Joseph Menn

San Francisco

Technology reporter specializing in hacking, privacy and surveillance.

Education: Harvard College, A.B. in English

Joseph Menn joined The Post in 2022 after two decades covering technology for Reuters, the Financial Times and the Los Angeles Times. His books include "Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World" (2019) and "Fatal System Error: The Hunt for the New Crime Lords who are Bringing Down the Internet" (2010). On Mastodon at @JosephMenn@infosec.exchange.
Latest from Joseph Menn

Spyware vendors thwart restrictions with new names and locations

International efforts to rein in online surveillance tools are being systematically skirted, researchers say.

September 4, 2024

Telegram CEO Durov indicted in France, banned from leaving country

The Russian-born billionaire is charged with complicity in distributing child sexual abuse images and aiding organized crime.

August 28, 2024
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov appears at an event on Aug. 1, 2017, in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Chinese government hackers penetrate U.S. internet providers to spy

Beijing’s hacking effort has “dramatically stepped up from where it used to be,” says former top U.S cybersecurity official.

August 27, 2024

Arrest of Telegram’s Durov inflames debate over online crime and free speech

The arrest in France of the site’s Russia-born founder highlights ongoing disputes over social media’s responsibility for spreading child sexual abuse material and other criminal content.

August 26, 2024
Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram, speaking in San Francisco in 2015.

Iranian hackers targeted Biden, Trump staffers with WhatsApp accounts

Meta says a group linked to the Tehran government posed as customer service reps in a bid to gain access.

August 23, 2024
Meta said Friday that hackers aligned with the Iranian government used its WhatsApp messaging service in an effort to gain access to top U.S. government officials.

Data broker suggests fraud alerts after Social Security number breach

Stolen data from a background check company may expose millions of Social Security numbers, a lawsuit claims. Here’s how to protect yourself.

August 16, 2024

Google sold Android phones with hidden insecure feature, companies find

The master software for some Android phones includes a hidden feature that is insecure and could be activated to allow remote control or spying, a security company says.

August 15, 2024
Some smartphones that run on Google's Android mobile operating system have a newly identified potential security vulnerability, researchers say.

Russian spy agency hackers breach human rights groups, victims say

Traditional phishing attacks aimed to break into organizations advocating for Russian dissidents, among others.

August 14, 2024
Computer hacker in room with computers.

Former X employees, experts doubt Musk claim of cyberattack on Trump talk

The platform owner’s assertion that a distributed denial of service attack caused a 40-minute delay in his audio exchange with the former president meets with skepticism.

August 14, 2024
X owner Elon Musk has blamed a cyberattack for the long delay in his audio chat with former president Donald Trump on Monday.

Experts warn of election disruptions after Trump says campaign was hacked

At least two prominent lawmakers are asking for more information from intelligence officials about whether Trump was targeted by foreign hackers.

August 11, 2024
Sign outside the National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md., in 2013.