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couts.bsky.social
Andrew Couts
@couts.bsky.social
59K followers 2.6K following 690 posts
security & investigations editor at @WIRED.com, send tips and/or dog pics

Signal: couts.01
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couts.bsky.social
Lucio wants you to know, it’s totally okay to go to bed early.
Laying on a couch, a black-and-tan, plush-coat German shepherd takes some face pets in front of a stove.
November 23, 2025 at 2:22 AM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: A copy of a letter from the Senate homeland security committee reviewed by @wired.com asks for documents linked to 300+ terms, including “mask mandates,” “origins of Covid-19,” “Trump voter," "red hat,” “sedition,” and much more. @awinston.bsky.social has the scoop www.wired.com/story/senato...
Senators Want Extremism Researchers to Surrender Documents Linked to Right-Wing Grudges
The Senate homeland security committee's chair has asked researchers to turn over troves of documents related to the January 6 attack, vaccines, and more, according to a letter reviewed by WIRED.
www.wired.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:09 PM
couts.bsky.social
The SEC just let SolarWinds off the hook for allegedly hiding vulnerabilities that were exploited in a major 2020 hack: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

Read @kimzetter.bsky.social's deep dive for @wired.com on the SolarWinds breach here: www.wired.com/story/the-un...
The Untold Story of the Boldest Supply-Chain Hack Ever
The attackers were in thousands of corporate and government networks. They might still be there now. Behind the scenes of the SolarWinds investigation.
www.wired.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:30 PM
couts.bsky.social
"The new guidance says that if a 'potentially divisive' symbol is reported, supervisors should inquire about it. After consulting their legal office they may order the symbol’s removal but there’s no further guidance requiring that it be taken down." www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
awinston.bsky.social
I’ll have more on Tisch’s appointment in part III of my Mamdani & the NYPD trilogy but here’s a salient bit from part II (for @wired.com)

www.wired.com/story/welcom...
November 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
stevanzetti.bsky.social
Last Thanksgiving, two Dallas Police officers knocked on my door, citing a tip from the FBI national threat operations center that I was beating my girlfriend. The incident report confirms this. Today, I obtained a file from the FBI via FOIA that states the FBI has no record of receiving such a tip.
A screenshot of the Dallas Police incident report A screenshot of the FBI report
November 18, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
ericjgeller.com
Scoop: CISA plans to embark on a hiring spree and change some workforce policies in an effort to rebuild its depleted ranks ahead of a possible conflict with China, according to a memo from its acting director that I obtained.

www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-hi...
CISA, eyeing China, plans hiring spree to rebuild its depleted ranks
The agency will also change some of its workforce policies to avoid driving away talented staff.
www.cybersecuritydive.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
404media.co
NEW: the IRS accessed a massive database of Americans flights without a warrant. Includes where and when someone flew, credit card used. Usually when the government gets this data from an airline it needs approval. IRS accessed a database it just paid for access to
www.404media.co/irs-accessed...
IRS Accessed Massive Database of Americans Flights Without a Warrant
A bipartisan letter reveals the IRS searched a database of hundreds of millions of travel records without first conducting a legal review. Airlines like Delta, United, American, and Southwest are sell...
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Your phone number was probably exposed because of this WhatsApp flaw. @agreenberg.bsky.social reports: www.wired.com/story/a-simp...
A Simple WhatsApp Security Flaw Exposed 3.5 Billion Phone Numbers
By plugging tens of billions of phone numbers into WhatsApp’s contact discovery tool, researchers found “the most extensive exposure of phone numbers” ever—along with profile photos and more.
www.wired.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
dell.bsky.social
NEW: DHS secretly obtained Chicago police data on 900 residents accused of gang ties. It was quietly deleted after intelligence officers violated rules against domestic spying.

The handoff came well after city inspectors formally announced CPD's gang data was deeply flawed and infected w/ bias.
DHS Kept Chicago Police Records for Months in Violation of Domestic Espionage Rules
The Department of Homeland Security collected data on Chicago residents accused of gang ties to test if police files could feed an FBI watchlist. Months passed before anyone noticed it wasn’t deleted.
www.wired.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:04 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: @wired.com spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate. @makenakelly.bsky.social reports: www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Experts say that any lags in protections like security updates and network monitoring caused by the government shutdown could lay the groundwork for future breaches. @lhn.bsky.social reports: www.wired.com/story/the-go...
The Government Shutdown Is a Ticking Cybersecurity Time Bomb
Many critical systems are still being maintained, and the cloud provides some security cover. But experts say that any lapses in protections like patching and monitoring could expose government system...
www.wired.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:38 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: SSA employees are getting extremely worried about how the agency will continue to provide benefits to some 70 million Americans, according to meeting minutes obtained by @wired.com. @zoeschiffer.bsky.social and @leahfeiger.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/social...
Social Security Employees Grill Management During Tense Shutdown Meeting
WIRED obtained notes from a Social Security Administration management meeting, where employees pressed leadership on plans for the agency.
www.wired.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
jakelahut.writes.news
Hey everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of support.

I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
Click here to support Jake Lahut's story *LahutRentFund
*spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.
spot.fund
November 7, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
alabamareflector.com
Via Anna Barrett: Auburn University apologized for accidentally sending three emergency alerts to students and employees about an active shooter, a tornado and a hazardous waste spill within the space of minutes early Thursday afternoon.
Auburn University apologizes for accidentally sending shooter, tornado, hazmat alerts | Alabama Reflector
Auburn University apologized Thursday afternoon for accidentally sending three emergency alerts to students and employees...
alabamareflector.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
kyledcheney.bsky.social
HAPPENING NOW: Judge McConnell is sharply rebuking the Trump administration for what he said was defying his order to make full SNAP payments by Nov. 5. He has ordered USDA to make the *full* payment to states by tomorrow.
November 6, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
condeunion.bsky.social
A statement from Wired's Conde Union Members
WIRED is doing some of the most impactful political reporting of this administration. That’s made possible by our subscribers, who signal to our employer, Conde Nast, that this work is worth protecting. Conde has never told us what to report and has stood behind our work, but it is also true that how a company treats its workers is political. The Conde Union has been working tirelessly to bring that same spirit of accountability to all of Conde Nast and must continue to do so. —WIRED’s Conde Union Members
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
couts.bsky.social
"The jury — which feasted on sandwiches for lunch on Thursday, according to a person familiar with jury lunches — deliberated the charges for several hours on Wednesday and Thursday before delivering the verdict." 👏
November 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
couts.bsky.social
🥪
mollyroberts.bsky.social Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 17d
We have reached a verdict: Not guilty.
November 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
timmarchman.bsky.social
Jake did tremendous work at WIRED and I'm really going to miss working with him every day.
jakelahut.writes.news Jake Lahut @jakelahut.writes.news · 17d
I was one of the four people who got canned.

In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
foiaball.com
In 2023, students at Ohio State blocked the doors to the president's office.

Little did they know, live video from campus CCTVs were being fed straight to DHS.

It's part of a little-known, decades-long surveillance effort built on the back of college football.

www.foiaball.com/p/dhs-colleg...
Scoop: Inside DHS's vast college football surveillance effort
If you go to a college football game, the feds have cameras on you.
www.foiaball.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
condeunion.bsky.social
Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.
Statement from The NewsGuild of New York and Condé United on illegal firing of four union leaders who demanded answers about this week’s layoffs at Teen Vogue, other brands Late Wednesday night, Condé Nast’s VP of Labor Relations notified the Guild that the Company was immediately terminating four Condé United leaders for engaging in the protected concerted activity of gathering in their 1 World Trade Center office to demand answers on this week’s abrupt layoffs at multiple brands including WIRED and the consolidation at Teen Vogue. These egregious terminations are a flagrant breach of the Just Cause terms of our contract and an unprecedented violation of their federally protected rights as union members to participate in a collective action. Through these illegal terminations, Condé Nast management is attempting to intimidate and silence our members' advocacy for the courageous cultural and political journalism of Teen Vogue, as well as diverting attention away from the obvious lack of corporate leadership at the company. Condé United members illegally fired are: Alma Avalle: Writer, digital producer at Bon Appetit; NewsGuild of New York first vice president, trans activist, and union leader Jake Lahut: Wired senior reporter covering the Trump White House Jasper Lo: Senior fact checker at The New Yorker and US Army veteran: outgoing first vice chair of The New Yorker Union Ben Dewey: Videographer at Condé Nast Entertainment, former vice chair of the CNE unit “Management’s attempt at union-busting, using intimidation and grossly illegal tactics to try to suppress protected union activity, will not stand,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “The NewsGuild of New York has zero tolerance for bad bosses who harass, target and disrespect our fellow Guild members. We represent nearly 6,000 media workers across the tri-state area and we stand firmly in solidarity, ready to fight for the rights of our members illegally fired from their jobs at …
November 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM
couts.bsky.social
I PROMISE you, our aggressive, unflinching, investigative reporting isn't going anywhere—ever.
leahfeiger.bsky.social Leah Feiger @leahfeiger.bsky.social · 17d
This is a really hard day and I want to just add as WIRED's politics editor -- WIRED's politics reporting isn't going anywhere. We are very much here and won't stop.

Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.
anildash.com Anil Dash @anildash.com · 17d
The key thing to watch here: they fired a Wired political reporter. That’s the title doing the most effective, pointed work. Teen Vogue’s stuff was culturally impactful, but less focused on investigating the administration. Within the Condé portfolio, Wired and the New Yorker are the canaries.
November 6, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
leahfeiger.bsky.social
This is a really hard day and I want to just add as WIRED's politics editor -- WIRED's politics reporting isn't going anywhere. We are very much here and won't stop.

Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.
anildash.com Anil Dash @anildash.com · 17d
The key thing to watch here: they fired a Wired political reporter. That’s the title doing the most effective, pointed work. Teen Vogue’s stuff was culturally impactful, but less focused on investigating the administration. Within the Condé portfolio, Wired and the New Yorker are the canaries.
maxtani.bsky.social max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 17d
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
carolinehaskins.bsky.social
SCOOP (free, as it's FOIA-based!): I obtained 1,665 pgs of documents about "Bicken Ben," a growing private school the Zuckerbergs ran illegally out of their Palo Alto compound

Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Mark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors Revolted
Neighbors complained about noise, security guards, and hordes of traffic. An unlicensed school named after the Zuckerbergs’ pet chicken tipped them over the edge.
www.wired.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM