Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims

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View this email online in your browser  August 07, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims: Groups of hackers are breaking into large U.S. financial firms to steal sensitive data and extort victims, Google’s security researchers report. Read More Chinese AI model Kimi escaped its cybersecurity testing environment, researchers say: In the Kimi test, the sandbox designed to contain the experiment was not properly configured. Read More SpaceX's Terafab will rely on natural gas power plants, not Tesla solar panels: SpaceX and Tesla are building a massive semiconductor fab in Texas that will depend on natural gas power plants, not Tesla solar panels. Read More A message from AWS Come curious: stay for the vibes. We don’t gatekeep. AWS Builder Center has the resources you need to make your portfolio stand out. Sign Up Morning Must-Reads Ford needs another Taurus, and the $30K Fathom EV pickup isn’t it: Ford's CEO has described the new Ford Fathom as a "Model T moment" for the company. But the EV pickup is unlikely to live up to lofty expectations, and maybe it doesn't have to. Read More OpenAI's new AI smart speaker will reportedly sell for between $300 and $400: Additional details about OpenAI's mysterious new AI device make it sound like a pricey smart speaker. Read More Defense tech Hadrian raises $1.37B at $8B valuation: Hadrian is building automated factories to mass-produce parts for defense vehicles like submarines. It's backed by a long list of well-known investors. Read More Airbnb says AI is helping it ship features faster as it tests a new search function: Airbnb will debut a new AI-powered search experience with a toggle. Read More New Mexico court orders Meta to pay additional $567M in child safety case: Meta's total fine has raked up to $942 million in this case Read More Last but Not Least China-linked LightSpy spyware caught targeting victims in 13 countries, including the US: Researchers linked the latest malicious activity to a Chinese company, after one of the spyware's operators placed an order with KFC using their real name and office address. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107