Slay Message Snoopers

Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons Podcast

There are way too many messenger apps today. It’s a sad state of affairs and I don’t see it getting better anytime soon. But the real problem (for me) is that almost all of the popular messenger apps aren’t really that secure and private. Most do not have end-to-end encryption (E2EE) at all or it’s not turned on by default. And frankly even the apps with E2EE are run by companies whose revenue model is based on monetizing your personal data. I’m going to suggest you try Signal.

In other news: study finds Canadian’s health data being sold to drug makers; DOGE worker’s computer has been hacked; airlines are selling your data to ICE; a massive proxy botnet has been shut down; Google pays $1.4B to Texas over unauthorized tracking and data collection; Denver decides to stop using license plate readers of privacy concerns; jury orders NSO Group to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for hacking WhatsApp users.

Article Links

1. [cbc.ca] Millions of Canadians’ health data available for sale to pharmaceutical industry, study shows https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/health-data-records-pharmaceutical-private-clinics-1.7529955
2. [micahflee.com] DOGE bro Kyle Schutt’s computer infected by malware, credentials found in stealer logs https://micahflee.com/doge-bro-kyle-schutts-computer-infected-by-malware-credentials-found-in-stealer-logs/
3. [jacobin.com] Airlines Are Selling Your Data to ICE https://jacobin.com/2025/05/airlines-data-ice-trump-immigration/
4. [The Hacker News] BREAKING: 7,000-Device Proxy Botnet Using IoT, EoL Systems Dismantled in U.S. – Dutch Operation https://thehackernews.com/2025/05/breaking-7000-device-proxy-botnet-using.html
5. [The Hacker News] Google Pays $1.375 Billion to Texas Over Unauthorized Tracking and Biometric Data Collection https://thehackernews.com/2025/05/google-pays-1375-billion-to-texas-over.html
6. [9news.com] Denver will stop using license plate reader cameras amid privacy worries https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/license-plate-reader-camera-data-security-concerns/73-9c570252-9d1c-4e5c-b042-c12392aa1081
7. [arstechnica.com] Jury orders NSO to pay $167 million for hacking WhatsApp users https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/05/jury-orders-nso-to-pay-167-million-for-hacking-whatsapp-users/
8. Tip of the Week: Slay Snoopers: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/dragon-hacks-slay-snoopers/

Further Info

• My book: https://fdsd.me/book
• My newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons
• Recommend news stories: send to news [at] firewallsdontstopdragons.com
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch

Table of Contents

• 0:00:00: Intro
• 0:00:43: News preview
• 0:02:53: Millions of Canadians’ health data available for sale to pharmaceutical industry
• 0:08:39: DOGE engineer’s computer infected by malware
• 0:14:38: Airlines Are Selling Your Data to ICE
• 0:22:05: 7,000-Device Proxy Botnet Using IoT, EoL Systems Dismantled in US, Dutch Operation
• 0:28:04: Google Pays $1.375 Billion to Texas Over Unauthorized Tracking and Biometric Data Collection
• 0:30:21: Denver will stop using license plate reader cameras amid privacy worries
• 0:34:54: Jury orders NSO to pay $167 million for hacking WhatsApp users
• 0:39:17: Tip of the Week: Slay Snoopers
• 0:44:31: Wrap-up