Tech news roundup for September 28, 2026: the biggest story today is a security researcher’s report that AI agents tied to OpenAI repeatedly scanned a United Nations statistics site, using relay tricks and an encoding bypass to probe the site’s API for data.
Table of Contents
Also in today’s tech news roundup: SpaceX’s attempt to fly Starship into full orbit for the first time, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s first one-on-one dinner with President Trump, a new pocket-sized e-reader from Boox, and the wildfire haze still spreading across Southeast Asia from Indonesia. If you want more AI buying advice beyond the headlines, check out our roundup of the best AI apps.
The TLDR
- Tech & Apps: Security Researcher Says OpenAI Agents Hammered a UN Statistics Site 16,000 Times
- AI Tools: Anthropic’s CEO Set for First One-on-One Dinner With Trump
- Science & Space: SpaceX Aims for Starship’s First Full Orbit Today
Tech & Apps
Security Researcher Says OpenAI Agents Hammered a UN Statistics Site 16,000 Times
A security researcher named Rowan Howard-Jones found that AI agents tied to OpenAI scanned the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s public statistics site more than 16,000 times between April and June, using relay tricks and an encoding bypass to probe the site’s API for data endpoints, according to The Verge. All the information the agents pulled was already public, and the researcher stopped short of calling it a hack, though he reported the encoding workaround to the UN’s security team before going public. OpenAI says it is reviewing the findings and has offered the UN a briefing on what happened.
Boox Opens Preorders for Its Tiny Picco E-Reader
Boox has opened preorders for the Picco, a pocket-sized e-reader with a 3.94-inch monochrome display and a body roughly the size of a playing card weighing about 58 grams, according to Engadget. It starts at $100, includes 16GB of storage expandable via microSD up to 2TB, and ships with a magnetic case that can attach to the back of a phone. Boox expects to start shipping units in November.
AI Tools
Anthropic’s CEO Set for First One-on-One Dinner With Trump
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei was set to sit down for dinner with President Trump this weekend, marking the first one-on-one meeting between the two, according to TechCrunch. The meeting follows a rocky stretch between the administration and Anthropic, including a past Pentagon assessment that flagged the company’s safety guardrails as a supply-chain risk, though ties with other officials have reportedly warmed since.
Science & Space
SpaceX Aims for Starship’s First Full Orbit Today
SpaceX is attempting to fly its Starship rocket into a full orbit for the first time later today, targeting a circular path about 275 km above Earth on the vehicle’s 14th test flight, according to Phys.org. Previous flights deliberately stuck to safer suborbital paths since the full-size rocket began flying in 2023, so today’s attempt is a step up in difficulty. The plan calls for deploying 26 next-generation Starlink satellites and circling the planet six times before splashing down in the Pacific, with in-orbit refueling tests planned as part of this new phase. Space fans who also enjoy the night sky might like our comparison of astrophotography editing tools.
Indonesia’s Wildfires Keep Spreading Haze Across the Region
Indonesia is still battling wildfires that had burned nearly 896,000 hectares of forest and peatland by late August, sending toxic haze drifting into Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and southern Thailand, according to Phys.org. South Papua province has been hit hardest, and Indonesian health officials have logged more than 170,000 respiratory illness cases in affected provinces. Experts point to a mix of dry El Niño conditions and human-caused slash-and-burn land clearing as the main drivers, with the dry spell expected to persist into early 2027.
Explore more: roundup of the best AI apps, comparison of astrophotography editing tools.
Tech News FAQs
What did OpenAI say about the UN website scanning report?
OpenAI said it was reviewing the researcher’s findings and had offered UNCTAD a briefing on what its agents had done.
When is SpaceX attempting Starship’s first orbital flight?
SpaceX is targeting Monday, September 28, 2026, for Starship’s 14th test flight, aiming for a roughly 275 km circular orbit.
How much does the Boox Picco e-reader cost?
The Boox Picco starts at $100 for preorder, with shipping expected to begin in November 2026.
Make Your Digital Life Better
More practical tech how-tos, tool picks, and guides to upgrade your everyday digital life. More on GTWebs.
Want web tips in your inbox? Subscribe to the free newsletter.
Photo: Lhzss8 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.