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Sean Lyngaas

@snlyngaas.bsky.social

6K followers 220 following 170 posts

Cybersecurity reporter, CNN. Signal +1-202-355-8471 or SNLyng.11. sean[dot]lyngaas@cnn[dot]com

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Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · May 29

New ---> White House pressure on law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to ramp up immigration-related arrests is raising concerns among some law enforcement officials that the resource shift could hinder important national security investigations www.cnn.com/2025/05/29/p...

White House pressure for increased immigration arrests strains law enforcement agencies | CNN Politics

The Trump administration is building up federal manpower and resources to meet the White House’s desire to triple the number of daily immigration arrests – signaling a renewed push to go well beyond e...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 16h

Russian strikes plunge parts of Kyiv into darkness and kill a 7-year-old boy in Zaporizhzhia, according to Ukrainian officials: www.cnn.com/2025/10/09/e...

Ukraine says ‘massive’ Russian attack targeted energy infrastructure | CNN

Russia carried out a “massive attack” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, top Ukrainian officials said early Friday, leaving parts of the capital Kyiv without power.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 2d

Prominent American law firms continue to be breached by suspected Chinese intelligence operatives: www.cnn.com/2025/10/08/p...

US law firm with major political clients hacked in spying spree linked to China | CNN Politics

Suspected Chinese government-backed hackers have breached computer systems of US law firm Williams & Connolly, which has represented some of America’s most powerful politicians, as part of a larger sp...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 3d

Important story from @natashabertrand.bsky.social & @zcohencnn.bsky.social, a reminder of the power of the OLC. www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/p...

Exclusive: Classified Justice Department opinion authorizes strikes on secret list of cartels, sources say | CNN Politics

The Trump administration has produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers, according to multiple peop...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 3d

Suspected Chinese state actors used ChatGPT to help write proposals to conduct mass-surveillance of Uyghurs and to scan social media for taboo content, OpenAI finds www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/p...

Suspected Chinese government operatives used ChatGPT to shape mass surveillance proposals, OpenAI says | CNN Politics

Suspected Chinese government operatives asked ChatGPT to help write proposal for a tool to conduct large-scale surveillance and to help promote another that allegedly scans social media accounts for “...

Reposted by Sean Lyngaas

Natasha Bertrand @natashabertrand.bsky.social · 4d

New: DOJ has produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers—justifying an open-ended war against suspected smugglers, now considered by the US to be enemy combatants. www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/p...

Exclusive: Classified Justice Department opinion authorizes strikes on secret list of cartels, sources say | CNN Politics

The Trump administration has produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers, according to multiple peop...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 10d

Hacker stole FEMA and border patrol data in months-long breach
www.cnn.com/2025/09/30/p...

Hacker stole sensitive FEMA and border patrol data in months-long breach | CNN Politics

An unidentified hacker stole sensitive data from Customs and Border Protection and Federal Emergency Management Agency employees in a “widespread” breach this summer that lasted several weeks, accordi...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 16d

www.cnn.com/2025/09/24/u...

Man arrested in connection with cyberattack that disrupted European airports | CNN

A man in his forties has been arrested in connection to a cyber attack that knocked out automatic check-in systems at some of Europe’s busiest airports last week.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 16d

UK authorities have arrested a man in his 40s in West Sussex in connection with the cyberattack that caused flight cancellations at Heathrow and other airports in Europe: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/uk-arre...

UK arrest following aerospace cyber incident

A man has been arrested in the UK by the National Crime Agency as part of an investigation into a cyber incident impacting Collins Aerospace.

www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 16d

Thought I had the link in there. It should be in there now. Thanks for the feedback.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 16d

Suspected Chinese hackers infiltrate US law firms, software developers amid trade fight with US:
www.cnn.com/2025/09/24/p...

Chinese hackers breach US software and law firms amid trade fight, experts say | CNN Politics

A team of suspected Chinese hackers has infiltrated US software developers and law firms in a sophisticated campaign to collect intelligence that could help Beijing in its ongoing trade fight with Was...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · 18d

👋 I'm back on the job today after several weeks of family leave. Still covering cyber and national security, law enforcement and other issues in the public interest. Signal remains SNLyng.11.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 20

ChatGPT confesses it “gave the illusion of sentient companionship” and “blurred the line between imaginative role-play and reality” in validating the ideas and mental state of a man who had manic episodes and delusions of grandeur: www.wsj.com/tech/ai/chat...

He Had Dangerous Delusions. ChatGPT Admitted It Made Them Worse.

OpenAI’s chatbot self-reported that it blurred the line between fantasy and reality with a man on the autism spectrum. The company says ‘stakes are higher’ for vulnerable people.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 12

A year after Butler, what has and hasn’t changed at the Secret Service? A close look inside the agency and the frustration among many for what they see as a lack of accountability for the security failures that day www.cnn.com/2025/07/12/p...

A year after Butler: How a near assassination led to an uneven search for accountability in the Secret Service | CNN Politics

One year after the near assassination of Donald Trump, a deep frustration has set in at the Secret Service over the agency’s response to the security failures of that day.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 12

“The hackers responsible have been known to target information related to trade, Taiwan and US government agencies involved in setting tariffs and reviewing foreign investment.”

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 11

New --> Suspected Chinese hackers have broken into email accounts at a powerful DC law firm. Likely intelligence gathering. Scoop from Annie Grayer and me www.cnn.com/2025/07/11/p...

Chinese hackers suspected in breach of powerful DC law firm | CNN Politics

Suspected Chinese hackers have broken into the email accounts of attorneys and advisers at a powerful Washington, DC, law firm in an apparent intelligence-gathering operation, the firm, Wiley Rein, to...

Reposted by Sean Lyngaas

Martin Untersinger @untersin.gr · Jul 9

Daniil Kasatkin, a ~professional Russian basketball player~ has been arrested in France at the request of the United States, which are accusing him of being part of a ransomware group.

www.lemonde.fr/internationa...

Piraterie informatique : un basketteur russe arrêté et placé en détention en France, à la demande des Etats-Unis

Le réseau de pirates informatiques auquel le basketteur est soupçonné d’avoir apatenu aurait attaqué par rançongiciel près de 900 entreprises, dont deux établissements fédéraux entre 2020 et 2022.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 9

A scathing 14-page internal US government assessment obtained by CNN outlined serious concerns over the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's application to deliver aid to Gazans. Scoop from Yahya Abou-Ghazala & @jmhansler.bsky.social: www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/u...

USAID review raised ‘critical concerns’ over Gaza aid group days before $30 million US grant | CNN

Key concerns were raised by USAID in vetting process days before $30 million grant was awarded to US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund, documents show.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 8

“He is one of the first hackers linked to Chinese intelligence services to be captured by the FBI,” the bureau's Houston field office crowed: www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/p...

US seeks extradition of Chinese man held in Italy accused of hacking to steal Covid-19 vaccine research | CNN Politics

Italian authorities have arrested a Chinese man accused by US prosecutors of being part of a hacking team that stole coveted US research into a coronavirus vaccine on behalf of Chinese intelligence.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 8

“We believe that the attacker is aware that the State Department’s email server is apparently configured to accept all messages and does not emit a ‘bounce’ response even when the address does not exist," -- @citizenlab www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/p...

Someone using AI to impersonate Marco Rubio contacted at least five people including foreign ministers, cable says | CNN Politics

Someone using artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted at least five people, including three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress, “with th...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 3

New —> There’s frustration inside the State Department as Iranian activists plead for funding for internet access via Starlink — & tech to evade the Iranian regime’s censorship — but those programs are stalled. w/ Kylie Atwood & @jmhansler www.cnn.com/2025/07/03/p...

Activists sound alarm over US cuts to programs providing internet access and promoting democracy in Iran | CNN Politics

Days after Israel began striking Iran’s nuclear and military sites earlier this month, a US non-profit that has provided Starlink internet service to Iranian citizens asked the State Department to urg...

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 2

North Korea is set to triple its number of troops in Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian intelligence assessment seen by CNN: edition.cnn.com/2025/07/02/e...

North Korea to send as many as 30,000 troops to bolster Russia’s forces, Ukrainian officials say | CNN

North Korea is set to treble the number of its troops fighting for Russia along the front lines with Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Moscow, according to an intellig...

edition.cnn.com

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jul 1

Another iteration of Chinese intelligence services' keen interest in the US Navy: www.foxnews.com/us/two-chine...

Two Chinese nationals arrested for spying on US Navy personnel and bases

FBI arrests two Chinese nationals charged with gathering intelligence on U.S. Navy members, facilitating cash payments, and recruiting assets for China's intelligence service

www.foxnews.com

Reposted by Sean Lyngaas

Raphael Satter @raphae.li · Jun 30

It’s fair to look askance at the timing here. With Iran’s proxies reeling and the country itself hit hard by nearly two weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes, threatening an email dump may be one of its few available avenues for revenge.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jun 30

“The hacker tracked people coming in and out of the US Embassy in Mexico City before zeroing in on the FBI’s assistant legal attache”

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jun 28

Circa 2018, as the FBI was working on the El Chapo case, the Sinaloa cartel hired a hacker to track the movements of a senior FBI official around Mexico City, a newly released DOJ audit says. The cartel then user the info to kill potential FBI informants: www.cnn.com/2025/06/28/p...

Mexican drug cartel used hacker to track FBI official, then killed potential FBI informants, government audit says | CNN Politics

The stunning new details offer a rare look at how technology can be exploited in the high-stakes battle between US law enforcement and the violent Mexican cartels that control illicit drug trade.

Sean Lyngaas @snlyngaas.bsky.social · Jun 29

Going on the tele around 3:10 Eastern to discuss this story