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News & Current Events Apr 26, 2026 at 11:33 AM

Toronto police make arrests in text-message cyberattack, 13M disruptions reported

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Toronto police make arrests in text-message cyberattack, 13M disruptions reported  | Globalnews.ca
Global News
Toronto police make arrests in text-message cyberattack, 13M disruptions reported | Globalnews.ca
Toronto police say arrests have been made in a first-of-its-kind 'SMS blaster' probe, warning that the tech sent scam texts to thousands across the GTA.

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Prestigious-Use5483 2 days ago +33
“We’re pretty confident that we have dealt with all of them [suspects] and there will be no further risk in the city of Toronto for this” Okay there, Mr. Leave Car Keys By The Front Door To Avoid Home Invasions
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CragedyJones 2 days ago +12
I had a look at one of those c**** flipperzero style devices that are everywhere now and I must admit I was a little shocked at how powerful they are. C**** tools and a trivial amount of knowledge is all people need to hack wifi and phones now.
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ClaggyCakes 1 day ago +10
Flipper zero isn't even as powerful as some other options like HackRF and many others.  Plus you can just download firmware onto any 10$ esp32 board that has wifi, Bluetooth,  nfc, etc. This isn't a product issue. The problem is poor design of consumer goods,  with insecure code and admin credentials. The problem is we're lied to by the companies that provide us goods.  Zeroing in on Flipper distracts us from the source of the issue.  Insecure systems being marketed as safe to use. 
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JPtheGameMaster 2 days ago -3
Agreed. I have one. I'm not saying they should be licensed and regulated like firearms, and I am very cautious and reasonable about how I use it, but academically, I could gain access to A LOT of places and devices I really shouldn't have access to. Like a firearm, the tool itself isn't the issue, it's only a tool. But they can be easily misused in malicious ways, and maybe not everyone should be able to get one.
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CragedyJones 2 days ago +1
I got a basic CYD. Once I played with it for a while I flashed it to something more benign. I use it to control music in my kitchen now. Made me realize how dangerously out of date my knowledge of this area was. Definitely one of those "things" that are currently legal but really feel like they should not be.
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90CaliberNet 2 days ago -7
Firearms are not tools. They are weapons exclusively designed to threaten, maim or kill. Crazy that people still lie about what a firearm is. Anything to make it not sound as bad as it is. Call a s**** a s****. You aren’t taking your firearm out randomly in the day to hammer in a nail.
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Tylertron12 2 days ago +7
Nah but I am taking them to the range to practice, not for war, but for competition, as I am a competitive marksman. So for me, and millions of people like me, they are sporting equipment, for some, they are a means by which to secure dinner for their families, would a firearm not be a tool for such a person? I'm gonna assume youre an American, because yours is a very america centric view. Let me tell you, when you have a normal culture, firearms are not some terrifying menace. They barely factor in to most people's lives and those who possess them do so safely and with great respect for the tool. My country has some of the highest rates of gun ownership globally, shootings are very rare here and virtually every time one occurs its done with unlicensed blackmarket firearms. Proper licensing and mandatory training is very important, and just about everyone else has figured that one out.
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90CaliberNet 1 day ago -6
Canada also has incredibly strict laws around gun control but thanks to shitty countries like the US it doesnt matter. Guns get smuggled in and lead to unnecessary deaths. Its great that YOU are a competitive marksman. The VAST majority are not. It only takes one person to ruin it for the many. Guns offer zero value and are generally used to harm. I have no problem if guns were kept on site where you cant take it home but assault rifles and pistols are just not required in the majority of situations. There is no argument for guns except "I want them". They are objectively weapons used to kill. Even if you use them recreationally that doesnt take away their main purpose and continued use. Sorry but you shouldnt be special enough to warrant legality of guns globally. Especially when the lack of education is rampant around the world. Human beings are not good enough or intelligent enough as a species to be allowed to wield guns.
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Tylertron12 1 day ago +2
So do you think that perhaps if the states were to implement laws like the rest of the world has, and actually had some degree of control over the circulation of firearms like, for example, canada, that maybe the number illegal firearms seeping into other countries from america would be reduced? And perhaps the number of mass shootings in the states would be reduced? In canada, you are roughly as likely to be stabbed to death as you are to be shot to death, that is, if you include gang related targeted violence (which accounts for the vast majority of shootings). The reality is that there is a negligible chance of being shot with a firearm in canada as a regular person just going about your day. Robust control laws and mandatory traning for firearm owners, along with a culture that actually discourages shootings are overwhelmingly effective at controlling gun violence. Again, take a look at the rest of the civil world. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, are shootings rampant there? No. Ask yourself why that is. Law abiding citizens should not be forced to give up their liberties and traditions as a bandaid solution to the governmental and cultural failure of one nation. Once more I will say there is a workable solution that the rest of the "first world" has implemented and it works quite well for the rest of us.
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Bodefosho 2 days ago +2
“Tool” doesn’t mean what you seem to think it means.
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90CaliberNet 2 days ago -6
Then I’ll specify it is a tool used exclusively to injure and or kill. It has no function as a neutral tool and only functions exclusively as a weapon. So it’s far from being a traditional tool as it serves no function in production or shaping environments. Which are also key descriptors used for tools.
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Starfox-sf 2 days ago +2
Yes but the firearm has a hammer in it, that hits the bullet. /s
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Jealous_Anteater1422 2 days ago +5
Air duct cleaning?
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stupid-head 2 days ago +1
sadly I feel like some other hacker / nation state will fill this void
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Entire-Newspaper-885 2 days ago -14
The Chinese government played a role in this cyber attack, but Canada cannot criticize them because Carney has already struck a deal with China.
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Typingdude3 2 days ago -5
Don't open strange text messages, eh?
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