Close up on screen of website sign in buttongettyA sophisticated phishing operation known as Morphing Meerkat is putting internet users at serious risk. Discovered by cybersecurity researchers at Infoblox, this phishing-as-a-service platform has been quietly active since at least 2020.At first glance, Morphing Meerkat might appear to be just another spam campaign. But beneath the surface, it leverages cutting-edge tactics that make it far more dangerous and difficult to detectespecially for non-technical individuals.What sets this campaign apart is its use of DNS-over-HTTPS. This technology allows it to bypass traditional DNS filters and monitoring tools, making it harder for security software to identify the threat. The phishing toolkit also performs live lookups of Mail Exchange records, which tell it what email provider the victim uses. With that information, the platform dynamically generates a login page that looks exactly like what the victim expectswhether it is Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or over 110 other commonly used services.How The Attack WorksAnd Why It Is So EffectiveMorphing Meerkat is a phishing kit designed for scalability, stealth, and ease of useeven for cybercriminals with little technical skill. The actual attack typically begins with a highly convincing email. These messages are crafted to look legitimate and are translated into multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. They often appear to come from widely recognized brands and carry urgent subject lines like Action Required: Account Deactivation, designed to trigger a quick, emotional reaction.When a user clicks on the link inside the email, they are taken through a maze of redirectsoften via ad networks, compromised WordPress sites, or free hosting platforms. This redirect chain helps the attackers obscure their tracks and bypass browser security warnings.Eventually, the user lands on a fake login page. At this point, the phishing kit quietly queries the victims email domain using DNS-over-HTTPS to identify which email provider they use. Once identified, the kit dynamically loads a counterfeit login page tailored to that provider, often with the victims email address already filled in. The design is nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.If the user enters their password, the credentials are transmitted to the attackerssometimes even forwarded in real time using tools like Telegram bots. In some cases, the user is prompted to re-enter their password with an error message such as Invalid Password! Please enter email correct password, which helps confirm that the stolen information is accurate.To complete the deception and avoid raising alarms, the user is then redirected to the legitimate login page of their email provider. From their perspective, it simply appears that the login failed the first time, and they continue on as usualunaware that their credentials have already been compromised.8 Smart Ways Users Can Avoid Getting PhishedDespite the increasing complexity of phishing attacks, there are practical and effective steps that consumers can take to protect their digital lives:1. Do Not RushPause Before You ClickBe suspicious of emails that pressure you to act quickly.If you are unsure, visit the website directly instead of clicking a link in an email.2. Use Multi-Factor AuthenticationAlways enable MFA on your email, social media, and banking accounts. Even if your password is stolen, MFA can stop attackers from logging in.3. Install A Password ManagerPassword managers prevent you from entering your login credentials on fake websites. They will only autofill your credentials on legitimate domains.4. Keep Software And Devices UpdatedRegular updates patch security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for your operating system, browser, and antivirus software.5. Use A Trusted DNS Provider With FilteringServices like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 for Families), OpenDNS, or NextDNS provide DNS-level protection and may block known phishing sites.6. Block DoH On Your Router (If Possible)Some advanced home routers allow you to block encrypted DNS traffic (DoH), which prevents attackers from hiding their phishing domains from your network.7. Check URLs CarefullyPhishing sites often use lookalike URLs. Make sure you are visiting the correct domain (e.g., https://accounts.google.com for Gmail).8. Use Anti-Phishing Browser ExtensionsExtensions like uBlock Origin or DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials can block suspicious scripts and trackers often used in phishing campaigns.

If youre wondering why social media is filled with Studio Ghibli-style memes all of a sudden, there are several answers to that question.The most obvious one is that OpenAI dropped an update to ChatGPT on Tuesday that allows users to generate better images using the 4o version of the model. OpenAI has long proffered image generation tools, but this one felt like a significant evolution: users say it is far better than other AI image-generators at accurately following text prompts, and that it makes much higher fidelity images.But thats not the only reason for the deluge of memes in the style of the Japanese animation house.Alongside the ChatGPT update, OpenAI also relaxed several of its rules on the types of images users can generate with its AI toolsa change CEO Sam Altman said represents a new high-water mark for us in allowing creative freedom. Among those changes: allowing users to generate images of adult public figures for the first time, and reducing the likelihood that ChatGPT would reject users prompts, even if they risked being offensive.People are going to create some really amazing stuff and some stuff that may offend people, Altman said in a post on X. What we'd like to aim for is that the tool doesn't create offensive stuff unless you want it to, in which case within reason it does.Users quickly began making the most of the policy change sharing Ghiblified images of 9/11, Adolf Hitler, and the murder of George Floyd. The official White House account on X even shared a Studio Ghibli-style image of an ICE officer detaining an alleged illegal immigrant.In one sense, the pivot has been a long time coming. OpenAI began its decade-long life as a research lab that kept its tools under strict lock and key; when it did release early chatbots and image generation models, they had strict content filters that aimed to prevent misuse. But for years it has been widening the accessibility of its tools in an approach it calls iterative deployment. The release of ChatGPT in November 2022 was the most popular example of this strategy, which the company believes is necessary to help society adapt to the changes AI is bringing.Still, in another sense, the change to OpenAIs model behavior policies has a more recent proximate cause: the 2024 election of President Donald Trump, and the cultural shift that has accompanied the new administration.Trump and his allies have been highly critical of what they see as the censorship of free speech online by large tech companies. Many conservatives have drawn parallels between the longstanding practice of content moderation on social media and the more recent strategy, by AI companies including OpenAI, to limit the kinds of content that generative AI models are allowed to create. ChatGPT has woke programmed into its bones, Elon Musk posted on X in December.Like most big companies, OpenAI is trying hard to build ties with the Trump White House. The company scored an early win when, on the second day of his presidency, Trump stood beside Altman and announced a large investment into the datacenters that OpenAI believes will be necessary to train the next generation of AI systems. But OpenAI is still in a delicate position. Musk, Trumps billionaire backer and advisor, has a famous dislike of Altman. The pair cofounded OpenAI together back in 2015, but after a failed attempt to become CEO, Musk quit in a huff. He is now suing Altman and OpenAI, claiming that they reneged on OpenAIs founding mission to develop AI as a non-profit. With Musk operating from the White House and also leading a rival AI company, xAI, it is especially vital for OpenAIs business prospects to cultivate positive ties where possible with the Trump administration.Earlier in March, OpenAI submitted a document laying out recommendations for the new administrations tech policy. It was a shift in tone from earlier missives by the company. OpenAIs freedom-focused policy proposals, taken together, can strengthen Americas lead on AI and in so doing, unlock economic growth, lock in American competitiveness, and protect our national security, the document said. It called on the Trump administration to exempt OpenAI, and the rest of the private sector, from 781 state-level laws proposing to regulate AI, which it said risks bogging down innovation. In return, OpenAI said, industry could provide the U.S. government with learnings and access from AI companies, and would ensure the U.S. retained its leadership position ahead of China in the AI race.Alongside the release of this weeks new ChatGPT update, OpenAI doubled down on what it said were policies intended to give users more freedom, within bounds, to create whatever they want with its AI tools. Were shifting from blanket refusals in sensitive areas to a more precise approach focused on preventing real-world harm, Joanne Jang, OpenAIs head of model behavior, said in a blog post. The goal is to embrace humility: recognizing how much we don't know, and positioning ourselves to adapt as we learn.Jang gave several examples of things that were previously disallowed, but to which OpenAI was now opening its doors. Tools could now be used to generate images of public figures, Jang wrote, although OpenAI would create an opt-out list allowing people to decide for themselves whether they wanted ChatGPT to be able to generate images of them. Children, she wrote, would be subjected to stronger protections and tighter guardrails.Offensive content, Jang wroteusing quotation markswould also receive a rethink under OpenAIs new policies. Uses that might be seen as offensive by some, but which didnt cause real-world harm, would be increasingly permitted. Without clear guidelines, the model previously refused requests like make this persons eyes look more Asian or make this person heavier, unintentionally implying these attributes were inherently offensive, Jang wrote, suggesting that such prompts would be allowed in future.OpenAIs tools previously flat-out rejected attempts by users to generate hate symbols like swastikas. In the blog post, Jang said the company recognized, however, that these symbols could also sometimes appear in genuinely educational or cultural contexts. The company would move to a strategy of applying technical methods, she wrote, to better identify and refuse harmful misuse without completely banning them.AI lab employees, she wrote, should not be the arbiters of what people should and shouldnt be allowed to create.

In brief: WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new option that allows users to set it as their default calling and messaging app on iOS devices. The update follows Apple's announcement last year with iOS 18.2, which introduced the ability to change the default SMS and phone apps. The feature is available in the latest WhatsApp update (version 25.8.74), allowing users to set the app as their primary hub for calls and messages on iPhone.The new default app setting recently appeared for some beta testers, but it will roll out to more devices in the coming days and weeks. Users who have access to the feature can find it under Settings > Apps > Default Apps on their iPhone, where they can select WhatsApp as their default for Messaging and Calling.Once you've made the switch, your iPhone will automatically launch WhatsApp whenever you tap a phone number in a webpage or email. More notably, tapping a number in the Contacts app will initiate a WhatsApp call instead of a regular one. The same applies to messaging hitting the 'Message' button will open WhatsApp instead of iMessage.Customizing default messaging and phone apps on the iPhone isn't entirely new. Apple first introduced this flexibility with the iOS 18.2 update late last year, allowing users to replace not just messaging and calling apps but also other built-in services like email, web browsing, and password management. This change meant users were no longer restricted to Apple's own apps for these functions.However, WhatsApp embracing this new openness is a significant development. The app is a primary communication tool for millions worldwide, especially in regions outside the US. // Related StoriesThere are also practical advantages. WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption offers stronger security compared to traditional SMS. Users benefit from features like multimedia sharing, voice notes, and international calling without extra fees.For those who rely on WhatsApp for both personal and professional communication, setting it as the default app streamlines interactions, eliminating the need to constantly switch between different chat platforms. All conversations are consolidated into one interface, making messaging more seamless and efficient.Image credit: Dimitri Karastelev

Reviewers LikedAll the I/O of the pricier MacBook ProsGood size and reasonable weight for everyday useSame solid design as previous modelStarts with 16GB of RAM (Finally)Over 18 hours of battery lifeGreat speakersBrighter display than beforeNew webcam is sharp and clearReviewers Didn't LikeDesk View webcam feature is low-res and overly distortedOnly two external displays supported in the M4 and M4 Pro modelsSpace black finish can still be a little smudgyApple Intelligence features are limited right nowRAM and SSD upgrade pricing is absurdOnly comes with 512 GB SSD storage at base priceGraphics lag behind last year's top-end M3 Pro and M3 MaxNo Wi-Fi 7No Face IDAwkward vent placementCompetitors and Related Products Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets. Expert reviews and ratings 90 The MacBook Pro M4 isnt quite as pro in the performance stakes as the M4 Pro and M4 Max models, but by offering several improvements over the MacBook Air M3 including a seriously better display and far more ports this is easily the best all-round MacBook option on the market in 2025 and the easiest to recommend entry-level MacBook Pro in years. By TrustedReviews on February 10, 2025 100 Some notable upgrades but none hugely significant its another incremental upgrade for the M4 MacBook Pro. By ExpertReviews on December 02, 2024 90 The biggest difference this time is that the entry-level MacBook Pro doesnt really feel like a compromise. The base configuration has enough memory and storage to be actually worth considering, and it has all the ports and creature comforts of the higher-end Pros. Even the nano-texture screen upgrade feels worth it. For the first time in a long time, it actually feels like a Pro. By The Verge on November 07, 2024 90 The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 is a luxurious device. M4 is a powerful chip, and you finally start at 16GB of performance. If you can afford it, opt for the nano-texture display, which is stunning. But RAM and SSD pricing is jaw-droppingly, high, and Apple Intelligence still needs time to bake. By Tom's Hardware on November 07, 2024 92 Apples 14-inch MacBook Pro is better than ever thanks to its M4 chips, Thunderbolt 5 support and slightly brighter screens. By Engadget on November 07, 2024 80 The MacBook Pro 14 with M4 is a solid laptop that outperforms PCs, but it's not standing out as much as it should for the price. By Gizmodo on November 07, 2024 90 The MacBook Pro M4 offers amazing battery life and faster performance along with clever Apple Intelligence features, but the nano-texture display steals the show for me. I also like the sharper 12MP webcam and additional Thunderbolt port, but the SSD is slower than I expected. By Tom's Guide on November 07, 2024 80 It's a dead ringer for 2023's model, but Apple's M4 MacBook Pro remains a portable content-creation powerhouse, thanks to a beefed-up processor, smart AI features, and seemingly endless battery life. By PCMag on November 07, 2024 90 The MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 is a pro-grade portable that impresses in every area. It's a pleasure to use, and rises to meet virtually any challenge. It joins Apple's pantheon of excellent laptops, and will duly take its place at or near the top of our best laptops list. By TechRadar on November 07, 2024 100 No laptop is so perfect that it can't be improved, but the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 comes as close as any I've ever reviewed. By LaptopMag on November 07, 2024Load More Reviews

After a tidal wave of rumors and leaks, the Google Pixel 9a saw an official announcement earlier this month and now we know it will be available for purchase on April 10 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. On April 14, the Pixel 9a will make its way to an additional 23 European countries, before finally arriving in India, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia on April 16.This midrange budget handset will start at $499 for the 128GB model, with a bump up to $599 for the 256GB model. It has a 6.3-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, paired with a maximum brightness of 2700 nits. That means youll be able to use it in direct sunlight without worrying about visibility.Recommended VideosAll models come with 8GB of RAM, regardless of the amount of storage. Thats more than enough to power a slew of different Android and Google Play games, as well as Gemini AI features. The Google Pixel 9a ships with Android 15 and supports seven major Android upgrades throughout its lifespan.Sahil Karoul / YouTubeAs far as cameras go, it has a 48MP wide angle lens and a 12MP ultrawide angle lens, along with a 13MP ultrawide selfie cam. The phone can record 1080p video up to 240 frames per second, or up to 60 frames per second at 4K.Please enable Javascript to view this contentA 5,100mAh battery will keep you going throughout the day, and 23W wired charging (along with 7.5W wireless charging) will help you top off your charge when it starts to run low.While the Google Pixel 9a might not be a flagship, its no slouch, either. Its a solid midrange competitor that can go toe to toe with many lower-end flagships without breaking a sweat, and its a great option for someone that wants to test out the Pixel ecosystem without spending a fortune on one of the frontrunners or settling for an older, outdated model.Editors Recommendations

Hisense is one of the top tech brands on the market for budget-friendly TVs. Not only do these LED-LCDs and QLED TVs cost less than much of the competition, but youll also be treated to the type of picture quality we expect from higher-priced TVs. As a matter of fact, one of Hisenses best midrange sets has an even steeper discount this week:For a limited time, when you purchase the Hisense 65-inch U7N Series 4K ULED at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and a few other sites and stores, youll only pay $680. The full MSRP on this model is $1,000.We tested this Hisense set back in November 2024, and editor at large Caleb Denison said the U7N delivered Absolutely incredible bang for your buck. Whether youre watching TV in a room filled with ambient lighting or you plan on housing this monster screen in a basement space, the U7N gets bright enough when watching SDR content to fight glare. The TV also looks great in darker rooms, though you may notice a bit of light bloom around captions and other subjects.RelatedThe Hisense U7N has fantastic HDR capabilities, too. On top of supporting every format, youll be treated to a wide color gamut when watching or playing HDR content, along with impressive specular highlights. HDMI ports 3 and 4 are both 2.1 certified, so you can expect fast response times and low input lag when hooking up a game console or PC. The U7Ns native 120Hz refresh rate is also great for sports and action movie fans.The U7N even has a built-in Google TV OS for all things apps, casting, and internet-connected. We wish this TV would stay at this price forever, but theres a good chance itll be back to full price by weeks end.Save $320 when you purchase the Hisense 65-inch U7N Series 4K ULED today, and be sure to check out our roundups of the best QLED TV deals, best TV deals, and best Amazon deals for even more discounts on top Hisense TVs!Editors Recommendations

Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Elsewhere in the country, parts of the rebel army fought on.

In the early 1990s, an unlikely collection of college rock, heavy metal and punk bands set out on a tour that would influence big-ticket music festivals to come.

Better late than never Google solves its mysterious Pixel problem, announces 9a launch date Google has sorted out its Pixel problems and will begin the 9a rollout on April 10. Ryan Whitwam Mar 28, 2025 12:50 pm | 29 Credit: Google Credit: Google Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGoogle revealed the Pixel 9a last week, but its release plans were put on hold by a mysterious "component quality issue." Whatever that was, it's been worked out. Google now says its new budget smartphone will arrive as soon as April 10. The date varies by market, but the wait is almost over.The first wave of 9a releases on April 10 will include the US, Canada, and the UK. On April 14, the Pixel 9a will arrive in Europe, launching in Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland. On April 16, the phone will come to Australia, India, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia.You may think that takes care of Google's launch commitments, but noJapan still has no official launch date. That's a bit strange, as Japan is not a new addition to Google's list of supported regions. It's unclear if this has anything to do with the previous component issue. Google says only that the Japanese launch will happen "soon." Its statements about the issue that delayed release are also vague, with representatives noting that the cause was a "passive component." The 9a comes in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony. Credit: Google The 9a comes in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony. Credit: Google The Pixel 9a runs the same Tensor G4 chip as the flagship Pixels, but there are a few downgrades. It has an older cellular modem that may be less efficient and lacks satellite support, and there's just 8GB of RAM. That last limitation means Google had to develop a new version of Gemini Nano to run on the phone. It's text-only, so some of Google's coolest AI features won't work on this phone.The Pixel 9a will start at $499 in the US, with an upgrade from 128GB of storage to 256GB for an additional $100. The base price is unchanged from last year, but the storage upgrade is $40 higher. Canadian pricing will start at $679 CAD. In the UK, it will be 499 GBP, and the rest of Europe is looking at 549 euros to start. You still can't preorder the phone, but you can sign up to be notified when it's available on the Google Store.Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 29 Comments

The first clinical trial of a therapy bot that uses generative AI suggests it was as effective as human therapy for participants with depression, anxiety, or risk for developing eating disorders. Even so, it doesnt give a go-ahead to the dozens of companies hyping such technologies while operating in a regulatory gray area. A team led by psychiatric researchers and psychologists at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College built the tool, called Therabot, and the results were published on March 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Many tech companies have built AI tools for therapy, promising that people can talk with a bot more frequently and cheaply than they can with a trained therapistand that this approach is safe and effective. Many psychologists and psychiatrists have shared the vision, noting that fewer than half of people with a mental disorder receive therapy, and those who do might get only 45 minutes per week. Researchers have tried to build tech so that more people can access therapy, but they have been held back by two things. One, a therapy bot that says the wrong thing could result in real harm. Thats why many researchers have built bots using explicit programming: The software pulls from a finite bank of approved responses (as was the case with Eliza, a mock-psychotherapist computer program built in the 1960s). But this makes them less engaging to chat with, and people lose interest. The second issue is that the hallmarks of good therapeutic relationshipsshared goals and collaborationare hard to replicate in software. In 2019, as early large language models like OpenAIs GPT were taking shape, the researchers at Dartmouth thought generative AI might help overcome these hurdles. They set about building an AI model trained to give evidence-based responses. They first tried building it from general mental-health conversations pulled from internet forums. Then they turned to thousands of hours of transcripts of real sessions with psychotherapists. We got a lot of hmm-hmms, go ons, and then Your problems stem from your relationship with your mother, said Michael Heinz, a research psychiatrist at Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Health and first author of the study, in an interview. Really tropes of what psychotherapy would be, rather than actually what wed want. Dissatisfied, they set to work assembling their own custom data sets based on evidence-based practices, which is what ultimately went into the model. Many AI therapy bots on the market, in contrast, might be just slight variations of foundation models like Metas Llama, trained mostly on internet conversations. That poses a problem, especially for topics like disordered eating. If you were to say that you want to lose weight, Heinz says, they will readily support you in doing that, even if you will often have a low weight to start with. A human therapist wouldnt do that. To test the bot, the researchers ran an eight-week clinical trial with 210 participants who had symptoms of depression or generalized anxiety disorder or were at high risk for eating disorders. About half had access to Therabot, and a control group did not. Participants responded to prompts from the AI and initiated conversations, averaging about 10 messages per day. Participants with depression experienced a 51% reduction in symptoms, the best result in the study. Those with anxiety experienced a 31% reduction, and those at risk for eating disorders saw a 19% reduction in concerns about body image and weight. These measurements are based on self-reporting through surveys, a method thats not perfect but remains one of the best tools researchers have. These results, Heinz says, are about what one finds in randomized control trials of psychotherapy with 16 hours of human-provided treatment, but the Therabot trial accomplished it in about half the time. Ive been working in digital therapeutics for a long time, and Ive never seen levels of engagement that are prolonged and sustained at this level, he says. Jean-Christophe Blisle-Pipon, an assistant professor of health ethics at Simon Fraser University who has written about AI therapy bots but was not involved in the research, says the results are impressive but notes that just like any other clinical trial, this one doesnt necessarily represent how the treatment would act in the real world. We remain far from a greenlight for widespread clinical deployment, he wrote in an email. One issue is the supervision that wider deployment might require. During the beginning of the trial, Heinz says, he personally oversaw all the messages coming in from participants (who consented to the arrangement) to watch out for problematic responses from the bot. If therapy bots needed this oversight, they wouldnt be able to reach as many people. I asked Heinz if he thinks the results validate the burgeoning industry of AI therapy sites. Quite the opposite, he says, cautioning that most dont appear to train their models on evidence-based practices like cognitive behavioral therapy, and they likely dont employ a team of trained researchers to monitor interactions. I have a lot of concerns about the industry and how fast were moving without really kind of evaluating this, he adds. When AI sites advertise themselves as offering therapy in a legitimate, clinical context, Heinz says, it means they fall under the regulatory purview of the Food and Drug Administration. Thus far, the FDA has not gone after many of the sites. If it did, Heinz says, my suspicion is almost none of themprobably none of themthat are operating in this space would have the ability to actually get a claim clearancethat is, a ruling backing up their claims about the benefits provided. Blisle-Pipon points out that if these types of digital therapies are not approved and integrated into health-care and insurance systems, it will severely limit their reach. Instead, the people who would benefit from using them might seek emotional bonds and therapy from types of AI not designed for those purposes (indeed, new research from OpenAI suggests that interactions with its AI models have a very real impact on emotional well-being). It is highly likely that many individuals will continue to rely on more affordable, nontherapeutic chatbotssuch as ChatGPT or Character.AIfor everyday needs, ranging from generating recipe ideas to managing their mental health, he wrote.