Author: TechBrunch
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reassigning hundreds of employees across multiple departments to support the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown, and plans to fire those who don't comply, according to reports. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the department has transferred employees from the U.S. Cybersecurity Agency, CISA, which focuses on issuing cyber guidance to protect U.S. government agencies and critical infrastructure from cyber threats, to other agencies within the federal department, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Both Bloomberg and NextGob reported that many of the affected CISA employees are in the…
Israeli spyware maker NSO Group has confirmed to TechCrunch that a US investment group has acquired the company. “An American investment group has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and taken control,” NSO spokesperson Oded Hershowitz told TechCrunch on Friday. Confirmation of the deal comes shortly after Israeli tech news website Calcalist reported on Friday that a group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simmons had agreed to buy the surveillance technology maker in a deal worth tens of millions of dollars. Hershowitz declined to disclose the amount invested or the investors. “This investment does not mean that…
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has pushed back against local media reports suggesting it plans to open an office in India, with its general partner calling the reports “totally fake news.” Earlier on Thursday, Indian media reported that a16z was preparing to set up an office in Bengaluru and establish a physical presence in the country. The report also cited anonymous sources and said the company was in the process of hiring a local partner. However, Anish Acharya, Bay Area-based general partner of a16z, who has been with the company for the past six years, dismissed the report. “I…
Discord revealed Wednesday that about 70,000 users may have had sensitive data, including government ID photos, exposed after hackers infiltrated a third-party vendor the platform uses for age-related disputes. Discord users will file an “age-related appeal” if the platform suspects they may be underage, or if they live in a location that requires identification to access the platform. In such cases, users will be asked to send a selfie with their government ID and Discord username to the platform's Trust & Safety team. Discord said it has contacted affected users, but the leaked data may also include IP addresses, which…
A prominent Italian businessman was targeted by Paragon spyware, according to local news reports. On Thursday, Italian online investigative website Ilpimedia and newspaper La Stampa reported that Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone was among about 90 people who received a notification from WhatsApp in January warning them that they were being targeted by spyware made by Paragon Solutions. It was not immediately clear why Mr. Caltagirone was targeted, and a spokesperson for his holding company, Caltagirone SpA, did not respond to a request for comment. Caltagirone's namesake holding company owns several companies across a variety of industries, including construction, real estate, finance…
Google security researchers say hackers who targeted executives with extortion emails stole data from “dozens of organizations,” one of the first signs that the hacking campaign could be widespread. The tech giant said in a statement shared with TechCrunch on Thursday that the Clop extortion group exploited multiple security vulnerabilities in Oracle's E-Business Suite software and stole large amounts of data from affected organizations. Oracle's E-Business software allows businesses to perform tasks such as storing customer data and employee personnel files. Google said in a corresponding blog post that the hacking activity targeting Oracle customers dates back to at least…
On TechCrunch Disrupt 2025's Space Stage, top investors Celeste Ford, Chris Morales, and Morgan Beller explore where capital is flowing in the space economy and what startups need to stand out. Together, they will take a deep dive into where capital is flowing, what founders must prove to get funding, and how investment strategies are changing as the commercialization of space accelerates. The funding landscape is rapidly evolving as governments and private markets make bigger bets on space. If you are starting or thinking about starting a space tech startup, or are already interested in the future of the space…
Artificial intelligence will not only change the way we work, but also the way we move. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco, two industry leaders at the forefront of AI-powered mobility, Sachin Kansal of Uber and Dave Ferguson of Nuro, will take to the AI stage to explore the future of intelligent transportation systems. Together, Kansal and Ferguson will discuss the evolving relationship between AI and mobility: how predictive models and computer vision are improving road safety, why last-mile delivery is a proving ground for autonomy, and what it will take to…
There was little wind on the roof of the MCM Studio building in Manhattan last week as six entrepreneurs graced the stage to promote their businesses. At one point, it was April Wachtel's turn. She made the case for her company Cheeky Cocktails before a panel of judges that included billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. Men with television cameras surrounded her pitch and broadcast the moment live for Draper's “Shark Tank”-style business competition show, “Meet the Drapers.” The show is in its eighth season, and past winners include leadership platform Balloon and food company It's Skinny. After the show, Wachtel…
President Donald Trump rebutted immigrants during last year's presidential election, pledging an unprecedented number of deportations. According to CNN, in his first eight months, the promises have been changed to figures that include around 350,000 deportations, immigration and customs deportation (about 200,000), customs and border protection (over 132,000), and almost 18,000 self-reports. ICE is on the centre stage with Trump's deportation campaign, raiding homes, workplaces and parks in search of undocumented immigrants. To support that effort, Ice is at his own willingness to use several technologies that allow him to identify and monitor individuals and communities. Below is a summary…