of wording for what often turns out to be a targeted spyware campaign.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the company has not said spyware was involved, and there is currently no public evidence identifying the attackers or the tools they used.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"another-dangerous-flaw-in-how-devices-process-files\"\u003EAnother dangerous flaw in how devices process files\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe vulnerability arrives only weeks after Apple \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fupdate-iphone-mac-image-flaw-spyware-potential\"\u003Epatched another potentially dangerous flaw in its image-processing technology\u003C\u002Fa\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat earlier vulnerability, CVE-2026-65346, affected Apple's ImageIO framework and could also lead to arbitrary code execution when a device processed maliciously crafted content.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike the newly disclosed CoreGraphics vulnerability, Apple did \u003Cstrong\u003Enot\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E report CVE-2026-65346 as being exploited in the wild.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"image-processing-flaws-are-extremely-valuable-to-hackers\"\u003EImage-processing flaws are extremely valuable to hackers\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESophisticated attackers are particularly interested in vulnerabilities in components that process images, documents and other incoming content are particularly interesting because they may handle data automatically or with very little interaction from the user.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPast mercenary spyware operations have demonstrated just how dangerous such attack chains can be. Some have used so-called \u003Cstrong\u003Ezero-click exploits\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, where receiving specially crafted content is enough to trigger part of an attack without the victim knowingly opening a malicious attachment or clicking a suspicious link.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is no indication from Apple that CVE-2026-86950 itself is a zero-click vulnerability. But its exploitation in a sophisticated targeted attack makes installing the patch particularly important.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"which-devices-received-the-fix\"\u003EWhich devices received the fix?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple patched the flaw on Sept. 28 in \u003Cstrong\u003EiOS 26.7.1 and iPadOS 26.7.1\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. The updates are available for iPhone 11 and later, along with supported iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad and iPad mini models.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe same CoreGraphics vulnerability was also patched in \u003Cstrong\u003EmacOS Tahoe 26.7.1\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EmacOS Sequoia 15.8.1\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple's advisory specifically refers to \u003Cstrong\u003Eattacks against devices running versions of iOS before iOS 27\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. The company has not said which exact versions were compromised.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple currently lists \u003Cstrong\u003EiOS and iPadOS 27.0.1 and macOS 27.0.1\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E as its latest operating-system releases for compatible hardware.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"what-apple-users-should-do\"\u003EWhat Apple users should do\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe immediate advice is simple: \u003Cstrong\u003Eupdate your devices\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn an iPhone or iPad, go to \u003Cstrong\u003ESettings &gt; General &gt; Software Update\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and install the newest version offered for your device.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a Mac, open \u003Cstrong\u003ESystem Settings &gt; General &gt; Software Update\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and check for available updates.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt's also worth taking a few additional precautions:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnable automatic updates.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Security patches are particularly important when a vulnerability is already being exploited\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDon't rely entirely on spotting suspicious files.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Sophisticated exploits may not look obviously malicious, and some attacks require little or no meaningful interaction from the victim\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKeep browsers and messaging apps updated too.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Attack chains frequently combine multiple vulnerabilities or delivery mechanisms\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe cautious with unexpected links and attachments.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Not every advanced attack is zero-click; phishing and social engineering remain effective ways of getting malicious content onto a device\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Ftotal-security\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse independent security software\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E to help detect malicious links, downloads and other threats that may accompany an attack\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConsider \u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhat-is-lockdown-mode-iphone-mac-spyware-when-use-it\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELockdown Mode\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E if you face elevated risk.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Journalists, activists, executives, government officials and others who believe they may be targeted by sophisticated mercenary spyware can use Apple's hardened security mode to reduce the device's attack surface\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"most-people-arent-the-target-%E2%80%93-but-they-should-still-update\"\u003EMost people aren't the target – but they should still update\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApple's description suggests CVE-2026-86950 has so far been used selectively rather than in a broad campaign.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat should provide some perspective for the average iPhone or Mac owner. There is no evidence that millions of Apple users are suddenly being attacked through malicious files.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut a zero-day becomes a different security problem once it is disclosed and patched. Attackers can study updates, understand what Apple changed and even try to reproduce the vulnerability against devices that remain unpatched.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fact that CVE-2026-86950 was apparently valuable enough to be used in a sophisticated targeted operation is reason enough not to leave that window open.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBottom line:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Apple has already seen signs that attackers exploited this flaw before a fix was available. The patch is available now. Install it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn topic:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fupdate-iphone-mac-image-flaw-spyware-potential\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUpdate your iPhone and Mac! Apple patches image flaw with spyware potential\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhatsapp-new-spyware-israel-nso-group\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhatsApp detects new spyware activity from Israel’s NSO Group despite court order\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fmacos-screen-sharing-flaw-exploited-crypto-miner-hack\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EmacOS ‘Screen Sharing’ flaw exploited for crypto-mining\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:"6819dde2a2cf20baf7a3a3fa",name:"Mobile Security",slug:"mobile-security",description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:"Apple is urging users to update after patching a CoreGraphics vulnerability that attackers have already exploited against specific individuals. The flaw could let malicious files run code on vulnerable iPhones, iPads and Macs.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n\n * Apple has patched a CoreGraphics zero-day tracked as CVE-2026-86950\n * Processing a maliciously crafted file could let attackers execute code on a vulnerable device\n * Apple says the vulnerability may have been exploited in an “extremely sophisticated ",reading_time:r,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fapple-patches-coregraphics-zero-day-sophisticated-iphone-attacks\u002F"},{id:"6ab14dd08beeea965802a134",title:"AI hallucinated a nuclear threat. The US military nearly responded",slug:"ai-hallucinate-china-nuclear-us-military",feature_image:"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F09\u002FAI-hallucinate-nuclear-ship-cargo-china.png",featured:c,published_at:"2026-09-21T18:50:45.000+03:00",custom_excerpt:a,html:"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe US military reportedly came close to intercepting a Chinese vessel after an AI-assisted intelligence report falsely claimed the ship was carrying components for a nuclear weapons program.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe US military reportedly prepared to intercept a Chinese ship based on an intelligence report created with the help of AI\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAn AI chatbot incorrectly identified the vessel's cargo as components linked to a nuclear weapons program\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETroops were preparing to board the ship and military aircraft were already in the air before the mistake was discovered, according to media reports\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe analyst reportedly used AI both to analyze the underlying information and to package the conclusion into an intelligence report\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe incident highlights the risks of treating authoritative-sounding AI output as verified information\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHuman oversight only works when people independently check the evidence rather than simply approve AI output\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe US military was preparing to board a Chinese ship — with troops getting ready and military aircraft already in the air — when officials discovered that the intelligence behind the operation was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to a CNN investigation, an artificial intelligence chatbot had misidentified the vessel's cargo. The error was then incorporated into a formal intelligence report and circulated through the military.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn most everyday situations, an AI hallucination might mean a bad recommendation or incorrect fact. In a military setting, the stakes can be dramatically higher.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-an-ai-error-became-military-intelligence\"\u003EHow an AI error became military intelligence\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe incident occurred this spring amid the war with Iran, according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2026\u002F09\u002F18\u002Fpolitics\u002Fus-military-ai-false-intelligence-china-ship\"\u003ECNN\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, which cited four unnamed people familiar with the events.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn analyst working with a special operations command reportedly queried an AI chatbot about intelligence concerning the manifest of a Chinese vessel traveling through the Middle East.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system combined open-source material with classified US government signals intelligence. CNN could not establish whether the chatbot was a commercially available product or a system developed for the government.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe chatbot concluded that the vessel was carrying material associated with a \u003Cstrong\u003Enuclear weapons program\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe analyst then reportedly turned to AI again, using it to package the findings into a \u003Cstrong\u003Estandard intelligence report\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E that was distributed through military channels. The document triggered preparations to intercept the Chinese vessel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArmed US personnel were preparing to board the ship, while \u003Cstrong\u003Emilitary aircraft had already taken off\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E, according to CNN's sources.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOfficials examining the report more closely shortly before the operation discovered the problem: the chatbot had misidentified the vessel’s cargo. CNN said it could not determine what the actual cargo was.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne source described the report to CNN as “entirely false,” while another said the incident “almost started a war.”\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"ai-can-sound-confident-even-when-it-is-completely-wrong\"\u003EAI can sound confident even when it is completely wrong\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGenerative AI systems don't necessarily distinguish between knowing something and producing an answer that \u003Cem\u003Esounds\u003C\u002Fem\u003E plausible.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo-called AI hallucinations occur when a model generates inaccurate or fabricated information and presents it convincingly. Depending on the circumstances, that might mean inventing a source, confusing people or places, misinterpreting data, or drawing a conclusion that isn't supported by the underlying evidence.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe incident illustrates another danger as well: an incorrect AI output can gain credibility as it moves through an organization.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn this case, the error didn't remain inside a chatbot conversation. It was incorporated into an intelligence product and distributed through channels where recipients would ordinarily expect information to have undergone appropriate scrutiny.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"the-pentagon-is-accelerating-its-use-of-ai\"\u003EThe Pentagon is accelerating its use of AI\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe close call comes as the US military aggressively expands its use of artificial intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn January, the Department of War \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.war.gov\u002FNews\u002FReleases\u002FRelease\u002FArticle\u002F4376420\u002Fwar-department-launches-ai-acceleration-strategy-to-secure-american-military-ai\u002F\"\u003Eannounced an AI Acceleration Strategy\u003C\u002Fa\u003E intended to integrate advanced AI across warfighting, intelligence and enterprise operations.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe strategy calls for AI to support areas ranging from battlefield decision-making and intelligence analysis to everyday workflows, with the department saying that speed is a major competitive advantage.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat expansion has continued. Earlier this month, the department said ChatGPT and Grok had joined Gemini among the AI systems in GenAI.mil, its secure generative-AI environment. The platform is intended to make AI capabilities available across a workforce of more than 3 million people.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECNN's sources, however, described AI adoption across the military and intelligence community as decentralized, with different tools operating under different rules and safeguards. They said there is no single standard governing how AI-generated information is verified.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"the-human-in-the-loop\"\u003EThe human in the loop\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Chinese ship wasn't targeted autonomously by an AI system. It was still humans who:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ereceived the intelligence\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Einterpreted the information\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ebegan preparing the operation\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eand ultimately discovered the mistake and stopped it\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHuman oversight provides limited protection if the person reviewing an AI-generated answer assumes the machine has done the hard work correctly.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lesson applies far beyond military intelligence:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmployees\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E in almost every sector increasingly use AI to summarize documents, research subjects, analyze data, write reports and make recommendations\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConsumers\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E use it to answer health, financial and security questions\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudents\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E use it for research\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBusinesses\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E integrate it into workflows where its output can influence real decisions\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI output can be extremely useful, but it’s something to verify – not something to take at face value simply because it sounds convincing.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOn topic:\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fbig-tech-cyber-defense-ai-cyber-attacks\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBig Tech calls for cyber-defense before AI attacks surge\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-hacks-system-data-breach-spain\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAI hacks system and accesses personal data in reported breach\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fspacex-data-failed-startups-ai-fodder\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESpaceX wants customer data from failed startups as AI fodder\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E",tags:[{id:h,name:i,slug:j,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:e,name:f,slug:d,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:z,name:A,slug:B,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a},{id:k,name:g,slug:g,description:a,feature_image:a,visibility:b,og_image:a,og_title:a,og_description:a,twitter_image:a,twitter_title:a,twitter_description:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a,codeinjection_head:a,codeinjection_foot:a,canonical_url:a,accent_color:a}],authors:[{id:l,name:m,slug:n,profile_image:o,cover_image:a,bio:p,website:a,location:a,facebook:a,twitter:a,meta_title:a,meta_description:a}],excerpt:"The US military reportedly came close to intercepting a Chinese vessel after an AI-assisted intelligence report falsely claimed the ship was carrying components for a nuclear weapons program.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n\n * The US military reportedly prepared to intercept a Chinese ship based on an intelligence report created with the help of AI\n * An AI chatbot incorrectly identified the vessel's cargo as components linked to a nuclear weapons program\n * Troops were preparing to board the ship and militar",reading_time:bl,url:"\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-hallucinate-china-nuclear-us-military\u002F"}],page:1,limit:999,isLoading:c,filterString:q,blogname:bM,menuItems:{hotforsecurity:{en:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:"threats",name:"Threats"},{tag:_,name:x},{tag:aq,name:J},{tag:"tips-and-tricks",name:"Tips and Tricks"},{tag:bQ,name:bR}],es:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:"consejos-de-seguridad",name:"Consejos de Seguridad"},{tag:"noticias-de-la-industria",name:"Noticias de la industria"},{tag:"microempresas",name:"Microempresas"},{tag:"actualizaciones-de-productos",name:"Actualizaciones de productos"},{tag:"hogar-inteligente",name:"Hogar Inteligente"},{tag:bQ,name:bR}],ro:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:_,name:x},{tag:aq,name:J}],fr:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:_,name:x},{tag:"conseils-astuces",name:"Conseils"},{tag:"maison-connectee",name:"Maison Connectée"},{tag:bS,name:"ABC CYBERSÉCURITÉ"}],de:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:"branchennachrichten",name:"Nachrichten"},{tag:_,name:x},{tag:"tipps-und-tricks",name:"TIPPS"},{tag:aq,name:J},{tag:bS,name:"ABC DER CYBERSICHERHEIT"}]},labs:{en:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:"antimalware-research",name:"Anti-Malware Research"},{tag:"free-tools",name:"Free Tools"},{tag:"whitepapers",name:"Whitepapers"}]},businessinsights:{en:[{tag:q,name:t},{tag:"enterprise-security",name:"Enterprise Security"},{tag:"cloud-security",name:"Cloud Security"},{tag:"privacy-and-data-protection",name:"Privacy and Data Protection"}]}}}},error:a,state:{lang:d,primaryTag:bT,server:"http:\u002F\u002Flocalhost:3000\u002Fnuxt\u002Fapi",mainTag:bT,locale:"en-us"},serverRendered:y,routePath:"\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002F",config:{pageEnv:"prod",_app:{basePath:ao,assetsPath:"\u002Fnuxt\u002F_nuxt\u002F",cdnURL:a}}}}(null,"public",false,"en","66f50fb228045a04f10ce986","EN","top","66f50fb228045a04f10ce98a","Industry News","industry-news","66f50fb228045a04f10ce992","66d5cbea28045a04f10b89d0","Filip TRUȚĂ","ftruta","http:\u002F\u002F0.gravatar.com\u002Favatar\u002F377aeee1f02a7ae7ac62f20f2f4ce504?s=512&d=mm&r=g","Filip has 17 years of experience in technology journalism. In recent years, he has focused on cybersecurity in his role as a Security Analyst at Bitdefender.","all",4,"Digital Privacy","All","66f50fb228045a04f10ce987","Family Safety","family","Product Updates",true,"696f63bc2fa53a9f2eef2657","AI","ai","66d5cbea28045a04f10b89c1","Alina BÎZGĂ","abizga","http:\u002F\u002F2.gravatar.com\u002Favatar\u002F8438d6e3076d0baf471aec1235424fcf?s=512&d=mm&r=g","Alina is a history buff passionate about cybersecurity and anything sci-fi, advocating Bitdefender technologies and solutions. She spends most of her time between her two feline friends and traveling.","66f50fb228045a04f10ce985","digital-privacy","Smart Home","The AI craze is being exploited by people willing to invest time and money to create creepy ads for stalking apps, which are easily available on official app stores. Or at least that’s what wannabe stalkers think, as the apps themselves don’t really provide these services.","66f50fb228045a04f10ce9b2","Scam","scam","6ad8dc7a8beeea965802b044","Banks must prepare for AI failures before customers pay the price, UK watchdog warns","uk-watchdog-banks-ai-failures","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fuk_fca_finance_banks_ai.jpg","2026-10-21T18:43:50.000+03:00","6a608f628beeea9658028065","Finance","finance","Britain’s financial regulator is warning financial institutions that increasingly autonomous AI systems could cause widespread disruption, expose customers to cyber threats, and make accountability harder to establish. It wants firms to report serious AI failures and near-misses before they turn into bigger problems.\n\nArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday banking, from customer service chatbots to fraud detection and automated financial decisions. But what happens when an ","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fuk-watchdog-banks-ai-failures\u002F","Google is strengthening Chrome's scam defenses with Gemini-powered website analysis, new security warnings and protection against malicious commands.","yearly","product-updates","66d5cbea28045a04f10b89df","Silviu STAHIE","sstahie","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F03\u002FBD_Silviu_Stahie_Pic3-1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F03\u002FBD_Silviu_Stahie_Pic3.jpeg","Silviu is a seasoned writer who followed the technology world for almost two decades, covering topics ranging from software to hardware and everything in between.",7,2,"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBritain’s financial regulator is warning financial institutions that increasingly autonomous AI systems could cause widespread disruption, expose customers to cyber threats, and make accountability harder to establish. It wants firms to report serious AI failures and near-misses before they turn into bigger problems.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday banking, from customer service chatbots to fraud detection and automated financial decisions. But what happens when an AI system makes a costly mistake, exposes sensitive information, or nearly triggers a disaster?\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) wants financial firms to prepare for precisely those scenarios — and report significant AI-related failures, including incidents that were narrowly avoided.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-points\"\u003EKey points\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe FCA wants financial institutions to report significant AI failures and near-misses, not just incidents that cause actual damage\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E86% of financial firms now use AI, the regulator says, citing an upcoming joint survey with the Bank of England\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAutonomous AI agents could introduce new cybersecurity risks as they gain the ability to manage payments, investments and other transactions\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EFirms are being urged to stress-test AI systems, maintain human oversight and prepare fallback procedures\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EConsumers are increasingly using general-purpose AI chatbots for financial advice, often without understanding the limits of their protections\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Ch2 id=\"ai-failures-could-become-a-regulatory-priority\"\u003EAI failures could become a regulatory priority\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJessica Rusu, the FCA's chief data, information and intelligence officer, warned that the financial sector's growing dependence on AI creates risks that existing safeguards must address.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"Poorly governed AI can create consumer harm, cyber vulnerabilities and operational failures, potentially at much greater speed and scale,\" Rusu \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fca.org.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fspeeches\u002Fbuilding-future-finance-age-ai\"\u003Esaid\u003C\u002Fa\u003E at Bloomberg's UK Policy Series on Oct. 19.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe regulator already requires firms to report major operational incidents. Rusu argued that this obligation must also cover significant AI failures and near-misses.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA near-miss might involve an AI system attempting an unauthorized transaction that is blocked by a security control, or a chatbot generating dangerously incorrect financial information that’s spotted before reaching customers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeither scenario necessarily inflicts immediate harm, but both could reveal weaknesses that might cause serious problems later.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea is similar to safety reporting in aviation, where investigating narrowly avoided accidents can help prevent future disasters.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FCA's announcement signals a supervisory expectation, rather than a new, finalized AI-specific reporting regime.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"when-ai-starts-making-financial-decisions\"\u003EWhen AI starts making financial decisions\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FCA is particularly concerned about the emergence of \u003Cem\u003Eagentic AI\u003C\u002Fem\u003E — systems capable of taking actions on behalf of users rather than simply answering questions.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike conventional chatbots, AI agents could compare financial products, initiate payments, manage investments and interact with other automated systems.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuch capabilities promise greater convenience but also introduce new security challenges.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn AI assistant that merely provides inaccurate information can mislead a customer. An autonomous agent acting on that information could potentially execute an unwanted transaction before anyone notices.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompromised AI agents, manipulated instructions, excessive permissions and weak authentication could also create opportunities for cybercriminals.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, an attacker might try to manipulate an AI-powered financial assistant into changing payment details or disclosing sensitive customer information.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe regulator wants the industry to develop clearer safeguards around agent identity, delegated authority, accountability and transaction execution.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, financial institutions need to establish not only what an AI system can do, but who is responsible when something goes wrong.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"banks-are-already-making-mistakes-with-ai\"\u003EBanks are already making mistakes with AI\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlongside Rusu's speech, the FCA \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fca.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fgood-poor-practice\u002Fai-financial-services\"\u003Epublished examples of good and poor AI practices\u003C\u002Fa\u003E observed during its engagement with financial firms.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome findings suggest that institutions are adopting AI faster than they’re developing safeguards to manage it.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe regulator identified firms that deployed AI tools with insufficient testing, introduced governance procedures only after deployment, or failed to maintain adequate records of automated decisions.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt also warned against treating human oversight as a formality.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn one example, reviewers increasingly accepted AI-generated recommendations without meaningful scrutiny, even when there were signs of errors.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FCA highlighted better practices, including limiting chatbots to approved information sources, maintaining audit trails, and allowing customers to escalate problems to human advisers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA system that works correctly during testing may behave differently when exposed to unusual circumstances, changing models or large numbers of simultaneous transactions.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERusu urged financial firms to stress-test AI systems, understand their dependence on external technology suppliers, and maintain fallback options when automated services fail.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"consumers-may-not-realize-ai-financial-advice-comes-without-protection\"\u003EConsumers may not realize AI financial advice comes without protection\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe regulator also raised concerns about consumers turning to general-purpose AI chatbots for financial guidance.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to figures cited by the FCA, four in five less-experienced investors aged 18 to 40 have used AI to help with investing.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYet only 40% of consumers recognize that acting on advice from a general-purpose AI tool doesn’t result in the same regulatory recourse as receiving advice from an authorized financial adviser.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FCA is calling on AI providers to make these limitations clearer through consistent, proportionate warnings.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe watchdog wants consumers to understand when they are dealing with an authorized financial institution and when they are simply receiving information generated by an AI model.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-protect-your-finances-when-using-ai-for-financial-decisions\"\u003EHow to protect your finances when using AI for financial decisions\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI can be useful for explaining financial concepts, comparing terminology or helping consumers formulate questions. However, it should not be treated as an unquestionable financial authority.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA few precautions can help reduce the risks:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVerify financial recommendations independently.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Check investment claims, fees, risks and product details against official sources before making decisions\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheck who you're dealing with.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E In the UK, use the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fca.org.uk\u002Fconsumers\u002Ffca-firm-checker\"\u003EFCA Firm Checker\u003C\u002Fa\u003E to establish whether a financial services provider is authorized\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe cautious about granting AI agents financial access.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Understand what an assistant can see, what transactions it can initiate, and whether it requires your approval\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAvoid sharing sensitive financial information.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Don't paste banking passwords, authentication codes or unnecessary personal details into general-purpose chatbots\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch for AI-powered impersonation scams.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Criminals can use convincing AI-generated messages, voices and websites to impersonate banks, investment advisers and support representatives\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESecure your accounts and devices.\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E Enable multi-factor authentication, keep software updated, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fsolutions\u002F\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Euse reputable security software\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E to help detect phishing, malicious links and other threats\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf an AI-powered banking service produces an unexpected transaction or suspicious recommendation, stop interacting with it and contact the financial institution through an official channel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"bottom-line\"\u003EBottom line\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FCA isn't calling for banks to abandon artificial intelligence. It wants them to recognize that the technology introduces risks that can spread faster than conventional operational failures.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs AI moves from answering questions to making decisions and carrying out transactions, the consequences of a mistake become harder to contain.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReporting close calls, maintaining meaningful human oversight and testing systems against unexpected behavior could help financial institutions catch dangerous weaknesses before customers pay the price.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOn topic:\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fuk-ai-security-risks-unreleased-models\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUK warns powerful AI models could pose security risks before they're even released\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-agent-online-shopping-banks-scams-privacy\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAI agents want to shop for you; banks warn of scams and privacy risks\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fbritain-push-cybercrime-scams-ai-internet-legislation\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBritain’s big push to make the internet safer\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E","66d5cbea28045a04f10b89cc","Cristina POPOV","cpopov","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2025\u002F12\u002F20251024_153349.jpg","Cristina Popov is a Denmark-based content creator and small business owner who has been writing for Bitdefender since 2017, making cybersecurity feel more human and less overwhelming. ","Consumer Insights","\u002F","hotforsecurity","smart-home","6ad878a68beeea965802af57","Creepy stalkerware AI apps promise the end of privacy","stalkerware-ai-apps-privacy","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FDeceptive-AI-App-Subscription-Trap--1-.png","2026-10-22T16:00:16.000+03:00","\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe AI craze is being exploited by people willing to invest time and money to create creepy ads for stalking apps, which are easily available on official app stores. Or at least that’s what wannabe stalkers think, as the apps themselves don’t really provide these services.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fact that the ads openly promise stalking features in paid ads on social media platforms is not only worrying, but hints at a societal shift in which somehow this behavior is permitted or at least tolerated.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStalkerware apps have been around for years. The really dangerous ones are barred from official app stores, but that hasn’t stopped the developers of such apps from offering such services.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe market for stalking apps is well established, prompting authorities to provide guidance for potential victims. For example, the FTC has a comprehensive \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fconsumer.ftc.gov\u002Farticles\u002Fstalkerware-what-know\"\u003Ewebsite\u003C\u002Fa\u003E about stalkerware and warns that abusive partners or ex-partners could use these applications to track your device and your online activity secretly.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"the-unofficial-ones\"\u003EThe unofficial ones\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis article examines how some companies and developers promote apps by invoking real stalking scenarios or practices. Stalking is illegal in many jurisdictions, although the legal definition and penalties vary by country.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELegal ambiguity often arises when vendors argue that selling a monitoring app is lawful, and any unlawful use is solely the responsibility of the buyer. That argument may not hold where an app is marketed for covert surveillance, built to hide from the device owner, or otherwise enables non-consensual monitoring.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne example frequently cited by researchers and consumer-protection organizations is mSpy, which has been marketed in ways that emphasize covert monitoring. It is not available in the official app stores, and users must install it manually.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture1.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" height=\"361\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"%E2%80%98official%E2%80%99-apps-with-stalking-potential\"\u003E‘Official’ apps with stalking potential\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe only way to keep \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fa-heads-up-on-stalkerware-the-wolf-software-in-sheeps-clothing\"\u003Estalking apps\u003C\u002Fa\u003E in official app stores is to promote them as something else, and that is usually under the guise of parental control.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese types of apps offer features that overlap with stalkerware. They can provide the location of a phone to parents, for example. For this reason, some security solutions, including Bitdefender’s, alert users when such an app is installed from the official Google Play Store.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt wouldn’t be fair to say all parental control apps are used as stalkerware at some point, but the overlap remains problematic, even when legitimate apps offer features that make their presence known.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"ads-via-tiktok-don%E2%80%99t-care-about-legality\"\u003EAds via TikTok don’t care about legality\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome social media ads, particularly those observed on TikTok, raise concerns. Several ads we reviewed claim features ranging from finding lost or deleted online images and hidden online accounts to discovering a target's GPS location, which suggests their advertisers may not expect enforcement under platform advertising rules.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPromising to be able to find out if your girlfriend is cheating on you, if your coworker has an OnlyFans account or to find photos that the victim has long since deleted feels wrong from the get-go. And the use of creepy AI imagery doesn’t help.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPictur21-1.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"360\" height=\"648\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor one app, Lens AI, we found it's part of a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flibrary.tiktok.com\u002Fads\u002Fdetail\u002F?ad_id=1879398658516354\"\u003Evast campaign\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, with more than 3000 ads in the last month alone, from the same company that lists itself as a developer in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fplay.google.com\u002Fstore\u002Fapps\u002Fdev?id=8808567998154669426\"\u003EGoogle Play Store\u003C\u002Fa\u003E.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture3.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" height=\"471\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt’s worth noting that the developers changed the App icon in the Google Play Store because the old one was very similar to the official Google Lens icon.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe same app is also present in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fapps.apple.com\u002Fus\u002Fapp\u002Flens-ai-identify-anything\u002Fid6742785176\"\u003EiOS ecosystem\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, where it has the same suspicious indicators: an app icon that looks very much like Google Lens, a very high rating and only negative reviews. People complain about the same things. The app doesn’t work, users get charged for the trial version, and it manifests numerous bugs.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture4.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" height=\"280\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture5.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" height=\"173\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor reference, this is the Google Lens icon the company used between 2019 and 2023:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture6.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"556\" height=\"556\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"two-types-of-apps\"\u003ETwo types of apps\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey can be broken down into two major categories: AI-driven online searches and online tracking apps.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll the AI-driven searching apps promise pretty much the same thing: that you can find details about your wife, mother, boyfriend, etc, just by typing in their names. Sometimes, the ads say that it’s the best stalking app online and don’t shy away from leaning into this narrative.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlso, keep in mind that, while these are the most prevalent, there are likely others that offer the same “features.”\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe reasons for the bizarre AI-generated ads are harder to discern. The most likely reason is simple shock value. In a world with billions of ads and TikTok videos, they have to somehow grab the attention of the user.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, they use the image of a demon asking kids on the street if they know everything there is to know about their mothers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture7.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"348\" height=\"648\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother kind of stalkerware app is all about tracking people. They promise impossible things, like getting the victim's real-world location just by entering the phone number. Or they say you can read all of their private messages. Whatever the case, it’s likely a ridiculous claim, but it has the same goal — to redirect the user to the official app store.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome of the ads are actually very specific in their promises. For example, they say they can help the stalker get full access to WhatsApp (it’s a lie, of course) or to the device itself. Reasons vary, but it’s mostly about catching a cheating partner.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FPicture8.png\" class=\"kg-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"341\" height=\"648\"\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"a-closer-look\"\u003EA closer look\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are too many apps to verify, but we can determine that if we look strictly at their store description and their behavior, they don’t seem to do anything out of place.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn fact, the Google Play Store descriptions don’t have the outlandish, stalking promises found in the TikTok ads. They would be immediately kicked out of the store if any of them promised to find anyone by using the phone number or to view WhatsApp messages remotely.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe took a closer look at GPS Cam: Timestamp &amp; Location, an app that one of the reviewed ads directed users to. The ad warns viewers not to waste money on tracking devices and suggests that entering a phone number is enough to find out what another person is doing. Tracking someone this way without their consent would likely be unlawful in many jurisdictions. We have not determined who created or paid for the ad.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe store description tells a different story:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E“Unlock the full power of location-aware photography and videography with GPS Cam: Timestamp &amp; Location. Whether you’re a traveler, field researcher, real estate agent, or outdoor explorer, this app helps you capture and organize your memories with exact time, date, and GPS location data.”\u003C\u002Fblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur analysis of the installed version found only this limited functionality, much of which is already covered by default Android features.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe package com.amo.gps.geo.map.location.gpscamera, v1.1.8 (2026-09-09), was installed from the Play Store. The app's own code is only about 91 classes:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EA camera (CameraActivity, CameraActivity2) that stamps photos and videos with GPS position, a map snapshot, the date\u002Ftime and the temperature.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETemplates, a photo editor, a gallery of saved photos and videos, and a map The rest is SDKs: AdMob, Meta Audience Network, Unity Ads, Pangle\u002FByteDance, Adjust, Firebase (Remote Config, Messaging, Crashlytics), Qonversion and Play Billing.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Ch2 id=\"what-do-they-actually-want\"\u003EWhat do they actually want?\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the cases we reviewed, the apparent goal appears to be the same: persuade people to subscribe, even for a limited time. According to user reports, in some cases a trial presented as free is accompanied by a small payment.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERevenue may come from small upfront payments and from recurring subscriptions that users may not remember to cancel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the apps we reviewed, many user reviews report that the advertised features do not work and that the ads are misleading. Several apps nonetheless have high overall ratings, and some positive reviews share characteristics often associated with automated or inauthentic reviews.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere are a few excerpts from publicly posted user reviews (reproduced as written, without reviewer names):\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E“l installed this app after seeing the ads which claimed it could track someone’s location just by a phone number 😡. I thought it might be useful in emergencies, like if a child is late coming back from school. But after installing, I checked everywhere—settings, help, guides—and found nothing that actually works 🤬. Total waste of time; in my case, none of the features worked 🤮. I even tried unlocking some extra access, but still no difference 🤮🤮.”\u003C\u002Fblockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E“I'll change the two star if someone can explain something to me. I went to check this out and I thought it said a 7-Day trial and I clicked it and it charged me $5.40. ask Google for a refund they would not request the refund. my question is did I read it wrong. was there not or was there a 7-Day free trial?”\u003C\u002Fblockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E“absolutely the worst AI app I have ever used. Stated it was free, downloaded, charged me for a \"free\" 7 day trial. Issued the first task, nothing, and I mean nothing, not even a response, reissued task, came back with error, try later, I'd did, nothing, reported issues to support, stated that program would work immediately. nothing. reissued task, used the restroom, went to the kitchen. NOTHING. THEN OUT OF NOWHERE, 20 minutes into the 7 day trial, I was out of credits w\u002F nothing!”\u003C\u002Fblockquote\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"conclusion\"\u003EConclusion\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is unclear how these ads pass the advertising review processes of TikTok and other platforms. They promise features that, if real, would likely be unlawful in many jurisdictions, yet they continue to run, and advertising on this scale is not cheap.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere also appears to be a market for people willing to pay to spy on others or intrude on their private lives, because that is what the ads promise. That those who respond to the ads appear, based on our analysis and user reports, not to receive the advertised functionality is a further reason for platforms and app stores to look closely at these practices.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStalkerware ads pointing to Google Play Store apps:\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F2N9Pd4pEII4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 7\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FpN7CH2t2nYM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - TrustDial Caller SMS Block\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FeOU0kgDqGmA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 5\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FNvDaMRhf85U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 6\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FR53KQxPmeiw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Mobile Number Locator\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FidRJqfbivJA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - GPS Cam Timestamp Location\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFd2UAPUB97s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 4\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FKDO3Qb-fplg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - AI Chatbot Nova\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F6BbJTbiPLL0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 2\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fy_YgsB6YVCU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Research sample - Lens AI 3\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F1S_kL3NOQiY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - GPS Location phone locator\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FGznzut6pc4Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Lens AI 1\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-embed-card\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"113\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F_LWOHfa88xI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" title=\"Research sample - Deepsearch 1\"\u003E\u003C\u002Fiframe\u003E\u003C\u002Ffigure\u003E","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fstalkerware-ai-apps-privacy\u002F","6ac3a6a08beeea965802a715","WhatsApp rolls out new parental controls for teens. Here’s how to set them up","whatsapp-parental-controls-teens-how-to-set-up","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fwhatsapp-teens-on-smartphones-header.jpg","2026-10-05T16:41:02.000+03:00","66f50fb228045a04f10ce989","How to","how-to","WhatsApp is rolling out new controls that let parents manage parts of their teenager’s experience without accessing their private conversations.\n\n\nKey takeaways\n\n\n * WhatsApp is rolling out optional parental controls for users aged 13 to 17\n * Parents can manage privacy settings and some features using a six-digit PIN\n * Teens need parental approval to make protected settings less restrictive\n * Parents can receive alerts about activity such as new contacts and groups, but can’t read their teen’","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fwhatsapp-parental-controls-teens-how-to-set-up\u002F","6ac372ed8beeea965802a66e","How cult-like online groups target children through gaming","cult-like-online-harassment-targeting-children","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FHow-cult-like-online-groups-target-children-through-gaming.png","2026-10-05T13:56:41.000+03:00","A recent ABC investigation highlights a troubling form of online exploitation affecting Australian children through coercive, cult-like networks that use games, social platforms and messaging apps.\n\nThese networks can use friendship, harassment, threats and blackmail to gain control over a child. In some cases, victims are pressured into creating sexual material, isolating themselves from the people who care about them, or harming themselves.\n\nThis risk isn’t limited to children in Australia. Th","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcult-like-online-harassment-targeting-children\u002F","6ada13828beeea965802b09f","Booking.com has a scam problem. The EU wants answers","eu-booking-com-phishing-scams-investigation","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Flodging_booking_com_scams.jpg","2026-10-22T16:47:44.000+03:00","\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEuropean regulators are investigating whether Booking.com is doing enough to protect travelers from fraudsters who exploit hotel reservations, impersonate property owners, and trick customers into making fraudulent payments.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBooking.com is facing a European Union investigation over concerns that scammers are exploiting the popular travel platform to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting holidaymakers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe European Commission announced the investigation on Oct. 21, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdigital-strategy.ec.europa.eu\u002Fen\u002Fnews\u002Fcommission-investigate-how-bookingcom-combats-scams-and-fraud-under-digital-services-act\"\u003Esaying\u003C\u002Fa\u003E it wants to determine whether Booking.com has adequately addressed fraudulent accommodation listings, phishing scams, and other risks to consumers.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-points\"\u003EKey points\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe European Commission has launched an investigation into Booking.com under the Digital Services Act\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ERegulators are examining fake accommodation listings, phishing attacks, and fraudulent payment requests\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EScammers can hijack legitimate hotel accounts and use real booking information to make their messages look trustworthy\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDutch authorities recorded more than 1,000 fraud reports involving the platform in early 2026, with losses of approximately €82,000\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EBooking.com says it is cooperating with regulators and remains committed to combating online fraud\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe company could face substantial penalties if violations of EU law are established\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\n\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\n\u003Ch2 id=\"scammers-exploit-legitimate-hotel-reservations\"\u003EScammers exploit legitimate hotel reservations\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the Commission's biggest concerns is that criminals can exploit Booking.com's own reservation and messaging systems to target customers who have already booked accommodation.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theregister.com\u002Fsecurity\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F21\u002Feu-wants-bookingcom-to-check-out-of-its-scam-problem\u002F5304413?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003EThe Register\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, European officials described cases in which scammers take control of accommodation providers' accounts, impersonate property owners, and contact travelers to demand additional payments.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe messages can be particularly convincing because they may contain genuine booking information.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, a traveler who has reserved a hotel room might receive a message claiming that their payment failed or that their reservation will be canceled unless they immediately verify their credit card.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe message may appear to come from the hotel itself, sometimes through the platform's legitimate communication channels.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVictims who follow the instructions can end up providing their payment information to criminals or transferring money to fraudulent accounts.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is what makes these attacks particularly dangerous: the scam may arrive through a service the customer already trusts and address a reservation they actually made.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Commission is examining how Booking.com shares reservation and guest information with accommodation providers, how its messaging system operates, and whether sufficient safeguards exist to prevent criminals from exploiting these features.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"fake-hotels-and-fraudulent-property-listings\"\u003EFake hotels and fraudulent property listings\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERegulators are also concerned about accommodation listings that advertise properties that don’t exist or are posted by individuals with no authority to rent them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn some cases, fraudsters impersonate legitimate property owners and collect payments for accommodation they cannot provide.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETravelers may discover the deception only after arriving at their destination, when the hotel or holiday rental turns out to be nonexistent or unavailable.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOfficials suggested that the platform could improve property-owner verification, check accommodation licenses, and remove suspicious listings more quickly after receiving reports of fraud.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"fraud-reports-have-surged\"\u003EFraud reports have surged\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe investigation follows mounting concerns about the scale of fraud affecting online travel bookings.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to The Register, European officials pointed to Booking.com's own acknowledgment in June 2024 that travel scams had increased by between 500% and 900% in the preceding 18 months.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the Netherlands alone, authorities received more than 1,000 fraud notifications in early 2026, with reported losses totaling approximately €82,000.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat represented a 10-fold increase from the same period a year earlier, according to figures cited by EU officials.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Commission says the problem extends beyond the Netherlands, with similar reports emerging from other European countries.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne official described the company's efforts as \"absolutely substandard,\" arguing that stronger systems could help prevent fraudulent activity before travelers lose money.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"paid-hotel-rankings-also-under-scrutiny\"\u003EPaid hotel rankings also under scrutiny\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEuropean regulators are also examining whether Booking.com clearly identifies properties that appear higher in search results because their owners pay the platform larger commissions.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), online platforms must ensure that users can recognize ads and understand why they are seeing them.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Commission wants to know whether travelers can distinguish between accommodation listings that rank prominently because they match their search criteria and those receiving preferential placement through commercial arrangements.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf violations are established, Booking.com could face fines of up to 6% of its worldwide annual turnover under the DSA.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBooking.com says it’s cooperating fully with European regulators and maintains that protecting travelers, accommodation partners, and personal information remains a priority.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"how-to-avoid-bookingcom-scams\"\u003EHow to avoid Booking.com scams\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETravelers should be cautious when receiving unexpected messages about reservations, even when those messages appear to come from a legitimate hotel.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECriminals increasingly exploit familiar services and real customer information to make fraudulent requests look authentic.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere are some precautions worth taking:\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe suspicious of unexpected payment requests\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. If a hotel suddenly asks you to pay an additional fee, update your card details, or confirm a reservation through an unfamiliar link, verify the request independently.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDon't trust a message simply because it appears inside Booking.com\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. Compromised accommodation accounts can allow criminals to communicate through legitimate channels.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAvoid clicking payment links sent through messages\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. Open the Booking.com app or website directly and check your reservation and payment status.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EContact the property using verified details\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. If something seems suspicious, call the accommodation using a number obtained independently, rather than one supplied in the questionable message.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheck listings carefully before booking\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. Examine recent reviews, property details, cancellation conditions, and unusually attractive prices.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtect your accounts\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. As a rule of thumb, you should use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for all your online accounts.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAct quickly if you've paid a scammer\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. Contact your bank or card issuer, report the incident to Booking.com, and preserve any messages or payment records.\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fpremium-security\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBitdefender Premium Security\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E can provide an additional layer of protection against phishing websites, malicious links, and other online threats.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOn topic:\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fuk-watchdog-banks-ai-failures\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBanks must prepare for AI failures before customers pay the price, UK watchdog warns\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fai-agent-online-shopping-banks-scams-privacy\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAI agents want to shop for you; banks warn of scams and privacy risks\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fzero-click-spyware-targeted-ads-adfection\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn online ad was enough to deliver spyware—no click required\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E\u003C\u002Fa\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E","European regulators are investigating whether Booking.com is doing enough to protect travelers from fraudsters who exploit hotel reservations, impersonate property owners, and trick customers into making fraudulent payments.\n\nBooking.com is facing a European Union investigation over concerns that scammers are exploiting the popular travel platform to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting holidaymakers.\n\nThe European Commission announced the investigation on Oct. 21, saying it wa","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Feu-booking-com-phishing-scams-investigation\u002F","6ad9ef808beeea965802b065","Chrome adds ClickFix alerts as Gemini scam checks expand","chrome-gemini-scam-detection-clickfix-warnings","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fzulfugar-karimov-_SbX-iIRWf0-unsplash.jpg","2026-10-22T14:12:45.000+03:00","\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGoogle is strengthening Chrome's scam defenses with Gemini-powered website analysis, new security warnings and protection against malicious commands.\u003C\u002Fem\u003E\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003EKey takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChrome now distinguishes suspicious websites from confirmed dangerous ones\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGemini-powered scam detection expands to fake antivirus and browser update scams\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENew ClickFix protections warn users who copy potentially malicious commands\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe additional safeguards require Chrome's optional Enhanced Protection mode\u003C\u002Fli\u003E\u003C\u002Ful\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"chrome-introduces-earlier-warnings-for-suspicious-websites\"\u003EChrome introduces earlier warnings for suspicious websites\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.google\u002Fsecurity\u002Four-latest-defenses-against-evolving-web-scams\u002F\"\u003EGoogle's Oct. 20 announcement\u003C\u002Fa\u003E introduces another warning level in Chrome's Safe Browsing Enhanced Protection. Pages showing deceptive patterns can now trigger a less severe \"suspicious site\" alert, even when Google lacks the confidence to label them dangerous. Websites assessed as high risk still receive Chrome's familiar full-page red warning.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGemini-powered checks are expanding, too. Moving on from its earlier on-device model focused on tech-support scams, Chrome now uses a server-side model to assess fake antivirus prompts, counterfeit browser updates and other deceptive pages. Safe Browsing weighs those findings alongside domain reputation and other signals, rather than relying on the model alone. Google says page text is sent for analysis only when strong scam indicators appear, then processed without retention or use in AI training.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"clickfix-warnings-target-both-links-and-commands\"\u003EClickFix warnings target both links and commands\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe other addition addresses ClickFix, a trick that persuades people to \"repair\" an invented problem by running commands themselves. Fraudulent verification prompts or system alerts can lead victims to paste instructions into PowerShell or Command Prompt. Those commands may install malware without ever downloading a suspicious file through Chrome.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnhanced Protection now checks when users copy a potentially malicious command. Chrome strips personally identifiable information from the clipboard content before sending it to Safe Browsing for analysis, displaying an alert if the verdict is dangerous. Although an important checkpoint, Chrome’s new features isn’t a guarantee against every malicious command or deceptive page.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\"why-browser-protection-cannot-stop-every-scam\"\u003EWhy browser protection cannot stop every scam\u003C\u002Fh2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrowser safeguards also have a practical limit: scammers reach people through private messages, phone calls and social platforms, sometimes without directing them to a website. Google's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fandroid-scam-protection-ai-messages-calls\"\u003Erecent expansion of Android scam protection for messages and calls\u003C\u002Fa\u003E reflects the same problem: threats don't stay inside one app or on one device.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo enable these Chrome features, open \u003Cstrong\u003ESettings &gt; Privacy and security &gt; Security\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E and select \u003Cstrong\u003EEnhanced protection\u003C\u002Fstrong\u003E. And never execute a command supplied by an unfamiliar webpage, even if it claims your computer needs urgent repair. Last but not least, independently verify unexpected requests instead of assuming that the absence of a warning means a request is safe.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor protection beyond the browser, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fscamio\"\u003EBitdefender Scamio\u003C\u002Fa\u003E lets you check suspicious links, messages and screenshots, including those received through messaging apps. It's accessible through the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscamio.bitdefender.com\u002Fchat\"\u003Eweb\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwa.link\u002Fl1kly7\"\u003EWhatsApp\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.messenger.com\u002Ft\u002F102488646283695\"\u003EMessenger\u003C\u002Fa\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbitdefend.me\u002FScamioDiscord\"\u003EDiscord\u003C\u002Fa\u003E, including on smartphones. Meanwhile, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bitdefender.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fconsumer\u002Fultimate-security\"\u003EBitdefender Ultimate Security\u003C\u002Fa\u003E complements browser safeguards with real-time threat detection, malware protection and AI-powered scam protection across supported devices.\u003C\u002Fp\u003E","66d5cbea28045a04f10b89eb","Vlad CONSTANTINESCU","vlad","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2021\u002F12\u002FVlad.jpg","Vlad's love for technology and writing created rich soil for his interest in cybersecurity to sprout into a full-on passion.\nBefore becoming a Security Analyst, he covered tech and security topics.","\u002Fblog\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fchrome-gemini-scam-detection-clickfix-warnings\u002F","66f50fb228045a04f10ce9a5","Cybersecurity Awareness Month","cybersecurity-awareness-month","Investigators have charged a woman in Florida after discovering alleged threats against the Lee County Sheriff's Office that she posted on Anthropic's Claude AI platform while chatting with the bot.",3,"News, views and insights from the Bitdefender experts","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Fh4s_2x.png","#15171A","https:\u002F\u002Fstatic.ghost.org\u002Fv3.0.0\u002Fimages\u002Fpublication-cover.png","bitdefender","@bitdefender","Europe\u002FAthens","Home","Cybersecurity News","\u002Ftag\u002Fpeople-of-bitdefender\u002Findustry-news\u002F","\u002Ftag\u002Fdigital-privacy\u002F","\u002Ftag\u002Fsmart-home\u002F","How To","\u002Ftag\u002Fhow-to\u002F","\u002Ftag\u002Fproduct-updates\u002F","noreply","icon-and-text","Subscribe","free","monthly","off","hotforsecurity@bitdefender.com","noreply@blogapp.bitdefender.com","disabled","https:\u002F\u002Fblogapp.bitdefender.com\u002Fhotforsecurity\u002F","5.101",{},"fr",5,6,"vpn","VPN","abc",""));</script></body></html>