Chris Merkel
@chrismerkel.bsky.social
cyber leader, teller of cautionary tales, career dev helper
Professional alt, unprofessional posts.
Masto: @chrismerkel@infosec.exchange
Professional alt, unprofessional posts.
Masto: @chrismerkel@infosec.exchange
Reposted by Chris Merkel
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
February 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Reposted by Chris Merkel
*Turns to camera*
February 5, 2026 at 12:27 PM
*Turns to camera*
I think you've already won a gold metal at life if the news is using a SUV as part of an analysis of the size of your hog
Times article has an incredible illustration
February 6, 2026 at 3:33 AM
I think you've already won a gold metal at life if the news is using a SUV as part of an analysis of the size of your hog
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Cops were frequently getting caught planting drugs in 2017 because body cameras were new and many of them didn't understand how the technology worked.
When cops hit "record" it saved the 30 seconds from *before* they hit the button. Eventually, they figured it out.
When cops hit "record" it saved the 30 seconds from *before* they hit the button. Eventually, they figured it out.
Why Cops Frequently Got Caught Planting Drugs in 2017
Look. All technology comes with a learning curve.
gizmodo.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Cops were frequently getting caught planting drugs in 2017 because body cameras were new and many of them didn't understand how the technology worked.
When cops hit "record" it saved the 30 seconds from *before* they hit the button. Eventually, they figured it out.
When cops hit "record" it saved the 30 seconds from *before* they hit the button. Eventually, they figured it out.
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Imagine if four years into our war in Iraq we had only occupied 20 percent of it and lost 1.2 million men. Would anyone say the US is winning?
No? Then how in the hell can you say Russia is winning?!
No? Then how in the hell can you say Russia is winning?!
February 5, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Imagine if four years into our war in Iraq we had only occupied 20 percent of it and lost 1.2 million men. Would anyone say the US is winning?
No? Then how in the hell can you say Russia is winning?!
No? Then how in the hell can you say Russia is winning?!
Reposted by Chris Merkel
I cancelled my WashPo subscription, even with an offer for $1.50/mo.
Complicit media dies as democracy dies in broad daylight.
Complicit media dies as democracy dies in broad daylight.
New: Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray and HR Chief Wayne Connell tell employees to stay home for a zoom webinar ahead of “significant actions across the company.” Widely expected layoffs are scheduled to begin today.
February 4, 2026 at 1:27 PM
I cancelled my WashPo subscription, even with an offer for $1.50/mo.
Complicit media dies as democracy dies in broad daylight.
Complicit media dies as democracy dies in broad daylight.
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Three rules in FBI firearm training:
1. Always point your weapon downrange
2. Do not point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot
3. Don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot
Guns are not for threatening compliance for unarmed people doing things you don’t like
1. Always point your weapon downrange
2. Do not point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot
3. Don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot
Guns are not for threatening compliance for unarmed people doing things you don’t like
happening this morning in Minneapolis -- ICE agents drawing guns on observers. I reiterate again that it is only a matter of time before DHS kills more innocent people in Minnesota. Congress needs to shut this shit down right now.
February 3, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Three rules in FBI firearm training:
1. Always point your weapon downrange
2. Do not point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot
3. Don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot
Guns are not for threatening compliance for unarmed people doing things you don’t like
1. Always point your weapon downrange
2. Do not point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot
3. Don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot
Guns are not for threatening compliance for unarmed people doing things you don’t like
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Every day Mamdani comes out and is like "hey guys, I turned off the orphan-crushing machine. Literally just had to flip a switch. Took less than 5 minutes."
After decades of dem leadership pissing and moaning and fundraising about how complex an issue it is and how difficult the process is etc
After decades of dem leadership pissing and moaning and fundraising about how complex an issue it is and how difficult the process is etc
February 3, 2026 at 3:58 AM
Every day Mamdani comes out and is like "hey guys, I turned off the orphan-crushing machine. Literally just had to flip a switch. Took less than 5 minutes."
After decades of dem leadership pissing and moaning and fundraising about how complex an issue it is and how difficult the process is etc
After decades of dem leadership pissing and moaning and fundraising about how complex an issue it is and how difficult the process is etc
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users
Class-action lawsuit alleged that Google's voice assistant illegally recorded and shared private conversations with advertisers.
www.cbsnews.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Reposted by Chris Merkel
just choked on my beverage
January 29, 2026 at 11:19 PM
just choked on my beverage
Whoever the product branding VP is at Kureg, I regret to inform you that your staff hates you.
Enjoy your sweet cream nut pods
Enjoy your sweet cream nut pods
January 27, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Whoever the product branding VP is at Kureg, I regret to inform you that your staff hates you.
Enjoy your sweet cream nut pods
Enjoy your sweet cream nut pods
Reposted by Chris Merkel
I interviewed over half a dozen ICE and Border Patrol agents who describe an agency that sounds like Reno 911!
“I thought federal agents were supposed to be clean cut but some of them pass around a flask as we are watching a suspect,” one told me:
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/ice-unloads
“I thought federal agents were supposed to be clean cut but some of them pass around a flask as we are watching a suspect,” one told me:
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/ice-unloads
ICE Unloads
Immigration officers speak out: “Fuck this.”
www.kenklippenstein.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:38 AM
I interviewed over half a dozen ICE and Border Patrol agents who describe an agency that sounds like Reno 911!
“I thought federal agents were supposed to be clean cut but some of them pass around a flask as we are watching a suspect,” one told me:
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/ice-unloads
“I thought federal agents were supposed to be clean cut but some of them pass around a flask as we are watching a suspect,” one told me:
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/ice-unloads
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Last year, a human trafficking victim trapped in a crypto scam compound in the Golden Triangle region of Laos contacted me. He then proceeded to leak to me a huge collection of the compound's internal materials.
Then he had to get out alive. This is his story.
🧵👇 www.wired.com/story/he-lea...
Then he had to get out alive. This is his story.
🧵👇 www.wired.com/story/he-lea...
He Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out Alive
A source trapped inside an industrial-scale scamming operation contacted me, determined to expose his captors’ crimes—and then escape. This is his story.
www.wired.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Last year, a human trafficking victim trapped in a crypto scam compound in the Golden Triangle region of Laos contacted me. He then proceeded to leak to me a huge collection of the compound's internal materials.
Then he had to get out alive. This is his story.
🧵👇 www.wired.com/story/he-lea...
Then he had to get out alive. This is his story.
🧵👇 www.wired.com/story/he-lea...
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Reposted by Chris Merkel
“If the person is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, that individual will be free to go after the brief encounter.”
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
January 23, 2026 at 12:25 PM
“If the person is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, that individual will be free to go after the brief encounter.”
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
This is a punitive UI pattern. Deleting all your data when you toggle one feature with no advance warning is there to send a message: "fuck you, your data is ours"
Wave a magnet over iron shavings and they will move. Is the pattern they form permanent for all time? No.
Saving items on computers is closer to moving iron shavings than putting pen to paper. You're trusting magnetic forces. Whether wedding photos or DNA, you need a plan to keep the data around.
Saving items on computers is closer to moving iron shavings than putting pen to paper. You're trusting magnetic forces. Whether wedding photos or DNA, you need a plan to keep the data around.
When two years of academic work vanished with a single click
After turning off ChatGPT’s ‘data consent’ option, Marcel Bucher lost the work behind grant applications, teaching materials and publication drafts. Here’s what happened next.
www.nature.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:18 PM
This is a punitive UI pattern. Deleting all your data when you toggle one feature with no advance warning is there to send a message: "fuck you, your data is ours"
Reposted by Chris Merkel
Since the decline of peer-to-peer botnets it's been difficult to track malware infection externally. But smart contract based C2 infrastructure provided us with unique insights into this campaign.
expel.com/blog/clearfa...
expel.com/blog/clearfa...
January 20, 2026 at 11:33 PM
Since the decline of peer-to-peer botnets it's been difficult to track malware infection externally. But smart contract based C2 infrastructure provided us with unique insights into this campaign.
expel.com/blog/clearfa...
expel.com/blog/clearfa...
Robot obstetrics has a terrible maternal death rate.
January 19, 2026 at 4:06 AM
Robot obstetrics has a terrible maternal death rate.
Reposted by Chris Merkel
January 17, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Remember that one time at band camp when conservatives were against overzealous federal enforcement of immigration laws?
January 17, 2026 at 3:27 AM
Remember that one time at band camp when conservatives were against overzealous federal enforcement of immigration laws?
pets dot com says internet demand is endless
January 16, 2026 at 5:06 PM
pets dot com says internet demand is endless
There's a fine line between bragging about your homelab setup and providing the feds exhibit A
Bro has 80 home cameras?
Bro has 80 home cameras?
January 11, 2026 at 10:31 PM
There's a fine line between bragging about your homelab setup and providing the feds exhibit A
Bro has 80 home cameras?
Bro has 80 home cameras?
This guy thinks Americans should be shot dead in the street on the whim of a cop while looking like this:
January 9, 2026 at 2:06 PM
This guy thinks Americans should be shot dead in the street on the whim of a cop while looking like this: