Looking back at this milestone video, it's the audience question towards the end I liked most: "are you happy"? Charlotte and I have chosen a path that's non-traditional, intense and at times, pretty stressful. There's no clear delineation of when work starts and ends, no holidays where we don't work, nor weekends, birthdays or Christmases. But we do so on our terms. It gives us a life of means and choices, one with excitement and adventure, and, above all, one with purpose, where we feel like we're doing something that makes a meaningful difference. I hope you enjoy this week's video, it's more personal than usual, but yeah, that's kinda what you do at milestones 😊
Co-Authored by Luiz Parente
Your data might be safe today. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe forever.
A growing number of sophisticated actors are collecting encrypted data now, with the goal of decrypting it later, when more powerful technology becomes available.
This strategy is known as Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL). And it’s not a future problem. It’s already happening, according to research from our McAfee VPN team.
For everyday people, that means private messages, financial records, and sensitive documents could be exposed years from now if protections don’t evolve today.
That’s why security teams, including McAfee’s VPN engineers, are already working on ways to strengthen encryption for both today and what comes next.
At its core, HNDL is simple: Attackers collect encrypted data now, store it, and wait until they have the tools to unlock it later.
Even though today’s encryption is incredibly strong, the strategy doesn’t rely on breaking it today. It relies on patience.
You put valuable belongings and documents in a safe at home that’s locked and secured. This works at preventing crimes of opportunity. But let’s say there’s a thief who steals the entire safe, knowing they have tools they can use later to access what’s inside. They wait, and once the tools are available, they break into your safe and access everything inside.
That’s one way to think of HNDL. The safe is the encryption. The quantum computing is the tool they can use later.
But in real life, you’d probably notice if your safe is gone. In the case of HNDL, if you’re not monitoring your data, you may not even notice encrypted information has been stolen to be decrypted.
| Term | What it means |
| Encryption | Scrambling data so others can’t read it |
| Quantum computing | A new type of computing that can break some encryption |
| HNDL | A strategy to collect encrypted data now and decrypt it later |
This isn’t about whether your data is valuable today. It’s about whether it might be valuable later.
Data with a long shelf life is especially at risk, including:
Even something that feels low-stakes today could become sensitive in the future.
And because the collection phase is already happening, the risk isn’t hypothetical. It’s already in motion.
VPNs remain one of the most effective ways to protect your data today. That hasn’t changed.
But HNDL introduces a new layer of complexity.
In simple terms: Your data is well protected today, but parts of how that protection is set up may need to evolve for the future.
Traditional computers process information in a linear way.
Quantum computers work differently. They can solve certain types of problems much faster, including the kinds of mathematical challenges that protect today’s encryption.
That’s why attackers are willing to wait.
Once quantum computing reaches a certain level, it could unlock data that was previously considered secure.
McAfee’s VPN team is already preparing for this shift.
This work builds on a broader privacy-by-design approach, where systems are designed to minimize risk from the start, not react after the fact.
Because with HNDL, waiting isn’t an option.
You don’t need to wait for quantum computing to take steps today.
These steps help protect your data now while the industry builds toward future-ready security.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
| FAQ |
| Q: Is my data safe right now?
A: In most cases, yes—today’s encryption is extremely strong and is designed to protect your data from current threats. If you’re using trusted security tools like a VPN, safe browsing protections, and device security, your data is actively protected while it’s in transit and in use. However, no system is risk-free. Data exposed through phishing, weak passwords, breaches, or unsecured networks may still be vulnerable. And with “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later,” even properly encrypted data could be collected today and targeted for decryption in the future. |
| Q: What is quantum-safe encryption?
A: Quantum-safe (or post-quantum) encryption refers to new types of cryptography designed to remain secure even against future quantum computers. Today’s encryption relies on math problems that are extremely difficult for classical computers to solve, but quantum computers could eventually solve some of them much faster. Quantum-safe approaches use different mathematical foundations that are believed to resist those capabilities. In practice, many companies are moving toward hybrid encryption, combining today’s proven methods with newer quantum-resistant techniques to protect data both now and long-term. |
| Q: Should I still use a VPN?
A: Yes. A VPN remains one of the most effective ways to protect your data today, especially on public or unsecured networks. It encrypts your internet traffic and helps prevent interception by hackers, internet providers, or other third parties. While VPN protocols are evolving to address future quantum risks, they still provide strong, essential protection against today’s threats. |
| Q: When will this become a real threat?
A: The risk unfolds in two phases. The collection phase is already happening today, where sophisticated actors gather encrypted data and store it. The decryption phase depends on when quantum computing advances far enough to break certain types of encryption, which could take years but is actively progressing. This means data with a long lifespan, such as financial records, personal communications, and sensitive documents, is most at risk because it only needs to remain valuable until those capabilities exist. |
The post Why Hackers Are Collecting Data They Can’t Read Yet. And How to Stay Safe appeared first on McAfee Blog.
A 24-year-old British national and senior member of the cybercrime group “Scattered Spider” has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Tyler Robert Buchanan admitted his role in a series of text-message phishing attacks in the summer of 2022 that allowed the group to hack into at least a dozen major technology companies and steal tens of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency from investors.
Buchanan’s hacker handle “Tylerb” once graced a leaderboard in the English-language criminal hacking scene that tracked the most accomplished cyber thieves. Now in U.S. custody and awaiting sentencing, the Dundee, Scotland native is facing the possibility of more than 20 years in prison.
Two photos published in a Daily Mail story dated May 3, 2025 show Buchanan as a child (left) and as an adult being detained by airport authorities in Spain. “M&S” in this screenshot refers to Marks & Spencer, a major U.K. retail chain that suffered a ransomware attack last year at the hands of Scattered Spider.
Scattered Spider is the name given to a prolific English-speaking cybercrime group known for using social engineering tactics to break into companies and steal data for ransom, often impersonating employees or contractors to deceive IT help desks into granting access.
As part of his guilty plea, Buchanan admitted conspiring with other Scattered Spider members to launch tens of thousands of SMS-based phishing attacks in 2022 that led to intrusions at a number of technology companies, including Twilio, LastPass, DoorDash, and Mailchimp.
The group then used data stolen in those breaches to carry out SIM-swapping attacks that siphoned funds from individual cryptocurrency investors. In an unauthorized SIM-swap, crooks transfer the target’s phone number to a device they control and intercept any text messages or phone calls to the victim’s device — such as one-time passcodes for authentication and password reset links sent via SMS. The U.S. Justice Department said Buchanan admitted to stealing at least $8 million in virtual currency from individual victims throughout the United States.
FBI investigators tied Buchanan to the 2022 SMS phishing attacks after discovering the same username and email address was used to register numerous phishing domains seen in the campaign. The domain registrar NameCheap found that less than a month before the phishing spree, the account that registered those domains logged in from an Internet address in the U.K. FBI investigators said the Scottish police told them the address was leased to Buchanan throughout 2022.
As first reported by KrebsOnSecurity, Buchanan fled the United Kingdom in February 2023, after a rival cybercrime gang hired thugs to invade his home, assault his mother, and threaten to burn him with a blowtorch unless he gave up the keys to his cryptocurrency wallet. That same year, U.K. investigators found a device at Buchanan’s Scotland residence that included data stolen from SMS phishing victims and seed phrases from cryptocurrency theft victims.
Buchanan was arrested by Spanish authorities in June 2024 while trying to board a flight to Italy. He was extradited to the United States and has remained in U.S. federal custody since April 2025.
Buchanan is the second known Scattered Spider member to plead guilty. Noah Michael Urban, 21, of Palm Coast, Fla., was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison last year and ordered to pay $13 million in restitution. Three other alleged co-conspirators — Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, 24, a.k.a. “AD,” of College Station, Texas; Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, 21, of Dallas, Texas; and Joel Martin Evans, 26, a.k.a. “joeleoli,” of Jacksonville, North Carolina – still face criminal charges.
Two other alleged Scattered Spider members will soon be tried in the United Kingdom. Owen Flowers, 18, and Thalha Jubair, 20, are facing charges related to the hacking and extortion of several large U.K. retailers, the London transit system, and healthcare providers in the United States. Both have pleaded not guilty, and their trial is slated to begin in June.
Investigators say the Scattered Spider suspects are part of a sprawling cybercriminal community online known as “The Com,” wherein hackers from different cliques boast publicly on Telegram and Discord about high-profile cyber thefts that almost invariably begin with social engineering — tricking people over the phone, email or SMS into giving away credentials that allow remote access to corporate internal networks.
One of the more popular SIM-swapping channels on Telegram has long maintained a leaderboard of the most rapacious SIM-swappers, indexed by their supposed conquests in stealing cryptocurrency. That leaderboard previously listed Buchanan’s hacker alias Tylerb at #65 (out of 100 hackers), with Urban’s moniker “Sosa” coming in at #24.
Buchanan’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 21, 2026. According to the Justice Department, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison. However, any sentence the judge hands down in this case may be significantly tempered by a number of mitigating factors in the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, including the defendant’s age, criminal history, time already served in U.S. custody, and the degree to which they cooperated with federal authorities.
You open your inbox and see it: Your cloud storage is full.
There’s a warning about photos being deleted, your account being suspended, or a renewal failing. There’s a button to “fix it now.” Or a warning to “act today.”
It looks routine. Maybe even urgent enough to click.
That’s exactly the point.
Cloud storage scams are making headlines again, building on patterns we flagged earlier this year in our State of the Scamiverse research.
These emails have circulated steadily since 2025, often impersonating trusted brands like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Many are timed to moments when people are already thinking about storage, backups, or subscriptions.
The safest move is simple: pause and don’t click. If there’s a real issue, go directly to your account through the official app or website.
You can also protect yourself with McAfee’s Scam Detector, which flags suspicious links and messages, including cloud storage scams, and explains why they may be risky.
Cloud storage scams are phishing attacks designed to trick you into believing there’s an issue with your account so you’ll click a malicious link.
They often look like this, and include 3 key red flags:
| Step | What happens | What to do | How McAfee helps |
| 1. You receive a message | Email or text claims your storage is full or your account has an issue | Don’t click links directly from the message | Scam Detector flags suspicious messages before you interact |
| 2. Urgency is introduced | Warning that files or photos will be deleted if you don’t act | Pause. Urgency is a red flag | Scam Detector identifies pressure-based scam patterns |
| 3. You’re pushed to a link | Link mimics a real login or billing page | Go directly to the official website instead | Safe browsing tools help block malicious sites |
| 4. You’re asked for info | Login credentials or payment details requested | Never enter info from a link you didn’t verify | Scam Detector explains why a page or link is risky |
| 5. Data is captured | Scammers collect your data or payment | Monitor accounts and report suspicious activity | Identity monitoring alerts you if your data is exposed |
And that, my friends, is scam number one in this week’s This Week in Scams.
Let’s get into what else is on our radar.
New data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICC) shows just how large the scam economy has become.
In 2025 alone:
This is where layered protection matters. It’s not just about catching one bad link. It’s about recognizing patterns across messages, platforms, and moments when something feels slightly off.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
As always, we have some best practices and safety tips for navigating life online:
And we’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post Cloud Storage Scam Emails and Record-Breaking Fraud Losses: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
I love cutting-edge tech, but I hate hyperbole, so I find AI to be a real paradox. Somewhere in that whole mess of overnight influencers, disinformation and ludicrous claims is some real "gold" - AI stuff that's genuinely useful and makes a meaningful difference. This blog post cuts straight to the good stuff, specifically how you can use AI with Have I Been Pwned to do some pretty cool things. I'll be showing examples based on OpenClaw running on the Mac Mini in the hero shot, but they're applicable to other agents that turn HIBP's data into more insightful analysis.
So, let me talk about what you can do right now, what we're working on and what you'll be able to do in the future.
A quick MCP primer first: Anthropic came up with the idea of building a protocol that could connect systems to AI apps, and thus the Model Context Protocol was born:
Using MCP, AI applications like Claude or ChatGPT can connect to data sources (e.g. local files, databases), tools (e.g. search engines, calculators) and workflows (e.g. specialized prompts)—enabling them to access key information and perform tasks.
If I'm honest, I'm a bit on the fence as to how useful this really is (and I'm not alone), but creating it was a no-brainer, so we now have an MCP server for HIBP:
Loginhttps://haveibeenpwned.com/mcpYou can't just make an HTTP GET to the endpoint, but you can ask your favourite AI tool to explain what it does:
In other words, all the stuff we describe in the API docs 🙂 That's an overly simplistic statement, and there are many nuances MCP introduces beyond a computer reading docs intended for humans, but the point is that we've implemented MCP and it's there if you want it. Which means you can easily use the JSON below to, for example, extend GitHub Copilot:
"HIBP": {
"url": "https://haveibeenpwned.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"hibp-api-key": "YOUR_STANDARD_HIBP_API_KEY"
},
"type": "http"
}Now let's do something useful with it.
This is really the point of the whole thing - how can humans use it to do genuinely useful stuff? In particular, how can they use it to do stuff that was hard to do before, and how can "normies" (non-technical folks) use it to do stuff they previously needed developers for? I've been toying with these questions for a while now. Here's what I've come up with:
Firstly, I'm going to do all these demos on OpenClaw. I've been talking a lot about that on my weekly live streams over the past month, and the "agentic" nature of it (being able to act as an independent agent tying together multiple otherwise independent acts) is enormously powerful. Every company worth its AI salt is now focusing on building out agentic AI so whilst I'm using OpenClaw for these demos, you'll be able to do exactly the same thing in your platform of choice either now or in the very near future.
I'm using a Telegram bot as my interface into OpenClaw, let's kick it off:
Easy, right? 🙂 There's a different discussion around how secrets are stored and protected, but that's a story for another time (and is also obviously dependent on your agent). But the key is easily rotated on the HIBP dashboard anyway. If you don't have a key already, go and take out a subscription (they start at a few bucks a month), and you'll be up and running in no time.
Now that I know I'm connected, let's learn about how I'm presently using the service:
Most of these are pretty obvious, but I've also included another here that I use to monitor how the service is behaving with a large organisation. It's a real domain with real data, so I'm going to obfuscate it to preserve privacy, but it's a great demonstration of how useful AI is. In fact, the inspiration of this blog post was when I received this notification last week:
One of the most asked questions after someone in a large org receives an email like this is "who are those 16 people in the breach"? Because we can't reliably filter large domains in the UI, I'd normally suggest they either download the CSV or JSON format in the dashboard, then search for "Hallmark" in there or use the API and write some code. But now, there's a much easier way:
Well that was easy 😎 I like the additional context too, and now it has me curious: what have these people been up to?
Because I'm on a Pro plan (or if you're still on the old Pwned 5 plan), I've also got access to stealer logs. Let's see what's going on there:
If you were running an online service, that first number would indicate compromised customers. But as OpenClaw has suggested here, the second number is the one that's interesting in terms of employees entering their data into other websites using the corporate email address. But they'd never reuse the same password as the work one, right? 🤔 Best check which services they're entering organisational assets into:
The first one makes sense and is extra worrying when you consider these are people infected with infostealers. That's not necessarily malware on a corporate asset; they could always be using an infected personal device to sign into a corporate asset... ok, that's also pretty bad! I was a bit surprised to see Steam in there TBH - who's using their corporate email address to sign into a gaming platform?! A quiet chat with them might be in order. And the bamboozled.net stuff is weird, I want to understand a bit more about that:
Now I'm losing interest in this blog post and am really curious as to what's actually in the data!
Ok, so there's an entire rabbit hole over there! Let's park that, but think about how useful information like this is to infosec teams when you can pull it so easily. Or how useful info like this is to HR teams 😬
Keep in mind, these are corporate addresses tied to the company and are the company's property, so, yeah...
But remember the agentic nature of OpenClaw means we can ask it to go off and run tasks in the background, tasks like this:
This was just a little thought experiment I set up a few days ago and forgot about until yesterday, when I loaded a new breach:
I never asked it to look for "functional/system accounts"; it just decided that was relevant. And it is - this breach clearly had a lot of data in it related to purchases of services, which is an interesting aspect.
The idea of running stuff on a schedule opens up a whole raft of new opportunities. For example, monitoring your family's email addresses: "let me know when mum@example.com appears in a new breach". From here, your creativity is the only limit (and even that statement is debatable, given how much stuff AI agents come up with on their own). For example, creating visualisations of the data:
I could go on and on (I started going down another rabbit hole of having it generate executive-level reports with all the data), but you get the idea.
This is about what's in our pipeline, and the primary theme is putting tooling where it's more easily accessible to the masses. Creating a connector in Claude, an app in ChatGPT, and similar plumbing in the other big players' AI tools is an obvious next step. This will likely involve adding an OAuth layer to HIBP, allowing end users to configure the respective tools to query those HIBP APIs under their identity and achieve the same results as above, but built into the "traditional" AI tooling in a way people are familiar with.
A big part of this is about AI enabling more human conversations to achieve technical outcomes. I spotted this from Cloudflare just yesterday, and it's a perfect example of just this:
Cloudflare dashboard can now complete tasks for you.
— Brayden (@BraydenWilmoth) April 15, 2026
- "Create a Worker and bind a new R2 bucket to it"
- "Change my DNS records to 1.1.1.1"
- "How many errors have happened this week"
Not only do we tell you, but we show you with generative UI.
PROTIP: Use full-screen mode. pic.twitter.com/Q1o1vyoOwk
I've been pretty blown away by both how easy this process has been and how much insight I've been able to draw from data I've been sitting on for ages. We'll be building out more tooling and easily reproducible demos in the future, and I'm sure a lot of that will do stuff we haven't even thought of yet. If you give this a go and find other awesome use cases, please leave a comment and tell me what you've done, especially if you've cut through the hyperbole and created some genuinely awesome stuff 😎
