A new cyberattack is targeting Microsoft 365 users through Signal and WhatsApp messages, with hackers impersonating government officials in order to gain access to accounts.

According to reporting from Bleeping Computer, bad actors—who are believed to be Russians pretending to be European political officials or diplomats—are contacting employees of organizations working on issues related to Ukraine and human rights. The end goal is to trick targets into clicking an OAuth phishing link leading them to authenticate their Microsoft 365 credentials.

This scam, first discovered by cybersecurity firm Volexity, has focused specifically on organizations related to Ukraine, but a similar approach could be used more widely to steal user data or take over devices.

How the Microsoft 365 OAuth attack works

This attack typically begins with targets receiving a message via Signal or WhatsApp from a user posing as a political official or diplomat with an invitation to a video call or conference to discuss issues related to Ukraine.

According to Volexity, attackers may claim to be from the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union, the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Bulgaria to NATO, or the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union. In one variation, the campaign starts with an email sent from a hacked Ukrainian government account followed by communication via Signal and WhatsApp.

Once a thread is established, bad actors send victims PDF instructions along with an OAuth phishing URL. When clicked, the user is prompted to log into Microsoft and third-party apps that utilize Microsoft 365 OAuth and redirected to a landing page with an authentication code, which they are told to share in order to enter the meeting. This code, which is valid for 60 days, gives attackers access to email and other Microsoft 365 resources, even if victims change their passwords.

How to spot the Microsoft 365 OAuth attack

This attack is one of several recent threats abusing OAuth authentication, which can make it harder to identify as suspect, at least from a technical point of view. Volexity recommends setting up conditional access policies on Microsoft 365 accounts to approved devices only, as well as enabling login alerts.

Users should also be wary of social engineering tactics that play on human psychology to successfully carry out phishing and other types of cyber attacks. Examples include messages that are unusual or out of character—especially for a sender you know or trust—communication that prompts an emotional response (like fear or curiosity), and requests that are urgent or offers that are too good to be true.

A social engineering explainer from CSO advises a “zero-trust mindset” as well as watching out for common signs like grammar and spelling mistakes and instructions to click links or open attachments. Screenshots of the Signal and WhatsApp messages shared by Volexity show small errors that give them away as potentially fraudulent.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Lots of apps are getting built-in AI features these days, and they’re often disappointing. They’ll summarize (sometimes incorrectly) the same data that’s already available in charts or graphs elsewhere in the app. But the AI advisor that was recently added to the Oura ring‘s app takes a different strategy, one that I’ve come to appreciate over the past few weeks since its launch. Instead of just reporting data, it asks questions. It asks you to do a little analysis, a little introspection. And I think Oura is really onto something here. 

Some of the questions the Oura Advisor has asked me

I’ll admit that, at first, I was interested in what the Advisor could tell me. Anytime I asked it a question, it would give an answer but then bounce it back to me. How was I feeling? What things have I tried lately? These seemed like dodges, not insights.

The Advisor will also pipe up with some extra questions from time to time, in a notification on your phone. “Your sedentary time has decreased to 6h 11m,” it told me one day. “How are you feeling about your movement?” If you tap on the notification, it will start a conversation with you about that topic. 

Here are some of the questions it’s asked me lately: 

• (After noting some poor HRV numbers recently) “How do you feel about your recovery practices, and is there anything you’d like to adjust?” 

• (After I told it I had been sick) “How are you feeling about your overall recovery and balance in daily routines?” 

• (After reporting my recent stress scores) “How are you feeling about managing stress this week?” 

• (After suggesting relaxation methods) “Do any of these resonate with you?”

One day, the Advisor even explained its strategy to me. “Thinking back on the last few days, how have you felt about your sleep quality? Self-reflection can reveal insights about your priorities and help you adjust your routines. If you’re up for it, sharing your thoughts could open the door to valuable information that could enhance your rest even further.”

Fine. I answered the question in good faith, telling the bot about something that I know had been affecting my sleep—that I like to have a little wind-down time in the evening, and that this has lately been turning into revenge procrastination where I try to claw back a little relaxation or enjoyment even when I know it’s eating into my sleep time. 

“It’s understandable to want extra relaxation time after a busy day,” it said. It then congratulated me on some small improvements I’d made, and suggested the incredibly obvious advice of starting my wind-down routine a little earlier. Then it asked me: “How does that sound to you?”

I know it’s not telling me anything I couldn’t have told it. The Advisor is just restating my own concerns in a gentle, curious manner. But, goddammit, I think it’s helping. 

Why asking questions is so powerful

When we look to someone else to solve our problems—be they an app or a human being, like a therapist—we generally already have the information we need. We just need to go through the process of setting our thoughts in order. What is most important? What should we do next? What tools do we already have that can help us? 

Since this process doesn’t require new information, just thinking through what we already have, it doesn’t actually matter if the thing we’re talking to is a dumb robot who knows nothing about us. One of the best demonstrations of this is a program written in the 1960s, the famous chatbot Eliza. 

Inspired by Rogerian psychotherapy, all the Eliza bot did was turn your own statements into questions, occasionally recalling something from earlier in the conversation, and from time to time asking you if this relates to your mother. Eliza wasn’t AI in any sense of the word, just a bit of code simple enough that it could be written into a webpage or hidden as an Easter egg feature in a text editor. You can try out a simple version of Eliza here. 

When I studied for my personal training certification, I had to learn a lot about motivational interviewing, something that is recognized as evolving from Rogerian, person-centered techniques. The idea is to help a person with their “behavior change” (eating better, exercising more, etc.) by getting them to talk about their own motivation for making the change. You don’t tell them what to do, you just allow them to tell themselves. 

As long as you play along with Oura’s AI—actually answering the questions—you can have this experience anytime you want, without having to talk to an actual therapist or trainer. The advisor is more sophisticated than Eliza, remembering things you told it a few days ago, and having access to your data from the ring’s sensors. But it uses data summaries as a jumping-off point, rather than expecting you to be impressed that a bot can read your data at all. Oura recognizes that the value of its Advisor is not in having all the answers, but in having plenty of good questions.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Following a tariff-induced delay, retailers officially kicked off Nintendo Switch 2 preorders on Thursday. I could tell you that preorders went smoothly across all stores, and that there was plenty of stock for everyone who wanted one of Nintendo’s new consoles. I could tell you that, but I’d be lying.

The Switch 2’s preorder launch was never going to be seamless: The console has eight years of hype built up around it, and fans want their chance to secure the first Nintendo console to play games in 4K. Even still, the preorder situation was rough: There were endless digital queues, error screens, and, in Best Buy’s case, even a late start. You might have emerged from that chaos victorious—but if you’re reading this article, chances are that fate had other plans for you.

At the moment, Switch 2 stock is pretty depleted. If you search online, you’ll likely see a number of “Sold Out” or “Unavailable” alerts where the “Buy Now” button should be. However, just because stores no longer have Switch 2 units to reserve for you at this time, that doesn’t mean they’ll be out for good. Successfully preordering a Switch 2 might just come down to being in the right place at the right time—something you can plan for, if you’re savvy.

Tracking Switch 2 restocking

There are four main retailers offering Switch 2 preorders in the U.S., and none of them have consistent units in stock as of this writing. However, they all offer some hope for customers looking for a chance to reserve a console: restock notifications.

Walmart, Target, GameStop, and Best Buy all have sign-up options on their websites to opt into restock alerts. These vary depending on the site: Walmart and Target require you to log into your associated accounts in order to enroll in notifications. GameStop offers email alerts, as does Best Buy—though the latter only seems to offer general Switch 2 news via email, rather than alerts for individual product restocks.

I have all of the various product pages linked below. To maximize your chances, sign up for alerts for all, but if you know you only want the console or that you’d prefer the Mario Kart World bundle (so, you know, you actually have something to play on June 5) stick to those:

• Walmart (console only)

• Walmart (Mario Kart World bundle)

• Target (console only)

• Target (Mario Kart World bundle)

• GameStop (console only)

• GameStop (Mario Kart World bundle)

• Best Buy

You could also use a dedicated website for tracking Switch 2 restocks. There are tons of websites out there for this purpose, including RestockTracker, HotStock, and NowInStock.

Register for Nintendo’s offer

Nintendo is selling Switch 2 units as well, but isn’t offering preorders. Instead, you can “register your interest” to buy a Switch 2 from the company. In order to qualify, you need a Nintendo Account with at least 50 hours of game play—as of April 2. It’s an odd requirement, but it’s designed to prevent scalpers from snatching up all the Switch 2s. (Nintendo doesn’t want you to make multiple Nintendo Accounts this month and register each.)

Once you register your interest, Nintendo places you on a list on a first-come, first-serve basis. Since you’re a bit late to the game, you might be low on this list, but that’s okay: Many of the customers who sign up might be fighting for preorders at other stores too, and if they get it, they may reject Nintendo’s invitation—bumping your place up in line. At this time, Nintendo says deliveries might roll past June 5, as well as invitations themselves. Still, it’s a great backup in case you’re not successful preordering at the other stores.

(Washington, D.C., April 24, 2025) – Today, at the direction of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services John Walk issued guidance to all State agencies directing them to enhance identity and immigration verification practices when determining eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

(Washington, D.C., April 24, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited the Hamm Institute at Oklahoma State University (OSU) with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for the Powering AI: Global Leadership Summit. The Cabinet members were joined by Representative Stephanie Bice and Representative Frank Lucas.

If you’re a gamer born in the ’80s or ’90s, you might have some strong nostalgia for the Nintendo GameCube. It’s not just your childhood memories fueling those opinions: It’s a great console, with classic library to boot: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; Mario Kart: Double Dash; and Super Smash Bros. Melee, just to name a few.

It might be tempting, then, to pick up a new GameCube controller, specifically designed for Nintendo Switch 2, and all the GameCube games Nintendo plans to make available through a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. If you’re lucky enough to snag the new console at launch, you’ll be able to play Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II, and F-Zero GX, with more titles on the way. Sure, you could use the Joy-Cons or Switch Pro controller to play these games, but why not fully commit to the bit, and play these GameCube titles with the controller they were designed for?

The GameCube controller is not ideal for modern Switch 2 games

I have no doubt the GameCube controller for Switch 2 is going to be massively fun for these GameCube titles. But when it comes to using the controller beyond these Nintendo Switch Online games, things aren’t so rosy.

In fact, for a time, it seemed like these GameCube games were the only ones you could use the controller for. IGN found some small print on the UK version of the Switch 2 GameCube controller trailer that said, “The controller is only compatible with Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics.” That seems pretty unambiguous.

Luckily, the limitations don’t appear to be so severe. Nintendo recently clarified this compatibility question, confirming that while the controller is designed for these GameCube titles, it isn’t incompatible with other Switch 2 games. But that doesn’t mean it’s meant for these games.

Nintendo has gone so far as to say there “may be some issues” if you use the GameCube controller for standard Switch 2 titles. Part of the problem is the GameCube controller is missing certain buttons and features that modern controller designs have—buttons that developers expect players to have when designing their games. There are more buttons on this unit than the original GameCube controller, as you now have a tiny ZL button on the left side, accompanying the original Z button on the right. But most buttons are not for game play: The C-Button is meant to launch GameChat on the Switch 2; the Capture button takes screenshots; the Home button takes you to the home screen; and the pairing button pairs the controller to your Switch 2. To that point, it seems the joysticks don’t push in for L3 and R3 button responses, which takes away another two button options.

Of course, there’s also the fact the GameCube controller doesn’t offer your average button layout in the first place. The left joystick is relatively large, while the right stick (the C-stick) is tiny. The d-pad and ZL buttons are also tiny, and the A, B, X, and Y buttons are as non-traditional as you can get. I love the controller, but I can imagine even with all buttons accounted for, it might not be ideal for someone used to playing modern games on modern controllers.

Cost and exclusivity

Then, there’s the price tag: You’ll need to spend $64.99 if you want a GameCube controller for your Switch 2. That’s not a terrible price as far as console controllers go, but it is pretty steep when you factor in the limitations. You could, instead, put that money towards another set of Switch 2 Joy-Cons for $89.99, or a Switch 2 Pro Controller for $79.99—both of which will work with every game you buy for your new console.

Speaking of the new console, this GameCube controller is exclusive to the Switch 2. If you’re looking for something you can use with your original Switch, this controller ain’t it. Nintendo is making the entire GameCube feature a Switch 2-only affair, which is frustrating. Why can’t my console from 2017 play games from 2001?

If you’re already buying a Switch 2 and you know you want to fully emulate the GameCube experience on your new console, you shouldn’t have reservations in picking up the controller. But it’s important to know these caveats before you do: You wouldn’t want to drop $65 only to find Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza don’t play as well as you expected.

The Department of Education announced Monday that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) will restart collections on defaulted student loans beginning May 5. Even before this news, millions of borrowers were already seeing their credit scores plunge in recent months, and loan servicers are warning that a record number of borrowers are at risk of defaulting by the end of the year. I recently covered the basics of what you need to know about the upcoming changes, as well as how to prepare for them. Now, let’s dive a little deeper into how borrowers suffering through collections can navigate their financial future.

What the end of the pause means for your finances

“Many people have been feeling like they’re in some sort of personal financial recession for years now,” says Lauren Bringle, an accredited financial counselor at credit-building platform Self Financial. And if you’ve been carrying credit card debt, you know that those higher interest rates may have caused what you owe to increase significantly.

Factor in the cost of many monthly expenses increasing—groceries, gas, eggs—all while salaries have stayed stagnant. “Now add in that student loan payments have resumed, and for some, that means hundreds of dollars in extra expenses monthly,” Bringle notes. Especially after the five-year pause on payments that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, many borrowers are having to significantly readjust and re-evaluate their budgets. With all of the additional costs, it’s left millions of Americans stretched beyond their means.

Strategies to protect and rebuild your credit

Here’s what you can do to navigate a hit to your credit score.

1. Free up money wherever you can

If your income is limited and you simply don’t make enough to cover your student loan payments, Bringle suggests an income-driven repayment plan for federal student loans. “The federal student loan landscape has been rapidly changing, but you may be able to qualify for lower monthly payment options (even down to $0/month in some cases) based on your income,” advises Bringle. You can learn more and apply at studentaid.gov here.

2. Prioritize your credit

“Credit is an essential part of your overall financial profile because it opens the door to long-term financial goals, such as renting an apartment or securing a mortgage,” Bringle explains. Missed loan payments can significantly impact your credit because payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO credit score, making on-time payments critical.

If your credit has already taken a hit due to missed student loan payments, consider alternative ways to rebuild. For instance, something as small as implementing this payment schedule helps to send your credit score in the right direction.

Additionally, Bringle recommends organizations like Operation Hope, NFCC, and AFCPE, where credit counselors can review your income, expenses, debts, and overall financial picture to help you create a personalized budget and spending plan.

3. Keep building positive money habits

Regardless of where you stand financially, focus on developing positive short-term habits. Especially in the face of something like student debt, it helps to control whatever you can.

• Stick to your budget. “As you’re setting up your financial goals, make sure you have a really clear view of your overall finances,” says Bringle. “Your budget plays an important role in helping your credit score, because it helps you track your expenses, and ensures that you are able to pay your monthly payments on time, and in full.” Here’s my guide to evaluating and making strategic cuts to your budget.

• Make payments on time. Setting up automatic payments can help ensure you don’t miss due dates, which would negatively impact your score. “Depending on the conditions of your student loans, borrowers usually have up to six months after graduation before they have to start making payments,” Bringle notes. “Be sure to check your loan and know exactly when your first payment is due so you can plan ahead and pay on time, since payment history is a critical piece to building and maintaining healthy credit.” To find out exactly how much you’re expected to pay, head to studentaid.gov.

• Hack your credit utilization. Credit utilization is the second-largest factor of your FICO score, so it’s important not to use too much of your available credit. The general rule is to stay below the 30% threshold, but even lower is better. Using more than 30% of your available credit can affect your credit utilization, which could ultimately decrease your score. For example, if your credit limit is $1,000, you should not put more than $300 on your credit card before paying down the balance.

• Review your credit report regularly. Checking your report gives you a clear understanding of your credit health and what might be impacting your score. You can review payment history, recent balances reported to credit bureaus, accounts under your name, and identify negative items like collections that need to be addressed. Free copies of your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are available at annualcreditreport.com.

Looking ahead

Bringle emphasizes the importance of preparation: “Make sure your budget is set up to support your payments, start setting aside the payments from your monthly budget to build the habit, and set up autopay if you can to reduce the chances of a late payment.”

By taking proactive steps now, you can protect and rebuild your credit score as much as possible before student loan collections resume.