Hey Monday, you’re lookin’ good — and so are you, friend. It's the classic IT line: “I gotta debug your computer.” But did you know it originated with an actual bug? Engineers troubleshooting a computer malfunction found a dead bug on the circuit board. Was it a … A.) Cockroach, B.) Fly, C.) Moth or D.) Silverfish? Make your best guess, and you’ll find the answer at the end.

✅ Let’s make this world tech-smarter like you and never tech-behind, left in the dust. When you see icons under the top story in this newsletter for Facebook, X, LinkedIn and email, click one to instantly share it with your coworkers, family and friends. — Kim

Have you paid with your palm at Whole Foods yet? Did the TSA scan your face the last time you were at the airport? Using biometric info like your fingerprint and face can save a little time, but a whole lot of security risks come along for the ride.

Should you give companies and agencies access to your most personal data? I've got the scoop so you can decide for yourself.

🥜 Yes, peanut butter is a liquid

According to the TSA, you can only carry 3.4 ounces of liquids, gels or aerosols on board. You’ve probably used the old TSA tech, similar to Apple’s Face ID. They snap a pic and compare it to your ID to confirm it’s really you trying to get through security. Nice to know: They say they delete images of you once you're through the process.

The TSA's new Touchless Identity Solution works a little differently. All you do is look at a camera and wait for an agent to give you the green light. Fast and easy! What’s the catch?

In order for this process to work, you'll need a U.S. passport and TSA PreCheck. You’ll also need to be a member of a participating airline's loyalty program. When you check in through your airline's app, you’ll be prompted to opt into a biometrics scan.

If you opt in, you’ll allow the TSA to add your photo to a cloud-based verification service. Step up to the camera, and it matches your live image with the stored one. The TSA says both images are deleted within 24 hours of your flight's departure.

✋ Talk to the hand

Whole Foods uses a process similar to the TSA's with its palm scan tech. Through the Amazon One app, you can link a credit card to your "palm signature." Scan your hand in-store, and the data is compared to palm signatures stored in the Amazon cloud. When a match is found, you're paid up and good to go.

Now, Amazon says they only save the mathematical data behind your palm signature, not actual photos of your hand. This means a hacker couldn't use a high-quality pic of your palm to pass as you.

💃 The safety dance

So are these more advanced biometric screenings hacker-proof? It's unlikely a crook could fool a biometric reading in the airport. Agents would figure it out pretty quickly.

Even at Whole Foods, it’d be tough for someone to use an image of your palm to pay. Their systems also employ something called “liveness detection,” capturing motion, depth and texture, too.

But remember, as technology advances, so, too, do criminals. AI deepfakes are already much better than they were just a year ago. There could come a day when a deepfake mask could fool facial recognition software, especially when there’s no real person standing there to double‑check.

The biggest issue I see

Let’s say we trust government agencies and big companies to store this biometric data. That doesn't mean they’re immune to data breaches. When you hand over any kind of data, it's 100% a hacker’s target.

Thinking about opting into one of these services or another like it? Here's how to protect your biometric data:

• Before you let a company or agency access your biometric data, consider their reputation. The TSA is more reputable than a random shopping app. At the very least, search for the org or company with the term “data breach.”
• Whenever possible, use your biometric data in tandem with a strong password, 2FA or an authenticator app.
• If you have to upload biometric data online, use a VPN to secure your internet connection first — especially if you’re using a public network. This is an extra barrier between you and anyone else lurking there waiting to steal files.

🫰 A well-executed theft that leaves no fingerprints? A stainless steal.

Yep, I’m still scouring the early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales. Hit this link if you want to see ‘em all.

• Kasa smart light switches for less than $13, dang.
• Gift yourself a snazzy, new iPad for under $200.
• The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is only $60!
• Ring video doorbells have HD video and are easy to install. Plus, right now, they’re as cheap as they get, at $60.
• Electric lighters are the best. Only $7? Heck, yeah! I’m never going back to one that takes lighter fluid.
• Pillow slippers are so comfy around the house and 43% off now.
• A stone bath mat absorbs water without getting slippery. Uh, 90% off? Now’s the time.

💸 $260 million heist: Two men were arrested at a Florida mansion, surrounded by jewelry and luxury cars, after stealing 4,100 in bitcoin from a Washington, D.C., tech billionaire. The scammers laundered the money through crypto exchanges and went on a wild spending spree (paywall link). I bet the scammers SIM-swapped the billionaire’s phone. Here’s how it works and how to protect yourself.

🚨 “Hello pervert”: Scammers are sending emails claiming they’ve recorded you through your webcam and will release the footage unless you pay up. They’re using details like your home address or an old password to make it more believable. Don’t reply, and if any accounts still use that old password, change it immediately.

Qualcomm wants to buy Intel: Once the world’s most valuable chipmaker, Intel is in a sharp decline — shares are down 60% this year. No formal offer is on the table yet from Qualcomm, the leading supplier of smartphone chips. The move will probably trigger antitrust scrutiny (paywall link), meaning they’ll have to divest parts of Intel to make it work.

🍏 Apple Intelligence update: Apple's AI, built for iOS 18, will drop across several updates. Some ETAs: iOS 18.1 in October brings Siri’s new interface, natural conversation ability, and call recording and transcription. In December, iOS 18.2 brings image generation and ChatGPT integration. By March 2025, iOS 18.3 or 18.4 will add Siri’s on-screen awareness and app control.

Sponsored results: AI chatbot Perplexity is tapping into the billion-dollar digital ad industry. Brands will bid for a “sponsored” question featuring an AI-generated answer that will include them. Marketers will pay $50 or more for every 1,000 impressions generated by these posts (paywall link). A $50 CPM (cost per thousand) is really high for this.

🧱 Keep calm and Lego on: Lego wanted to ditch paper instructions and go all digital, hoping to play their part in building a sustainable future. Fans said, “No way,” so paper instructions aren’t going anywhere … for now. Gift idea: If you haven’t seen the Lego sets for adults, these are amazing. I gifted some last year and everyone loved them.

50% off alert: My home security pick, SimpliSafe, is having a massive sale. Get all the gear to lock down your home for half off, plus score a free home security cam with your purchase.*

When a service is free, you're the product. Email providers like Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook aren't really free. You’re constantly paying with your security. From where you are to what you click to who you talk to most, they know it all.

StartMail is the secure alternative email provider I trust. It’s free from invasive tracking and ads, and it’s packed with privacy features, including unlimited disposable email addresses and easy-to-use encrypted communication.

They now offer a business subscription, too, with extra storage, shared email aliases and the flexibility to add unlimited domains. I negotiated a special deal just for you! Right now, StartMail is offering an exclusive 60% off annual subscriptions, including the new business plan. You can’t beat that. I made sure!

Like having two computers: On Windows and macOS, you can create virtual desktops to keep things organized and switch between them using keyboard shortcuts. You could try separate home and work setups or a regular profile plus one you use for all your house renovation stuff, for example. Steps here if you want to try it.

👩‍🍼 Bundles of joy: Bundles can save you money by combining services at a lower total cost. Try Apple One, which bundles cloud storage, music, games and movies — or streaming services Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Share it with family and it's even cheaper.

Next time you’re bidding on eBay: Science says you should use a round percentage of the asking price. Say a seller wants $44. You’ll win the bid at $22, or 50%, more often than if you’d offered $24, or 54%. Sweet.

☎️ Let’s try something new: If you have a question about something in your business or life, I want to help you. Leave me a voicemail at (602) 381‑8200 ext. 290 or send a voice memo to podcasts@komando.com. Not sure how? Steps below:

On iPhone:

1. Open the preinstalled Voice Memos app.
2. Tap the red circle to start recording. Once you're done, tap the red square to stop.
3. To send, tap on the memo you just recorded, then tap the Share button (square with an arrow pointing up), and choose how to send it (in this case, tap Mail).

On Android:

1. Open the Voice Recorder app. Many Android phones come with it built in.
2. Tap the record button, and once you've finished recording your message, hit Stop.
3. To send, go to your list of recordings and select the file you want to email. Tap the Share icon and choose the app or method to send it (e.g., Gmail).

A text exchange with my son, Ian, 10 years ago today.

The answer: C.) Moth. In 1947, Harvard engineers discovered a moth was the cause of their error-prone Mark II. They removed it — a literal debugging! Speaking of debugging, if you’ve got moths in your pantry instead of your PC, you need these moth traps. They’re effective and disgusting — you won’t believe how many moths they catch. That’s not a tech tip; it’s a blech tip.

🥳 Thanks for reading, my friend. If you need some company on your walk or during chores today, why not catch up on my show? This way, the tech party never ends! Use this link to get the podcast. Have a great day and I’ll see you right back here tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim