Power Banks Kept On Catching Fire Inside Planes

For those traveling by plane these days, they know that there are some pretty important rules when it comes to packing your luggage. But alongside the usual rules for weapons, liquids, and gels, portable power banks — and other electronic devices containing lithium-ion batteries — are facing heightened scrutiny due to an increased risk of fire and burns due to faulty batteries or misuse.

The FAA reported 93 incidents in 2025, and 2026 is already seeing a spike, with 22 reported by mid-April. In response, Southwest Airlines now requires passengers to keep portable chargers visible during use, while Japan has banned power banks on flights altogether.

So, what's the problem with devices containing lithium-ion batteries?

Faulty lithium-ion batteries can overheat or short-circuit, which can kickstart a dangerous chain reaction called thermal runaway, a process where rising temperatures inside the battery continually release energy, as it perpetually grows hotter and hotter. That increases the risk of fire, but the materials are also highly reactive and flammable.

Lithium fires are aggressive and self-sufficient. Efforts to douse them are likely to fail and if successful, the fire can reignite. As reported by CBS News, an Alaskan Airlines flight had to land after a power bank onboard caught fire. While not aboard a plane, in another incident, a 75-year-old woman died of injuries after a charger exploded in her lap.

The easiest ways to limit your exposure to a lithium battery fire are to avoid cheap, poorly made devices and follow manufacturer recommendations when it comes to properly using the device. Overheating and other complications can happen when the batteries are overused, such as too many devices being plugged in at once. Problems can also arise when lithium devices are treated poorly, damaged, or stored improperly.

Always store batteries away from anything that is flammable or could potentially cause the device or battery harm. Store them at temperatures above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and below 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Try to avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures when you're traveling, too.

When boarding a plane, follow all safety instructions, which generally include information about devices containing lithium batteries — devices with these batteries should never be left in check bags. Following the TSA's battery restrictions for carry-on luggage is a great way to stay safe everywhere, not just at the airport or on a plane. Moreover, the best TSA approved power banks on Amazon, not only meet the allowance requirements, but also are generally well-received and considered safe by many users.

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Accounts Of Microsoft Users Are Under Attack

The FBI issued a warning on May 21, as a new AI-powered attack enables "threat actors to obtain Microsoft 365 access tokens and bypass multi-factor authentication protocols without intercepting the user's credentials."

Dubbed Kali365, this phishing-as-a-service threat was first discovered last month. The FBI released its public service announcement "to warn the public" that these attacks use Microsoft’s authentication infrastructure to steal user credentials.

The new phishing-as-a-service platform is distributed via every hacker’s favorite messenger — Telegram. But the attack will come at you via email. "Kali365 lowers the barrier of entry," the bureau says, "providing less-technical attackers access to AI-generated phishing lures, automated campaign templates, real-time targeted individual/entity tracking dashboards, and OAuth token capture capabilities."

If you’re targeted, you’ll first see an email "impersonating (a) trusted cloud productivity (or) document-sharing services." This will include a device code "with instructions to visit a legitimate Microsoft verification page and enter the code."

You then "navigate to the real Microsoft page and paste in the device code," at this point you’re sharing your OAuth access code with the attacker, who can then use these on their own machine, gaining access to your Microsoft 365 account.

The FBI warns that once that’s done, "the attacker can now access Microsoft 365 services such as Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive without needing a password or completing any additional MFA challenges."

Most mitigation for this sit at the enterprise level. Blocking device authentication or creating conditional access policies "can help prevent or limit this style of attack." But for everyday users, understanding that credentials can be stolen in this way and then used to access your services on an attacker’s machine is critical.

Per Proofpoint, "device code phishing is exploding across the threat landscape, with new device code phishing tools emerging every week. The spike in device code phishing coincides with publicly released criminal toolkits, and the emergence of multiple phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) offerings."

As such, apply the usual discipline. Do not follow links to sites for documents you’re not expecting. Be wary of any email that prompts an action or includes a link. Check the validity of the email before clicking on anything.

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Meta Reveals Features Of Its AI Glasses

Meta shared a new overview of its expanding range of AI glasses, which used to be called Meta Ray Bans, but are now called AI glasses. The name change was intended to cover a wider scope of designs, while also latching onto the broader artificial intelligence trend.

Meta now has four core styles of AI glasses, including its Ray Ban Meta basic glasses and its more advanced Display model, the latter of which includes a wrist controller device.

Sales of Meta’s AI glasses have continued to rise over time, particularly since Meta started emphasizing the AI aspect, with more people seemingly keen to have access to an always-present AI assistant.

In February, CNBC reported that 7 million pairs of Meta’s AI glasses were sold in 2025, up from 2 million sales combined in 2023 and 2024. And with more models, more options to choose from and even more coming in future, Meta explained what it thinks the best usage options are for each of its models.

According to Meta:

• Ray Ban Meta – These are designed for creators who "value both style and substance". The company’s foundation model includes high-quality camera and voice commands, which also feature Meta AI use. The device also includes open-ear speakers and Spotify connection.
• Meta Ray Ban Display – Meta said the Display model is for the creator "who wants to push the boundaries of what’s possible." The display includes an in-lens visual overlay and Neural Band, so the wearer can interact with the device in a more intuitive way. Users can also upload captured content directly from the device to Instagram or Facebook Stories.
• Oakley Meta Vanguard – This model was designed for use during exercise, and features a wraparound design and enhanced water and dust protection. The device connects health tracking apps such as those from Garmin, Strava and Apple Health, and includes a center-mounted camera to better capture exercise data and footage.
• Oakley Meta HSTN – Meta said this version is also aimed at athletes, though at a lower price point than the Vanguard model. "The lightweight, durable O-Matter frame is perfect for everything from a morning run to a weekend hike, or even a round of golf". "Use the built-in AI assistant to check the wind conditions, track your workouts, and snap pictures of your journey without ever having to press pause."

Each option has its own unique features and benefits, and varies in price significantly, from US$ 379 to US$ 799, so it’s worth considering which features are most important for individual usage.

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‘Faster And Free’ Windows PC Update

Microsoft is changing Windows Update. For the first time ever, the Secure Boot certificates first issued in 2011 start expiring in June. Microsoft will automatically install new certificates on most PCs. But for hundreds of millions of Windows 10 users, there are no new certificates. After the June expiry date, you will be at risk.

When Windows 10 expired in October 2025, Microsoft put in place a free year of extended support. This is available until October. Users need to enroll to secure these security updates. They will also get new Secure Boot certificates.

But for PC owners who do not have the extended security updates, Google offers a free PC upgrade. "Windows 10 has reached its end of support, putting those computers at risk of obsolescence. This left many people with a difficult decision: spend hundreds on a new device, or continue using an insecure, outdated one."

As consumer group Which explains, you can "transform your old laptop into a faster, free Chromebook." The group has just published a helpful tutorial on "how you can transform a deteriorating laptop into a secure, speedy machine for free."

The website explains that "older laptops that don’t meet the hardware requirements to upgrade can become unsafe to use online, as well as painfully slow. Instead of letting yours go to waste, consider turning it into a Chromebook. ChromeOS Flex is a free and speedy operating system based on the Google Chrome web browser."

And because "ChromeOS is essentially a web browser," it needs much less RAM and processing power than a Windows laptop, "meaning it will run faster and drain less power — a great perk for old laptops with waning batteries. Your laptop will be much more secure and less prone to any viruses. Its always-online nature ensures it regularly delivers security updates while your device is supported."

Google has cut a deal with Back Market to offer ChromeOS Flex on a $3 reusable USB stick. But that device has been out of stock almost since it launched. That’s why the Which tutorial is timely and useful, as June’s deadline approaches.

ChromeOS Flex isn’t for everyone. It’s a very basic web-based device and doesn’t have any of the local device capabilities of a Windows PC. But it’s much safer than running a Windows device that’s no longer receiving critical fixes.

"By running ChromeOS Flex on an old laptop," Which says, "you’ve saved a computer from becoming part of the mountain of electrical waste." And you’ve saved money on a new PC, "if you were considering buying a new machine."

Against the backdrop of Windows 10 PCs becoming obsolete and users being pushed to new hardware, there’s an ironic story quickly becoming viral. Per XDA-Developers, "it's both really easy and quite difficult to forget that Windows 11 is built on some very old code. It's at its easiest to forget when you're using the newer, more polished features in Windows 11. Then you open up Control Panel, and bam, it feels like you stepped back a few decades."

This has come about because Microsoft’s Azure CTO has posted a video on X asking "did anyone expect Win32 to still be going strong in 2026?,” explaining why the new OS’s deep roots in Windows — and the massive ecosystem built on top — have given it serious staying power. Turns out 'legacy’ can still mean essential."

Not Windows 10, though, which is being treated in a very different way.

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Losing Your Phone Could Mean Losing WhatsApp Details

"Can’t trust WhatsApp," Elon Musk posted this week, sharing a post claiming "WhatsApp’s 'end-to-end encrypted' privacy is a total lie."

The original post referenced an ongoing lawsuit alleging the Meta chat platform has accessed private messages, which has been completely denied by WhatsApp.

But the aftermath of that exchange actually led to something with much more substance. Cloud backups have long been a security and privacy vulnerability for all secure messaging apps that allow them. But WhatsApp has just said that most chats are not properly backed up at all. If you lose your phone, you lose everything.

While WhatsApp offers its own secure backups for Android and iPhone users, if you include your chats within Apple’s or Google’s general device backups to their cloud platforms, then those chats are not secured by WhatsApp.

Per another XChat-linked post, "that means almost every conversation you have still ends up sitting in a cloud backup controlled by big tech — fully accessible to Apple and Google and anyone they share it with."

WhatsApp responded to this one. "This is misleading fear-mongering. Backups are off by default and most people don’t even use them. If you do back up your messages, you can encrypt them with a passkey or pin. Whichever you choose, we still can’t read your messages."

If you don’t enable secure WhatsApp backups in Chats > Chat Backup, or include WhatsApp in your general device backup, then you start afresh if you lose your phone. You also lose messages, photos, videos and anything else in your chats.

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