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FBI warns BADBOX 2.0 malware has infected over a million devicesCheap, Chinese-made, Android-powered devices often the victimDevices hijacked to become part of global botnetOver a million devices have been infected by a dangerous malware strain which has turned them into malicious proxies, the FBI has warned.In a new alert, the agency urged users to be on their guard against BADBOX 2.0, a malware threat which targets Android-powered devices, often made in China.The FBI warns devices such as smart TVs, streaming boxes, projectors, tablets, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices could all be at risk or being turned into residential proxies which are then used for malicious activity.BADBOX 2.0 malware warning"The BADBOX 2.0 botnet consists of millions of infected devices and maintains numerous backdoors to proxy services that cyber criminal actors exploit by either selling or providing free access to compromised home networks to be used for various criminal activity," the FBI warning states.It noted the affected devices often come with the malware preloaded, but it can also be transferred after installing firmware updates and malicious Android applications which have managed to get onto Google Play and third-party app stores."Cyber criminals gain unauthorized access to home networks by either configuring the product with malicious software prior to the users purchase or infecting the device as it downloads required applications that contain backdoors, usually during the set-up process," explained the FBI."Once these compromised IoT devices are connected to home networks, the infected devices are susceptible to becoming part of the BADBOX 2.0 botnet and residential proxy services4 known to be used for malicious activity."It added the malware is also able to load and click ads without users being aware, generating revenue for the hackers, and also access victim's accounts using stolen credentials.The FBI has warned users to monitor their devices carefully, and make sure all their IoT devices come from a reputable source. Users are also instructed not to download apps from unauthorized app stores, and make sure their software and firmware is kept up to date.The original BADBOX malware was detected in 2023 with a similar mode of operation, targeting cheap unbranded Android TV boxes.The botnet was successfully disrupted by German authorities back in December 2024, but this doesn't seem to have dissuaded the hackers, who have managed to grow the network across the globe, leading to the re-classification as BADBOX 2.0.BADBOX 2.0 was initially flagged in early 2025 by cybersecurity experts from the HUMAN's Satori Threat Intelligence team, which, together with multiple partners, removed dozens of malicious apps from the Play Store, banned their developers, and sinkholed communications for hundreds of thousands of infected devices.You might also likeCheap Android TV boxes shipped with "unkillable" malware - here's what you need to knowWe've rounded up the best password managersTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are on sale for $170 via Amazon. This is close to a record low price and represents a discount of 32 percent, as the typical cost is $249.

This model easily made our list of the best wireless earbuds, and this is particularly true for those tied to the Apple ecosystem. The earbuds seamlessly switch between Apple devices, which is handy. The transparency mode is fantastic and the ANC is solid.

They also sound great, thanks to a new amplifier, driver and transducer, in addition to updated algorithms. We found that they offered a "massively improved" experience over the first-gen version of these earbuds. Music even sounds better at lower levels here, which is something we noticed in our official review.

The battery life is just average, with six hours of listening per charge and 30 hours with the case. The major downside with these earbuds is the price. No matter how you slice it, $249 is a whole lot of money. Luckily, today's sale alleviates some of that sticker shock.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-back-on-sale-for-170-154646082.html?src=rss

Tesla has been awfully cagey with its self-driving data this week. Reuters is now reporting that Tesla is trying to stop the city of Austin from handing over public records involving its robotaxi operations in the city, which are set to expand this month. This comes just a few days after the automaker asked a judge to prevent the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from releasing certain data related to crashes that involved its cars with self-driving features.

Reuters says that it requested two years' worth of communications between Tesla and Austin officials in February, shortly after Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that Austin would play home to the robotaxi experiment.

Dan Davis, an Austin public information officer, told Reuters in April that “third parties” were asking the city to withhold these records in the interest of protecting “privacy or property.” After the publication escalated the matter to the Texas Attorney General’s office, an attorney for Tesla wrote Ken Paxton opposing the release of what it called “confidential, proprietary, competitively sensitive commercial and/or trade secret information.”

Reuters also spoke with Neal Falgoust, an Austin Law Department official overseeing public records issues about the matter. Falgoust told reporters that the city of Austin doesn’t take any particular position on the confidentiality of the materials involved. When Reuters pressed further, asking if the people of Austin have a right to information about the driverless cars that would be traversing their streets, Falgoust did not respond.

Tesla said just last week that it had been testing driverless Model Ys in Austin for several days, which Elon Musk said was a month ahead of schedule. This would not be the first fleet of autonomous taxis on the streets of the Texas capital, with Waymo operating there since 2023 within a specific geofenced area. Waymo has also partnered with Uber in Austin since March.

By Texas law, the Attorney General's office has 45 business days to decide whether the city of Austin is required to make these records public, which would be next week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-is-reportedly-blocking-the-city-of-austin-from-releasing-robotaxi-records-155643815.html?src=rss

AT&T is investigating new claims of a data breachThe data was posted on a breach forum, and includes plaintexts SSNsIt could be new, or could be a re-release of older dataAT&T is investigating a leak of data on a cybercrime forum, but with some skepticism, as some have suggested it may just be a re-release of an earlier data breach.The trove of data includes 88 million customer records, but 86 million of these are unique, including personal information such as dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses.What makes this breach potentially dangerous is that the data is highly organized, and includes 44 million plaintext social security numbers that could be used to commit fraud and identity theft.Just a re-release or something more sinister?The HackRead research team first spotted the files on May 15, with the same collection of data appearing again on June 3 and spreading to multiple other leak sites and forums since then.There is some debate over the origin of the data, with HackRead finding similarities between encrypted and plaintext values from the collection that could tie it to the April 2024 AT&T breach that utilized the Snowflake vulnerability.On the other hand, it could be a re-release of a previous breach, or a combination of one of the many AT&T breaches.For example, in 2024 AT&T confirmed that the data of 51 million customers had been stolen after previously denying that the data was stolen from AT&T systems.The data was initially stolen in 2021. The famous Snowflake vulnerability debacle of 2024 also saw customer data stolen from AT&T, with the company then negotiating and paying $300,000 in Bitcoin to one of the hackers to delete the data.The bottom line is that the data includes almost everything a cyber criminal would need to commit fraud or steal an identity, making identity theft protection and credit monitoring a good choice for those potentially affected by the breach.Via The RegisterYou might also likeTake a look at the best antivirus softwareThese are my picks for the best data recovery softwareAT&T resets thousands of user passwords as it confirms breached data was its own after all

If you've ever read Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson, you know the moral of the business parable is that change is inevitable and we should embrace it. If you're unfamiliar with it, I suggest you pick up your iPhone and phone a friend for a quick chat. Doing so might remind you how little the Phone app on iOS has changed in almost two decades. It's a comfort that, according to fresh rumors, might soon evaporate, leaving you crying out, "Who moved my cheese?!"We're just a few days away from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025), and the internet is abuzz with rumors about numerous changes coming to virtually every major Apple platform.iOS is naturally chief among them and, thus far, the prevailing rumors have dealt with the look, which may lean toward floating frosted glass objects (yes, like visionOS on the Vision Pro). None of these changes gives me real pause, but Mark Gurman's (Bloomberg) latest prognostication is perhaps a bridge too far: a redesigned Phone app.Gurman is scant on details, but he describes "a new view that combines favorites, contacts, recent calls, and voice mails" in a single view. He does not address the keypad, but I think it's safe to assume that if Apple is touching the other four Phone app elements, it's unlikely they'll leave the Keypad alone.While iPhone call and communication functionality has seen numerous changes over the years, like call hand-off across ecosystem devices, FaceTime, Name Drop for contact sharing, and, most recently, Satellite support, the Phone App itself has barely changed at all.This is a good thing.No dial tone(Image credit: Future)Each year, no matter the scale of change for any given version of iOS, the chief complaint I get is, "Why did they change it?"Most people I've spoken to are not thrilled with recent design and organizational updates to the Photos app or Mail. Sometimes Apple's efforts to streamline apps or make them easier to use result in hidden features or at least moved elements that no average consumer can find (at least those I know).I'm not saying Apple will do away with the keypad, but a change in how the digits are presented, which has more to do with classic analog phones than any digital communication device, is possible. That would be the kind of change that would send iPhone users over the edge.The rumored changes to the app, which appear to revolve around losing the distinct Contacts, Recents, Favorites, and Voicemail elements in favor of a long window of stacked elements, are unlikely to draw many cheers at WWDC and even less enthusiasm when it reaches consumers on new iPhone 17 handsets later this year.There is some good news. Gurman claims the changes will be optional. I wonder, though, if they will be the default. If there's one thing consumers hate more than change, it's having to hunt around to figure out how to reverse it.So, sure, Apple, spruce up iOS and maybe even give the Phone app a polish, but if you have big changes in store, just make sure they're not the default. If not, don't call me, maybe.You might also likeWhat NOT to expect at Apple's WWDC 2025 - three things you definitely won't seeI've used iPads for 10 years – here are the iPadOS 19 features I want to see from WWDC 2025How to watch WWDC 2025: get ready for new Apple Intelligence features, iOS 19, macOS 16 and more