Build Your Own Apps with AI

In the past, we’ve been told that “there’s an app for that” – meaning, if you search the app store, surely you can find a pre-existing app that does what you’re looking for. But maybe it does a lot of stuff you don’t want, too. Maybe it’s chock full of ads or extracts your personal info. Maybe it just costs too much or requires a subscription. But you now have the power to create your own custom apps, without knowing a single thing about coding. I’ll explain how.

In the news: Microsoft fixes a record 1400+ bugs this month; US shuts down dozens of North Korean laptop farms; how to validate Amazon messages; Google starts linking all your accounts to your phone; European solar, wind farms vulnerable online; your car shares lots of your data; AI can pinpoint dwellings from a single internal photo; Amazon rolling out smart glasses to drivers; Google is saving your voice, video, photos from AI; OK judge rules ALPR searches require warrants; creator has vibe-coded replacements for Adobe, Microsoft suites.

Article Links

1. Microsoft Patches More Than 1,400 Security Flaws: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/10/microsoft-patches-more-than-1400-security-flaws
2. U.S. Shuts Down Over 40 Laptop Farms, Charges 14 in North Korean IT Worker Fraud: https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/us-shuts-down-over-40-laptop-farms.html
3. PSA: How to check if that Amazon call, email, or text message is a scam: https://this.weekinsecurity.com/how-to-check-if-that-amazon-call-email-or-text-message-is-a-scam
4. PSA: Google is silently linking your phone number across all signed-in accounts: https://www.androidauthority.com/google-auto-phone-number-verification-android-3723117
5. Thousands of European wind and solar power systems exposed online: https://www.reuters.com/technology/thousands-european-wind-solar-power-systems-exposed-online-dutch-researchers-say-2026-10-06
6. Your Car Is Sharing Data With Big Tech Companies, Study Finds: https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/your-car-is-sharing-data-with-big-tech-companies-study-finds-a4474820962
7. AI Company Lets Cops Pinpoint Specific Houses Based on a Single Interior Photo: https://www.404media.co/ai-company-lets-cops-pinpoint-specific-houses-based-on-a-single-interior-photo
8. Amazon Drivers’ Smart Glasses Are Going to Be an Image Problem: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-09-30/amazon-drivers-smart-glasses-are-going-to-be-an-image-problem
9. Google Just Quietly Started Saving Your Photos and Voice: https://medium.com/@mohameddosou/google-just-quietly-started-saving-your-photos-and-voice-61eb37ced542
10. Oklahoma judge’s Flock ruling shows the power of Supreme Court’s digital evidence decision: https://therecord.media/oklahoma-flock-ruing-supreme-court-chatrie-decision
11. Creator of free Adobe clones unveils open-source Microsoft Office replications: https://www.tomshardware.com/software/microsoft-office/creator-of-free-adobe-clones-unveils-open-source-microsoft-office-excel-powerpoint-and-word-replications-autodesk-tools-and-other-subscription-based-services-may-come-next
12. Tip of the Week: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/build-your-own-apps-with-ai/

Further Info

• Google’s My Activity settings: https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity
• ArtCraft apps: https://getartcraft.com/apps
• My book: https://fdsd.me/book
• My newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch

Table of Contents

• 0:00:07: Intro
• 0:00:23: Book update
• 0:02:21: News rundown
• 0:04:38: Microsoft patches 1400+ bugs
• 0:07:05: FBI shuts down NK laptop farms
• 0:09:21: PSA: Amazon Message Center
• 0:11:30: Google linking all accounts to number
• 0:14:01: European solar, wind facilities found vulnerable
• 0:17:29: Cars collect and share lots of data
• 0:25:58: AI app IDs homes from interior pics
• 0:35:55: Amazon driver glasses and privacy
• 0:45:23: Google training on your media
• 0:53:43: Judge says ALPR searches require warrant
• 1:00:43: AI recreates MS Office, Adobe suite
• 1:07:28: Tip of the Week
• 1:16:43: Wrap-up
• 1:17:29: Patron podcast preview
• 1:17:50: Looking ahead