hakan
@hatr.bsky.social
reporter covering cyber (both crime and state-sponsored) for Der Spiegel and ZDF, short overview at https://linktr.ee/hakantanriverdi, Signal: hakan.25
Pinned
hakan
@hatr.bsky.social
· Mar 1
If you've been following #BlackBasta (and the recent leak), this thread might be of interest.
Last December, out of the blue, a source reached out to me (and, as I was to find out, to @valerymarchive.bsky.social as well) offering to doxx the leader of that ransomware-operation, known as "tramp".
Last December, out of the blue, a source reached out to me (and, as I was to find out, to @valerymarchive.bsky.social as well) offering to doxx the leader of that ransomware-operation, known as "tramp".
Reposted by hakan
Politico is reporting that the breach at the Congressional Budget Office is "ongoing."
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
Cybersecurity breach at Congressional Budget Office remains a live threat
Library of Congress employees were informed to take caution when emailing the office of the congressional scorekeeper.
www.politico.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Politico is reporting that the breach at the Congressional Budget Office is "ongoing."
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
If you're interested in #OSINT, this one might be for you. A short item in this week's newsletter on using Virustotal to find (clues to) leaked data.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
If you're interested in #OSINT, this one might be for you. A short item in this week's newsletter on using Virustotal to find (clues to) leaked data.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
“We are talking tens upon tens of thousands of potential dead in five days.”
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
Rebels Post Videos of Mass Killings in Darfur as the World Watches
After the fall of El Fasher to the R.S.F., observers fear for the next target in the war.
www.newyorker.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:50 PM
“We are talking tens upon tens of thousands of potential dead in five days.”
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
Reposted by hakan
OpenAI's Sora 2 is flooding social media with videos of women being strangled. Yet another example of generative AI companies failing to prevent users from creating media that violates their own policies against violent content.
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
OpenAI’s Sora 2 Floods Social Media With Videos of Women Being Strangled
X and TikTok accounts are dedicated to posting AI-generated videos of women being strangled.
www.404media.co
November 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
OpenAI's Sora 2 is flooding social media with videos of women being strangled. Yet another example of generative AI companies failing to prevent users from creating media that violates their own policies against violent content.
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
Reposted by hakan
Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by hakan
All day, many of you have been asking for a Cheney obituary from me. Get ready:
His Works Completed, Dick Cheney, Mass Murderer of Iraqis and American Democracy, Dies
As much as the Trumpists claim to disavow the War on Terror, they walk a path paved by the most powerful vice president in U.S. history.
www.thenation.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
All day, many of you have been asking for a Cheney obituary from me. Get ready:
Reposted by hakan
There could not be a newsletter more perfectly aimed at journalism/data/cyber nerds like me: buttondown.com/readwrite (thank you @hatr.bsky.social, @jls.bsky.social)
readwrite
What readwrite is about This is a newsletter about journalism and coding. If you subscribe, here’s what you can expect: Tutorials on finding information – pictures, profiles, malware – what’s generall...
buttondown.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:09 PM
There could not be a newsletter more perfectly aimed at journalism/data/cyber nerds like me: buttondown.com/readwrite (thank you @hatr.bsky.social, @jls.bsky.social)
The first edition of the newsletter is out in case you're interested:
Jan took a brief look at OpenAI’s Atlas browser from a researcher's perspective.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
Jan took a brief look at OpenAI’s Atlas browser from a researcher's perspective.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
Edition 1 - the first one is the hardest
Hi, This is the first of hopefully many emails we’ll deliver to your inbox. Thanks for signing up! For this week’s edition, Jan took a brief look at OpenAI’s...
buttondown.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The first edition of the newsletter is out in case you're interested:
Jan took a brief look at OpenAI’s Atlas browser from a researcher's perspective.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
Jan took a brief look at OpenAI’s Atlas browser from a researcher's perspective.
buttondown.com/readwrite/ar...
Reposted by hakan
For one of my final stories with @wired.com, I teamed up with @peggylowe.bsky.social at KCUR to dig through a Kansas City, KS police hack
Inside were some of the most disturbing misconduct files I’ve ever read—and a secret list of cops the department said couldnt be trusted
Here are a few of them:
Inside were some of the most disturbing misconduct files I’ve ever read—and a secret list of cops the department said couldnt be trusted
Here are a few of them:
Hack Exposes Kansas City’s Secret Police Misconduct List
A major breach of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department reveals, for the first time, a list of alleged officer misconduct including dishonesty, sexual harassment, excessive force, and false arres...
www.wired.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:34 PM
For one of my final stories with @wired.com, I teamed up with @peggylowe.bsky.social at KCUR to dig through a Kansas City, KS police hack
Inside were some of the most disturbing misconduct files I’ve ever read—and a secret list of cops the department said couldnt be trusted
Here are a few of them:
Inside were some of the most disturbing misconduct files I’ve ever read—and a secret list of cops the department said couldnt be trusted
Here are a few of them:
Reposted by hakan
Scoop: Trump’s OLC head tells lawmakers the War Powers Act doesn’t apply to cartel strikes, and the administration does not need to cease strikes by Monday.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Trump administration tells Congress war law doesn’t apply to cartel strikes
A top Trump administration lawyer told Congress that the War Powers Resolution, which would require the end of hostilities within 60 days, doesn’t apply to cartel strikes.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Scoop: Trump’s OLC head tells lawmakers the War Powers Act doesn’t apply to cartel strikes, and the administration does not need to cease strikes by Monday.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by hakan
Grokipedia dedicates an entire section of its entry on the AfD defending the far-right party from accusations of being far-right grokipedia.com/page/Alterna...
October 30, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Grokipedia dedicates an entire section of its entry on the AfD defending the far-right party from accusations of being far-right grokipedia.com/page/Alterna...
Reposted by hakan
Just more blockbuster reporting from @972mag.com, @theguardian.com and Local Call www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Revealed: Israel demanded Google and Amazon use secret ‘wink’ to sidestep legal orders
The tech giants agreed to extraordinary terms to clinch a lucrative contract with the Israeli government, documents show
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Just more blockbuster reporting from @972mag.com, @theguardian.com and Local Call www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
„that people “reportedly associated with a nation-state actor” gained access to the company’s IT network, with initial access dating to early December 2024.“
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:01 PM
„that people “reportedly associated with a nation-state actor” gained access to the company’s IT network, with initial access dating to early December 2024.“
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
Reposted by hakan
I’m really starting to suspect that most of the tech bros haven’t actually read Tolkien, as they certainly don’t understand it.
The gentle hobbits save the “hard men” of Gondor, largely through compassion and selflessness. Not the other way around. The Christian parable is barely hidden!
The gentle hobbits save the “hard men” of Gondor, largely through compassion and selflessness. Not the other way around. The Christian parable is barely hidden!
Elon Musk: "It is time for the English to ally with the hard men, like Tommy Robinson, and fight for their survival or they shall surely all die" 29th October 2025. 2 million views in its first hour.
October 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I’m really starting to suspect that most of the tech bros haven’t actually read Tolkien, as they certainly don’t understand it.
The gentle hobbits save the “hard men” of Gondor, largely through compassion and selflessness. Not the other way around. The Christian parable is barely hidden!
The gentle hobbits save the “hard men” of Gondor, largely through compassion and selflessness. Not the other way around. The Christian parable is barely hidden!
Reposted by hakan
that certainly is one way to start an encylopedia entry for george floyd
![screenshot of Grokipedia's entry for "George Floyd," which begins:
George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an American man with a lengthy criminal record including convictions for armed robbery, drug possession, and theft in Texas from 1997 to 2007.[1][2]
On May 25, 2020, Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a store clerk reported that he had used a counterfeit $20 bill to purchase cigarettes.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lwvjio7rxo2am62nonpap2vb/bafkreiaubtm6hac7gj7lksjg4nd7vzkydpni7rw34nwzhakskfivc55iyy@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM
that certainly is one way to start an encylopedia entry for george floyd
to keep it short: @jls.bsky.social and I are starting a newsletter about #journalism and coding. If you're interested in either #OSINT or reporting (or both!), this one might be for you.
More details here buttondown.com/readwrite
More details here buttondown.com/readwrite
readwrite
What readwrite is about This is a newsletter about journalism and coding. If you subscribe, here’s what you can expect: Tutorials on finding information – pictures, profiles, malware – what’s generall...
buttondown.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:25 AM
to keep it short: @jls.bsky.social and I are starting a newsletter about #journalism and coding. If you're interested in either #OSINT or reporting (or both!), this one might be for you.
More details here buttondown.com/readwrite
More details here buttondown.com/readwrite
Reposted by hakan
New with @lhn.bsky.social:
Thousands of people who applied for jobs with the Democrats in the US House of Representatives have had their data exposed online—including hundreds with "top secret" clearance
Officials say they have launched an investigation into the data exposure
Thousands of people who applied for jobs with the Democrats in the US House of Representatives have had their data exposed online—including hundreds with "top secret" clearance
Officials say they have launched an investigation into the data exposure
Hundreds of People With ‘Top Secret’ Clearance Exposed by House Democrats’ Website
A database containing information on people who applied for jobs with Democrats in the US House of Representatives was left accessible on the open web.
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:56 AM
New with @lhn.bsky.social:
Thousands of people who applied for jobs with the Democrats in the US House of Representatives have had their data exposed online—including hundreds with "top secret" clearance
Officials say they have launched an investigation into the data exposure
Thousands of people who applied for jobs with the Democrats in the US House of Representatives have had their data exposed online—including hundreds with "top secret" clearance
Officials say they have launched an investigation into the data exposure
"The original torrent file containing the Iron March database also contained the full web server for the website that hosted Iron March’s electronic magazine (e-zine), "NOOSE.
"Significant contributions … from identified members of the Atomwaffen Division"
decoherence.media/neo-nazi-rop...
"Significant contributions … from identified members of the Atomwaffen Division"
decoherence.media/neo-nazi-rop...
Neo-Nazi “Rope Culture” Web Server Reveals the Structure and Culture of a Far-Right Network
The exposed web server of Rope Culture, a neo-Nazi online magazine, contains a trove of data for understanding the transnational demographics and scope of its user base, and the activity of prominent ...
decoherence.media
October 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
"The original torrent file containing the Iron March database also contained the full web server for the website that hosted Iron March’s electronic magazine (e-zine), "NOOSE.
"Significant contributions … from identified members of the Atomwaffen Division"
decoherence.media/neo-nazi-rop...
"Significant contributions … from identified members of the Atomwaffen Division"
decoherence.media/neo-nazi-rop...
Re-read this story in light of the completely insane Trenchant-Russia-connection.
SCOOP: A man who worked on developing hacking and surveillance tools for defense contractor L3Harris Trenchant was notified by Apple that his iPhone was targeted with mercenary spyware.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
Exclusive: Apple alerts exploit developer that his iPhone was targeted with government spyware
A developer at Trenchant, a leading Western spyware and zero-day maker, was suspected of leaking company tools and fired. Weeks later, Apple notified him that his personal iPhone was targeted with spy...
techcrunch.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Re-read this story in light of the completely insane Trenchant-Russia-connection.
"Identifying individuals with that metadata alone appears to be simple enough for the ICE unit."
www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...
www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...
How ICE Spies On WhatsApp
ICE’s HSI division gets contacts from the WhatsApp account of a fake ID dealer and has little trouble identifying them, according to warrant.
www.forbes.com
October 24, 2025 at 9:22 AM
"Identifying individuals with that metadata alone appears to be simple enough for the ICE unit."
www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...
www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...
"This means that any user who updates to iOS 26 and subsequently restarts their device will inadvertently erase all evidence of older Pegasus and Predator detections that might have been present in their shutdown.log."
iverify.io/blog/key-ioc...
iverify.io/blog/key-ioc...
Key IOCs for Pegasus and Predator Spyware Cleaned With iOS 26 Update
iOS 26 changes how shutdown logs are handled, erasing key evidence of Pegasus and Predator spyware, creating new challenges for forensic investigators
iverify.io
October 24, 2025 at 6:41 AM
"This means that any user who updates to iOS 26 and subsequently restarts their device will inadvertently erase all evidence of older Pegasus and Predator detections that might have been present in their shutdown.log."
iverify.io/blog/key-ioc...
iverify.io/blog/key-ioc...
Reposted by hakan
Our #RussianSecrets investigation is finally out. It shows that Russia is protecting its nuclear weapons in the Arctic with Western technology. To this end, an underwater listening system called Harmony has been created in recent years. THREAD
October 23, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Our #RussianSecrets investigation is finally out. It shows that Russia is protecting its nuclear weapons in the Arctic with Western technology. To this end, an underwater listening system called Harmony has been created in recent years. THREAD
Reposted by hakan
In my opinion @liyuan6.bsky.social is the most insightful writer on contemporary China today. In this essay, she reflects on Silicon Valley's misconceptions (it doesn't help that tech bros mostly stay in 5-star hotels in Shanghai as their idea of "China"):
Silicon Valley Has China Envy, and That Reveals a Lot About America
www.nytimes.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:22 AM
In my opinion @liyuan6.bsky.social is the most insightful writer on contemporary China today. In this essay, she reflects on Silicon Valley's misconceptions (it doesn't help that tech bros mostly stay in 5-star hotels in Shanghai as their idea of "China"):
Reposted by hakan
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 20, 2025 at 8:00 AM
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
„And last year, The Free Press published a leaked audio recording of an internal CBS News editorial meeting …
Now in a position of power at the network, Ms. Weiss is the one concerned about leaks … asking if the company can identify the leakers,“
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/b...
Now in a position of power at the network, Ms. Weiss is the one concerned about leaks … asking if the company can identify the leakers,“
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/b...
Booking Big Guests and Irked by Leaks: Bari Weiss’s First Days at CBS
www.nytimes.com
October 19, 2025 at 5:46 PM
„And last year, The Free Press published a leaked audio recording of an internal CBS News editorial meeting …
Now in a position of power at the network, Ms. Weiss is the one concerned about leaks … asking if the company can identify the leakers,“
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/b...
Now in a position of power at the network, Ms. Weiss is the one concerned about leaks … asking if the company can identify the leakers,“
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/b...