Top Tech Headlines for July 19, 2025

From phishing tactics that bypass even FIDO2 MFA, to malware injected into popular JavaScript tools, today’s headlines prove cybersecurity is more important than ever. Plus, GPT-5 is quietly stirring behind the scenes, and major AI players are eying a shake-up in the education world. Here's what you need to know today.

PoisonSeed Attack Downgrades FIDO2 Multifactor Authentication

A new phishing campaign dubbed PoisonSeed is undercutting top-notch FIDO2-based MFA protections. Attackers are leveraging the cross-device sign-in feature in WebAuthn to trick users into authenticating fake logins via spoofed portals.

The attack serves as a reminder that even strong security like FIDO2 isn’t bulletproof when social engineering is involved. Staying alert and verifying authentication requests remains critical.

Popular npm Linter Packages Hijacked to Spread Malware

JavaScript’s open-source ecosystem took a hit this week after trusted npm packages eslint-config-prettier and eslint-plugin-prettier were hijacked in a targeted supply chain attack. The takeover came via phishing and credential theft, turning these tools into malware droppers.

Developers using these packages should update immediately and audit any projects that depended on the compromised versions. This is another wake-up call about the fragility of open-source supply chains.

GPT-5 Reasoning Alpha Spotted Ahead of Launch

OpenAI’s upcoming language model, gpt-5-reasoning-alpha-2025-07-13, has quietly appeared ahead of an official release. The new model suggests significant progress in AI reasoning, sparking anticipation that GPT-5 might be launching within weeks.

Whether you’re a developer or content creator, keeping tabs on these upgrades is key—especially as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated than ever.

AI Giants Target Education Market with New Learning Tools

OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google are reportedly preparing to shake up the education sector with advanced AI tools tailored for learners. These platforms could offer customized tutoring, real-time feedback, and study recommendations powered by next-gen models.

If successful, this could redefine how students engage with digital learning tools—while raising new privacy and ethical questions educators will need to navigate.

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