Cybersecurity Provider Blames Breach on State-Backed Chinese Hackers

A potentially “catastrophic” breach of a major U.S.-based cybersecurity provider has been blamed on state-backed hackers from China, according to people familiar with the matter. Seattle-based F5 Inc. disclosed in a regulatory filing Wednesday that nation-state hackers had breached its networks and gained “long-term, persistent access” to certain systems.

Meta Removes Facebook Group That Shared Info About ICE Agents

Meta removed a Facebook group that was used to share information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Chicago after the Department of Justice requested it be taken down. The Facebook group was removed by the company “following outreach” by the Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post.

Britain Fines 4chan for Failing to Warn Users About Illegal Content

Britain said on it had issued U.S. Internet forum site 4chan with a 20,000 pound ($26,644) fine for failing to provide information about the risk of illegal content on its service, marking the first penalty under the new online safety regime. Media regulator Ofcom said 4chan had not responded to its request for a copy of its illegal harms risk assessment nor a second request relating to its qualifying worldwide.

Calif. Age-Check Bill Supported by Tech Companies Signed Into Law

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law requiring device-makers like Apple and Google to check users’ ages online, marking a win for tech companies that had rallied behind it in the face of opposition from Hollywood studios. California’s age-checking law boasts rare buy-in from major tech firms including Google, Meta, OpenAI and Snap, unlike similar plans recently passed in deep-red Utah and Texas that sharply divided the industry.

Governor Signs California Bill Regulating AI 'Companion Chatbots'

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill placing new guardrails on how artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots interact with children and handle issues of suicide and self-harm. S.B. 243, which cleared the state Legislature in mid-September, requires developers of “companion chatbots” to create protocols preventing their models from producing content about suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm and directing users to crisis services if needed.

Jury Orders Samsung to Pay $445.5 Million for Infringing Communication Patents

A federal jury in Marshall, Texas found that Samsung Electronics owes patent owner Collision Communications nearly $445.5 million in damages for infringing on patents related to 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi communications standards. The jury said that Samsung's laptops, Galaxy smartphones and other wireless-enabled devices infringe four Collision patents.

Russian-Speaking Hackers Claim Credit for Attack on Japanese Brewer

A cohort of Russian-speaking hackers known as Qilin has claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack that hobbled Asahi Group Holdings Ltd.’s operations for more than a week. The group stole roughly 27 gigabytes of data from Japan’s biggest beer brewer including financial documents, contracts, development forecasts and employees’ personal information, Qilin said on its website.

Lawmakers Want to Expand Bans on Selling Chips to China

U.S. lawmakers are calling for broader bans on chipmaking equipment to China after a bipartisan investigation found that Chinese chipmakers had purchased $38 billion of sophisticated gear last year. Inconsistencies in rules issued by the United States, Japan and the Netherlands have led to non-U.S. chip equipment manufacturers selling to some Chinese firms that U.S. companies could not, according to a report, published by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on China.

Report Says Chinese, Russian Hackers Using ChatGPT, DeepSeek

Malicious actors from U.S. foreign adversaries used ChatGPT jointly with other AI models to conduct various cyber operations, according to a new OpenAI report. Users linked to China and Russia relied on OpenAI’s technology in conjunction with other models, such as China’s DeepSeek, to conduct phishing campaigns and covert influence operations, the report found.

Supreme Court Refuses to Block Order Against Google's App Store

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt key parts of a judge's order requiring Alphabet's Google to make major changes to its app store Play, as the company prepares to appeal a decision in a lawsuit brought by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games. The justices turned down Google's request to temporarily freeze parts of the injunction won by Epic in its lawsuit accusing the tech giant of monopolizing how consumers access apps on Android devices and pay for transactions within apps.

Discord Says 'Unauthorized Party' Accessed Customer Service Data

One of Discord’s third-party customer service providers was compromised by an “unauthorized party,” the company says. The unauthorized party gained access to “information from a limited number of users who had contacted Discord through our Customer Support and/or Trust & Safety teams” and aimed to “extort a financial ransom from Discord.”

Apple Removes App That Allowed Anonymous Reports of ICE Sightings

Apple said that it was removing ICEBlock and other apps from its App Store that can be used to anonymously report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The move came after pressure on Apple from Attorney General Pam Bondi, and amid controversy over the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement of immigration law with ICE agents and other authorities.

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Apple Asks Judge to Dismiss xAI's Suit, Says OpenAI Deal Not Exclusive

Apple's deal with ChatGPT owner OpenAI is not "exclusive" and does not harm competition, Apple's lawyers said as they asked a U.S. judge to dismiss a case filed by billionaire Elon Musk's OpenAI rival xAI. Musk's xAI is seeking billions of dollars in damages, saying Apple would have no reason to more prominently feature the X app and the Grok app in its App Store because of the "exclusive" deal with OpenAI.

OpenAI's New Video Generator Would Require Copyright Owners to Opt Out

OpenAI is planning to release a new version of its Sora video generator that creates videos featuring copyright material unless copyright holders opt out of having their work appear, according to people familiar with the matter. OpenAI began alerting talent agencies and studios about the forthcoming product and its opt-out process over the past week and plans to release the new version in the coming days, the people said.

Disney Demands Character.AI Stop Using Copyrighted Characters

The Walt Disney Company sent a cease and desist letter to Character.AI demanding the personalized AI chatbot developer immediately stop using its copyrighted characters without authorization, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Axios. In the letter, Disney emphasizes its main concern isn't just financial, but that Character.AI's platform weaponizes Disney characters in a way that could damage its brand long term.

Foreign Ministers' Email Servers Attacked by Chinese Hackers

Suspected Chinese hackers have breached email servers of foreign ministers as part of a years-long effort targeting the communications of diplomats around the world, according to researchers at the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks Inc. Attackers accessed Microsoft Exchange email servers, gaining the ability to search for information at some foreign ministries, said the team at Unit 42, the threat intelligence division of Palo Alto Networks, which has been tracking the group for nearly three years.

California Law Requires AI Companies to Disclose Safety Protocols

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law that will force major AI companies to reveal their safety protocols — marking the end of a lobbying battle with big tech companies like ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Meta and setting the groundwork for a potential national standard. The proposal was the second attempt by the author, ambitious San Francisco Democrat and state Sen. Scott Wiener, to pass such legislation after Newsom vetoed a broader measure last year that set off an international debate.

YouTube Agrees to $24.5 Million Settlement for Suspending Trump's Account

YouTube agreed to pay a $24.5 million settlement to President Trump and others who were banned by the video streaming platform in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to a legal document. The vast majority of YouTube’s settlement payment — $22 million — will go to Mr. Trump, according to the filing in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He has directed that the money be contributed to the Trust for the National Mall and to the construction of a ballroom at the White House.

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The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.