⚡️Google's Default Bullying & The Antitrust Decision

Back in 2021, U.S. attorney generals sued Google for strong-arming competitors to stay the default—paying up to $10B a year in partner deals. Whether bribes, threats, or coercion, Google crushed rivals in search, app stores, assistants, and more.

Examples? Google pressured Samsung over its Galaxy Store, killed Epic Games’ OnePlus deal, blocked Amazon’s store, and locked smart speakers into Google Search & Assistant.

The court’s decision: Google can’t force all-or-nothing bundles or multi-year contracts. Rivals must get access to search index data. But Google can still pay for defaults and exclusivity.

And the kicker? Nobody’s talking about their newest move: banning alternative app stores entirely.

🪧 Read the full article on Substack
📲 Grab privacy gear

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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Big Tech phones spy on you — Above Phone doesn’t.

Your calls, texts, location, and data are being collected, stored, and sold. Above Phone changes that.
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Features that put you in control:
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• Multiple phone numbers on one device
• Encrypted “phones” inside your phone
• Offline maps & navigation

Plus, get personal onboarding, private software, and community support.

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🗺️How to Overthrow Google Maps

Want to stop relying on Google Maps? StreetComplete makes it easy. The app gives you simple “quests” like adding house numbers, street names, or details about roads. Each answer strengthens a map free from big tech control.

Instead of driverless cars surveilling neighborhoods, StreetComplete grows because we contribute. Every time you add info, you’re breaking Google’s monopoly and building a truly independent map.

You can find StreetComplete on FDroid and start contributing today—one quest at a time.

🪧 Read the full article on Substack
📲 Get privacy gear

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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👀 Something BIG is coming to Above Phone next week, and you're not going to want to miss it.

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Why digital ID is such a bad idea:
https://reclaimthenet.org/pakistan-data-breach-exposes-risks-of-biometric-digital-id-systems

For those who dont know Pakistan has one of the oldest digital ID systems in the world, launched in 2001. Its not in an app form quite yet, but at this latest breach goes to show - all information is connected to it.

It also shows that corrupt officials (Pakistan is notorious for this) can abuse its digital welfare programs to steal from the poor.

⚡️AnonAddy Demo

I was recently on The Corbett Report’s Solutions Watch to show how easy it is to set up an email alias with AnonAddy. It’s open source, affordable, self-hostable, and gives you a layer of protection when signing up for new services.

In this clip, I walk through exactly how it works — from creating an alias to receiving forwarded mail — so you can see just how simple it is to keep your real email private.

🎥 Watch the full interview here

✨ Explore conscious technology solutions at Above Phone

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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⚡ Miss this week’s cyber news? You skipped:

– Drift breach chaos
– Active zero-days
– Dark web buzz
– Critical CVEs

Don’t fall behind — catch the full recap 👇 https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/weekly-recap-drift-breach-chaos-zero.html

⚠️ Hackers aren’t sending phishing emails anymore. They’re joining your team.

Fake hires pass interviews with AI resumes + deepfakes, get onboarded, and walk away with your keys. Identity is the new perimeter.

Here’s what companies must change ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/you-didnt-get-phished-you-onboarded.html

🚨 Attackers didn’t hack your server—they stole a login. $1M ransom later, it was too late.

Modern identity tools can block risky logins in real time, using signals your security stack already collects. Don’t wait until after the breach.

See how → https://thehackernews.com/expert-insights/2025/09/how-to-build-identity-firewall-with.html

🚨 Salesloft confirms GitHub breach from Mar–Jun 2025 triggered Drift supply chain attack affecting 22 companies.

Hackers stole OAuth tokens, risking customer integrations. Drift remains offline as Salesloft secures systems.

Full story → https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/github-account-compromise-led-to.html

🚨 Hackers are hijacking Google search ads to trick devs into downloading malware disguised as GitHub tools.

The payload? A 128MB file that hides from sandboxes unless your GPU passes its “check.” Info theft & remote access are the endgame.

Details ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/gpugate-malware-uses-google-ads-and.html

🚨 Threat hunters just uncovered 45 domains tied to China-backed hackers Salt Typhoon & UNC4841—some active since May 2020.

These groups hit U.S. telecoms & exploited zero-days in Barracuda appliances. Your org could already be exposed.

Details here ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/45-previously-unreported-domains-expose.html

⚡ Firewalls aren’t enough anymore—AI attacks are evolving faster than traditional defenses.

Zscaler's Zero Trust + AI keeps your data safe, blocks ransomware, and lets you use AI securely without risk.

Here’s what the CEO Jay Chaudhry says about staying ahead ↓ https://thehackernews.com/videos/2025/09/zero-trust-ai-protecting-what-firewalls.html

🚨 20 npm packages with 2 BILLION+ weekly downloads (incl. chalk & debug) were hacked.

A maintainer was phished into giving up 2FA — attackers slipped in malware that hijacks wallets & steals crypto.

Here’s what went down ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/20-popular-npm-packages-with-2-billion.html

🚨 Hackers are hijacking exposed Docker APIs to spread a cryptojacking botnet—using TOR domains, masscan scans, and even Chrome debug ports to steal data & expand.

The wild part? The malware code includes an emoji, hinting it was LLM-built.

Here’s what’s happening ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/tor-based-cryptojacking-attack-expands.html

🚨 Two new cyber campaigns are live:

1️⃣ MostereRAT — phishing emails targeting Japan.
Disables Windows security, hijacks TrustedInstaller, installs AnyDesk/TigerVNC, logs keystrokes, and even adds hidden admins.

2️⃣ ClickFix 2.0 — fake AnyDesk + Cloudflare page tricking users into opening File Explorer → drops MetaStealer.

Hackers are raising the bar. Stay alert.

Read → https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/from-mostererat-to-clickfix-new-malware.html

🚨 88% of boards now see cybersecurity as a business risk. Yet every budget season, security still gets sidelined.

One insurer estimated a single PII breach = $5M+ loss.

The fix? Continuous, automated validation that proves ROI.

Here’s what CISOs are telling boards ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/how-leading-cisos-are-getting-budget.html

⚠️ Shadow AI Agents are already inside your enterprise.

→ Impersonating users
→ Leaking data
→ Multiplying out of sight

👀 You can’t defend what you can’t see.

Join our panel before Shadow AI outruns your defenses.

Register now → https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/webinar-shadow-ai-agents-multiply-fast.html

🚨 New Android threat: RatOn

• Drains crypto wallets (MetaMask, Trust, Phantom)
• Hacks Czech bank app George Česko for auto-transfers
• Spreads via fake TikTok apps
• Can lock your phone with ransom screens

Active since July. Still evolving.

Details here → https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/raton-android-malware-detected-with-nfc.html

⚠️ Hackers just leveled up phishing.

Axios abuse in Microsoft 365 + Salty 2FA kits are bypassing MFA, hijacking session tokens, and stealing logins at scale.

Success rates? Up to 70%. The new playbook blurs legit vs fake traffic.

Here’s how it works ↓ https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/axios-abuse-and-salty-2fa-kits-fuel.html

🚨 SAP just patched three critical NetWeaver flaws that let attackers run code & upload files without limits.

One flaw scores 10/10 CVSS—full system compromise is possible.

Don’t wait—update now.

Full details → https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/sap-patches-critical-netweaver-cvss-up.html