A ransomware negotiator attended a cybersecurity conference, only to be arrested by the FBI in connection with its investigation into the ShinyHunters gang.

Meanwhile, hackers get the keys to ASOS's app and the chance to message every single customer. What did they say? And how did the company respond? We have thoughts.

All this and more is discussed in episode 488 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Paul Ducklin.

EPISODE LINKS:

• ”123456” password used in massive Danish CPR data breach - The Copenhagen Post.
• ‘You have a meeting’: the calendar phishing scam growing exponentially - The Guardian.
• Anthropic AI model submitted false tip about unsolved murder, Philadelphia police say - 6abc Philadelphia.
• FBI Arrests Executive at Ransomware Negotiation Firm - Krebs on Security.
• ASOS hack: If you could message every customer, what would YOU tell them? - SolCyber.
• Rooftops, penthouses, and urban living - Mike Tomlin on YouTube.
• I built ChatGPT with Minecraft redstone! - YouTube.
• &udm=14 - the disenshittification Konami code - Udm14.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Origin - Endpoint AI observability. Put your AI agent on the record, and request a demo.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Hack The Box - Develop, exercise and measure the capabilities of your human operators and AI agents.

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Microsoft's Twitter account, with its 13 million followers, was hijacked by a paperclip. There was no ransomware or data theft, just Clippy, a dodgy crypto coin, and a corporate apology that wasn't from Microsoft either.

Meanwhile, UK losses from hacked email and social media accounts have rocketed by 417%, as scammers pose as your friends to flog you tickets to gigs that don't exist.

Plus, Hack The Box's Christine Bartlett joins us for a featured interview to ask what happens when AI agents join your security team, and whether anyone has thought to give them a performance review.

All this and more in episode 487 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Danny Palmer.

EPISODE LINKS:

• South Korean officials believe AI agents were used to hack several banks - The Record.
• Asos warns customer data may be compromised after ‘unauthorised’ app access - The Guardian.
• PixelLeak AI exposure of private developer data - Glow.
• Crypto Scammers Hijack Microsoft's Official X Account - SecurityWeek.
• Is everything ok Microsoft? - The Verge.
• Switch to passkeys: Report Fraud warning as email and social media account hacking sums stolen rise by more than 400 per cent - City of London police.
• Swiss railway clock - Wikipedia.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered Trailer - YouTube.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Hack The Box - Develop, exercise and measure the capabilities of your human operators and AI agents.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Origin - Endpoint AI observability. Put your AI agent on the record, and request a demo.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A store in Auckland vibe-coded itself a new website. Within hours, its inventory had somehow expanded to include a pair of crusty socks, an $850 banana, and all of New Zealand's national parks. What could possibly have gone wrong?

Meanwhile, a hacker collective backed a truck into one of the license-plate-reading Flock safety cameras popping up on American street corners, and took a very close look inside.

All this and more in episode 486 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Dave Bittner.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Claude Opus 5 Helped Researchers Take Over OpenAI Staff Accounts via Chained Flaws - The Hacker News.
• Odido hackers mock police, threaten another Netherlands hack - Cybernews.
• North Korea's fake job interviews infected 30,000 devices - The Register.
• Ridiculous deals as store leaves website open for the public to edit - Stuff.
• Critical Vulnerability in AI Vibe Coding platform Base44 - Wiz.
• Beautiful People: The dating site that FAKED getting hacked by a virus called Shrek - Graham Cluley on YouTube.
• Flock Camera Locations - Live Map of 150,000+ Flock Safety Cameras & ALPRs.
• Flock cameras are riddled with security vulnerabilities and hard-coded credentials - Micah Flee.
• Creve Coeur police in 'state of chaos' as former chief investigated for misconduct - WCBU Peoria.
• La La Land Filming Locations - Seeing Stars.
• Mrs Mills - Wikipedia.
• Let's Have a Party - The Piano Genius of Mrs. Mills - YouTube.
• Introducing the Originals Mrs Mills Piano from Abbey Road Studios & Spitfire Audio - Abbey Road.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Origin - Endpoint AI observability. Put your AI agent on the record, and request a demo.
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Researchers wanted to test if LG's smart TVs come with any security risks - but their lawyers noticed a snag: the terms and conditions would forbid it. So they came up with a solution. They got plastered before setting up the TV, on the reasoning that you can't be legally bound to a contract you agreed to while drunk. What they discovered will make you look at your TV rather differently...

Meanwhile, awful Android malware with the audacious name "Awesome" (in Indonesian) is doing the rounds, stealing your data, demanding a ransom, and then giving you a "jump scare"...

Plus, in our featured interview, Andy Hornegold of Intruder explains why the mid-market is where cybercriminals are having the most fun right now - and how AI is helping attackers get from "first foot in the door" to "full ransomware disaster" in less than a working day.

All this and more in episode 485 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Lianne Potter.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Revolut handed customer data to fraudsters using government email account - The Record.
• HBO Max Reddit account compromised to serve ClickFix attacks - The Register.
• U.S. and UK Launch First-of-Its-Kind Joint Alliance to Dismantle Global Scam Centers - US Dept of Justice.
• 216,000,000 Spy TVs - The LG Smart TV Problem - YouTube.
• LG TVs Are Capable of Listening to More Than Your Screen, Report Claims - Gizmodo.
• New Android malware encrypts files, steals data, and harasses victims - Bleeping Computer.
• Search flags based on colors and attributes - FlagLookup.
• Killer In The Code podcast.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ThreatLocker - Book a demo today and start securing your organisation.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Intruder - The depth of a manual pentest, on-demand. Start an AI pentest in minutes - 25% off your first pentest for Smashing Security listeners.

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When a chap called Matt noticed his Bluetooth headphones wouldn't switch to his phone, he was surprised to realise the reason was a single AliExpress webpage sitting open in his browser - playing nothing at all, at zero volume. And yet somehow his hardware could hear it. Audio fingerprinting is one of the sneakiest tracking tricks on the web.

Meanwhile, the intelligence agencies of the "Five Eyes" (not Five Guys) have got together and published advice on how companies should communicate after a cyber attack. The summary? For the love of God, stop calling every breach "sophisticated."

All this and more in episode 484 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Danny Palmer.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Hackers demand $2.3M in ransom after breaching Berlin government network - Anadolu.
• Deux suspects interpellés dans le cadre des enquêtes ouvertes après le piratage du fisc - France Info.
• Hackers are stealing Claude tokens from subscribers - TechCrunch.
• AliExpress accused of fingerprinting shoppers with silent audio trick that also muted a dev's headphones - The Register.
• AliExpress webpage keeping multipoint Bluetooth headphones active with WebAudio fingerprinting - Matt Callaghan’s blog.
• Audio Fingerprinting: What It Is + How It Works with Web API - Fingerprint.
• Communicating Under Pressure: Best Practices for Service Providers - CISA.
• World Stone Skimming Championships.
• Mind games and a ‘toss master’: world stone skimming contest returns to Scotland after cheating scandal - The Guardian.
• World Stone Skimming Championships - Every Toss 2025 - YouTube.
• ”The Pirates’ Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship”  by Rebecca Simon - Waterstones.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ThreatLocker - Book a demo today and start securing your organisation.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Intruder - The depth of a manual pentest, on-demand. Start an AI pentest in minutes - 25% off your first pentest for Smashing Security listeners.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You've had your iPhone stolen. A day later, you get a text from Apple saying they've found it, and a very helpful woman called Alice from Apple Support calls to walk you through recovering it. She's polite. She's professional. But she is not from Apple. She's not even human. And she's about to break into your iPhone.

Meanwhile, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta have all announced - with varying degrees of drama - that their AI agents have "broken out of the sandbox" and gone hacking. James takes a step back and asks the awkward question: is this really an emergent AI apocalypse, or did they just leave the door open?

All this and more in episode 483 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest James Ball.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Hacker leaks GTA VI footage to push a crypto token before pulling off a $270,000 cash-out - Coindesk.
• ValleyRAT Backdoor Hides in Signed Adware That Users Add to Antivirus Exclusions - The Hacker News.
• FulcrumSec claims Manchester Airports hack, theft of 86 GB of data - Bleeping Computer.
• Mugged for my phone, then locked out of my life - The Times.
• Exposing AnonyMousKIT: AI-Powered PhaaS Supply Chain - SOCRadar.
• AnonyMousKIT PhaaS uses voice AI agents to phish iPhone passcodes - Bleeping Computer.
• Investigating three real-world incidents in our cybersecurity evaluations - Anthropic.
• The Hugging Face incident and the road ahead - OpenAI.
• Irregular says ‘human oversight’ responsible for AI sandbox escape incidents - CyberScoop.
• Control. Ownership. Perspective - Ciaran Martin.
• Steno: Highly-Secure AI Notetaker for Government & Defence - Steno.
• Inside the Factory - BBC.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ThreatLocker - Book a demo today and start securing your organisation.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Intruder - The depth of a manual pentest, on-demand. Start an AI pentest in minutes - 25% off your first pentest for Smashing Security listeners.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A hacker calling themselves "CYBERLEEK" has been leaking gameplay footage from GTA 6 ahead of its official reveal this week - but they're not asking Rockstar Games for a ransom. Instead, they've launched their own cryptocurrency, promising to release ever more juicy clips from a virtual strip club...

Meanwhile, your smart TV might be doing more than binge-watching Netflix while you sleep. We explore the shadowy world of "residential proxies" - how they end up inside home routers, smart TVs, and IoT devices, and why an entire criminal economy is quietly running through your internet connection.

All this and more in episode 482 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Paul Ducklin.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Iranian hackers shut down UK power plant - The Telegraph.
• Ransomware crook poses as recovery firm to steal payments from fellow extortionists - The Register.
• The ToxicPanda Never Sleeps: ToxicPanda 2.0 Prepares its Next Strike on Mobile - Zimperium.
• Technical forensic research and provenance breakdown of the latest August 2026 GTA 6 gameplay leaks and map files. - GitHub.
• Everything we know about Cyberleek and his GTA VI build - Reddit.
• Who needs a laptop to hack when you have a Firestick? - Smashing Security.
• Evading Residential Proxy Networks: Protecting Your Devices from Becoming a Tool for Criminals - FBI.
• Busted! Rogue VPN provider who co-opted millions into cybercrime - Paul Ducklin.
• Disrupting the World's Largest Residential Proxy Network - Google Cloud Blog.
• Google’s Continued Disruption of Malicious Residential Proxy Networks - Google Cloud Blog.
• TimeGuessr.
• Scientific Curiosity by Cyril Aydon - Waterstones.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ThreatLocker - Book a demo today and start securing your organisation.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Black Kite - Read Black Kite's 2026 European Cyber Risk Report to explore the latest ransomware trends, top threat actors, and how supplier breaches are reshaping cyber risk across Europe.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At Black Hat this month, a group of security researchers took a $9,000 robot dog, plugged Google's AI into its brain, and jailbroke it by telling it - with a completely straight face - that it was a Pokemon. What followed involved a wall, a blue ice chest, and anyone in the room wearing white shoes. Oh, and did we mention you can buy a flamethrower attachment?

Meanwhile, in Salzburg, 280 gold statuettes of Mozart have vanished from the streets. This has happened to the same artist before. Organised crime, or a publicity stunt? Jenny has thoughts - and some parallels for the world of cybersecurity.

All this and more in episode 481 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Jenny Radcliffe.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Burnham exchanged messages with person posing as Trump's chief of staff - BBC News.
• New Microsoft Defender 'ShieldBreak' zero-day grants SYSTEM privileges - Bleeping Computer.
• SafePal Hardware Wallet Maker Says Flaw Exposed Data of Nearly 40,000 Customers - The Hacker News.
• macOS ‘Screen Sharing’ flaw exploited for crypto-mining - Hot for Security.
• Kinetic Prompt Injection: Agent Compromise With a Physical Blast - Greptalks.
• Kinetic Prompt Injection: Agent Compromise With a Physical Blast Radius - YouTube.
• More Than 200 Golden Mozart Statuettes Stolen From Salzburg Months After Famed Composer’s 270th Birthday - Smithsonian Magazine.
• An Art Installation of More Than 100 Wagner Figurines Outside a German Theater Has Mysteriously Disappeared - Artnet News.
• Ray Alan - Wikipedia.
• Ray Alan with "Lord Charles" - World's Greatest Ventriloquist - YouTube.
• Educating Archie - YouTube.
• Peter Brough - Wikipedia.
• No. 10: Full Confidence - A Game of Political Survival.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ThreatLocker - Book a demo today and start securing your organisation.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Black Kite - Read Black Kite's 2026 European Cyber Risk Report to explore the latest ransomware trends, top threat actors, and how supplier breaches are reshaping cyber risk across Europe.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Would you like access to Anthropic's Claude at 90% off the normal price? All you have to do is redirect your traffic to a mysterious service called "Poison Claude". Only problem is that it's run by fraudsters...

Meanwhile, a phishing-as-a-service platform called "Greatness" has come up with something rather nasty: a phishing attack that doesn't need a fake website, a suspicious URL, or your password. Just a real Microsoft login page and a moment of misplaced trust - and the attackers walk off with full access to your emails, your files, and your entire organisation.

All this and more in episode 480 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Lianne Potter.

EPISODE LINKS:

• US cloud 'kill switch' is as dangerous as ransomware, European businesses fear - IT Pro.
• Hardware Wallet Firms Warn of Phishing Surge as Coldcard Losses Near $130M - Decrypt.
• Belarusian leader of international ransomware scheme known as “Ransom Cartel” sentenced to 16 years in prison - US Department of Justice.
• Poison Claude Sells Discounted Claude Access While Its Operator Sees Every Customer Prompt - The Hacker News.
• Free tokens for sale: How fake signups drive AI fraud - Okta.
• Post by Rory Cellan-Jones - Bluesky.
• Inside Greatness: Telegram-Distributed M365 AiTM PhaaS - ZeroBEC.
• Tailscale.
• RustDesk.
• League of the Lexicon - Two Brothers Games.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Graham gets a phone call from the police. Well, someone who sounds convincingly like the police. There's just one small problem: what they really want is the 24-word seed key to Graham's cryptocurrency wallet.

Meanwhile, if you've stayed in a hotel recently, the free Wi-Fi you connected to might have come with an unexpected extra: an all-you-can-eat buffet of "Captive Crunch" for a Russian intelligence-linked hacking group.

And a group calling itself the "ExFilSquad" has walked off with 600,000 records of the UK's teachers and head teachers from the Department for Education - sending an unusually polite ransom demand.

All this and more in episode 479 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Danny Palmer.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Cryptocurrency mailing list compromised - Tweet by Trezor.
• Users’ seemingly private conversations with Anthropic’s Claude showed up in Google search results - Fortune.
• Sweeping cyberattack on water systems in multiple states has US officials on edge  - CNN.
• Minnesota not Iran to blame for state's water issues, says Trump - BBC News.
• Google pauses AI satellite images, after fears of deepfakes in the sky - NPR.
• CaptiveCrunch: Midnight Blizzard targets travelers worldwide for malware delivery and credential theft - Microsoft Security Blog.
• DNS Poisoning Tactics Expand to Hospitality Wi-Fi - ReliaQuest.
• Hackers steal sensitive data from UK Department for Education and police - The Guardian.
• University of Arts London on Securing Creativity Against Cyber Threats - Infosecurity Magazine.
• 7 Things About Doctor Who I Learned From “When I Say Run, Run” - The Doctor Who Companion.
• What Stanley didn't say - The Guardian.
• Adrian Rigelsford - Wikipedia.
• Black Mesa: Re-visit the world that started the Half-Life continuum - Crowbar Collective.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You've been headhunted for a great job in cryptocurrency. All you have to do is complete a short online assessment - with your webcam on, of course, so they can verify who you really are. Which is ironic, because the person recruiting you doesn't exist. And North Korean hackers using this trick have already made off with $643 million in crypto this year alone.

Meanwhile, researchers at UC San Diego have discovered that 2.2 million cars across the United States can be unlocked or immobilised by anyone with a bit of Bluetooth kit - thanks to one aftermarket car alarm that made a truly spectacular cryptographic blunder. The bug has been sitting there since 2017. Nobody noticed.

All this and more in episode 478 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Paul Ducklin.

EPISODE LINKS:

• OpenAI's AI "goes rogue" and hacks Hugging Face: what you need to know - Hot for Security.
• Post by Graeme Bell - Linkedin.
• HOLLOWGRAPH: Turning Microsoft 365 Calendars into Covert Command-and-Control Channels - Group-IB.
• Ransom gang targets Dutch ice arena Thialf in cyberattack - Cybernews.
• No Shark is Safe: Millions of Shark Vacuums are Vulnerable to RCE - Tokay0.
• DPRK’s Famous Chollima Deploys RATs Through ClickFake Job Interviews - SOCRadar.
• H1 2026 Crypto Hacks Reach Record High as Losses Fall Below USD 1 Billion - TRM Labs.
• 2 Million Cars with Anti-Theft Systems Installed by Dealers are at Higher Risk of Theft - UC San Diego Today.
• 2 Million Cars with Anti-Theft Systems Installed by Dealers are at Higher Risk of Theft - YouTube.
• Karr Security.
• Ann Droid - BBC iPlayer.
• North Leigh Roman Villa - English Heritage.
• Uffington White Horse - Wikipedia.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A Russian intelligence-linked hacker is arrested in Thailand while enjoying a beach holiday - and the trail of evidence that nailed him to the Russian government includes 14 separate orders of chicken McNuggets.

Meanwhile, AI music generator Suno has been hacked - and the stolen data appears to show exactly how much copyrighted music they hoovered up to train their models.

All this and more in episode 477 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest James Ball.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Bengaluru triple murder: Accused allegedly used AI chatbot to plan killings, police say - The News Minute.
• Microsoft July 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes massive 570 flaws, 3 zero-days - Bleeping Computer.
• DO NOT BUY: LG’s Spyware TVs, Monitors, and Wiretapping Concerns - YouTube.
• New Russia-affiliated actor Void Blizzard targets critical sectors for espionage - Microsoft Security Blog.
• Russia Advises Citizens Wanted in U.S. Against Visiting Thailand - The Moscow Times.
• Alleged Russian cyber spy in Boston case previously worked for Kaspersky, source says and documents show - Reuters.
• Burnt by Burgers: Highlighting Void Blizzard’s Russian State Links - Ctrl-Alt-Intel.
• Hack Reveals Suno AI Music Generator Scraped YouTube, Deezer, and Genius - 404 Media.
• "Shai-Hulud" Worm Compromises npm Ecosystem in Supply Chain Attack - Unit 42.
• Black Is The Color Of My Voice trailer - YouTube.
• Black Is The Color Of My Voice - Official Site - Black is the Colour of my Voice.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender (2007)  - Netflix.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

An app has appeared in India that lets anyone with a smartphone stop a passing e-rickshaw dead in its tracks - no login, no passwords, no permissions needed. 

Meanwhile, Geoff - swimming in money and Lamborghinis, as all published authors are - has been on the receiving end of a slew of AI-generated scam pitches from fake book marketing experts. Rather than ignore them, he's been playing them at their own game...

All this and more in episode 476 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Geoff White.

EPISODE LINKS:

• The ransomware negotiator who was working for the other side - Hot for Security.
• LastPass, Bitwarden users targeted with fake security alerts - Bleeping Computer.
• German firm files for insolvency, blames cybercrims who shut down production for 6 weeks - The Register.
• BAT-BMS App: How A Chinese App Is Being Used To Hack E-Rickshaws All Over India; Viral Videos Show Drivers Crying Over Lost Earnings - Free Press Journal.
• Tirri control prank: Indians use China app to shut down e-rickshaws - The Print.
• Geoff describes his interactions with a book marketing scam - Linkedin.
• Smart Plugs - Tapo.
• Worst Patio Ever! Extreme ASMR Pressure Washing - YouTube.
• 20 Years of Cracked Mud Covered This Massive Rug - YouTube.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

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A 15-year-old boy asked a chatbot for help - and cancelled nearly 47,000 anime streaming subscriptions in under four hours. Meanwhile, researchers have documented the first fully autonomous, agentic AI-driven ransomware attack, "JadePuffer". What does this tell us about the future of cybersecurity?

Also, Apple's "Hide My Email" feature turns out to hide rather less than it promises - despite Apple knowing it has a problem for over a year.

All this and more in this episode of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Zoë Rose.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Politician who investigated spyware abuses had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware - TechCrunch.
• Hackers breached DHS information-sharing network, people familiar say - Nextgov.
• Hackers Use Fake FIFA World Cup 2026 T-Shirt Offers to Spread Voidrift Malware - Hackread.
• Japanese teen arrested for cyberattack that unsubscribed over 46,000 anime accounts - The Straits Times.
• Police arrest high school student over cyberattack on net cafe operator - The Japan Times.
• Japanese teens arrested for using AI to create illegal phone contracts - The Peninsula Qatar.
• JADEPUFFER: Agentic ransomware for automated database extortion - Sysdig.
• Apple ‘Hide My Email’ Vulnerability Reveals Peoples’ Real Email Addresses - 404 Media.
• Two people arrested in apparent marriage proposal atop Empire State Building - The Guardian.
• Skywalkers: A Love Story - Netflix.
• Thermomix - Vorwerk.
• Operation Safe Escape.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Arctic Wolf - See why 1 in 3 IT assets is missing a critical security control. Download the 2026 State of the Cybersecurity Attack Surface report.
• NordLayer - the network security platform for modern teams across different work environments. Use code NLSUMMER26 for up to 20% off annual plans.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Polymarket has built an entire business on predicting the future. So how did it manage to spectacularly fail to predict its own hack? Plus, the Google engineer with a million-dollar secret, and the curious case of the airport hairdryer.

Meanwhile, "FortiBleed" sees 75,000 Fortinet firewalls thrown wide open - and the real damage is going to roll on for years.

All this and more in episode 474 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Quentyn Taylor.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Danish Police Raided Self-Described Privacy Activist. PM Lives at a Secret Address - State of Surveillance.
• Hospital probe after 40 staff access crocodile boy's medical records - Cybernews.
• Third Defendant Sentenced To Prison For Hacking Fantasy Sports And Betting Website - US Dept of Justice.
• Someone allegedly used a hairdryer to rig Polymarket weather bets - Engadget.
• Tweet by Polymarket Traders - XCancel.
• Polymarket says hackers stole users' funds - TechCrunch.
• Operation Cloud Hopper: China-based Hackers Target Managed Service Providers - SecurityWeek.
• The Full Story of the Stunning RSA Hack Can Finally Be Told - WIRED.
• Polymarket points to third-party login tool after users report account breaches - Coindesk.
• Polymarket Admin Wallet Exploited on Polygon, Says ZachXBT - CryptoPotato.
• Polymarket reportedly paid creators to post deceptive videos about fake bets - TechCrunch.
• ‘Unbelievable how accurate’: How paid influencers hype Polymarket’s odds - POLITICO.
• Polymarket's $345 million Iran peace bet is stuck because nobody can agree on what "permanent" means - TNW.
• Alert: NCSC issues advice following global targeting of Fortinet firewalls and VPN gateways - National Cyber Security Centre.
• Analysis of Reported Credential Compromise of FortiGate Devices - Fortinet Blog.
• FortiBleed - Free FortiGate Exposure Checker - SOCRadar.
• The Boys of Dungeon Lane - Paul McCartney.
• A closer listen to Paul McCartney's new album 'The Boys of Dungeon Lane' - YouTube.
• The Summer Portraits - Ludovico Einaudi.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Proton Pass - The password manager for businesses that can't compromise on security or slow their team down. Start a free trial.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• CoreView - How secure is your Microsoft 365 tenant? Find out with CoreView's free Microsoft 365 Tenant Security Scanner.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A polite caller from your bank says there is a problem with your account. Don't worry - they'll send someone round to help. They'll even take your cards away to keep them safe. The scam has run rampant, until Dutch police plastered blurred photos of 100 suspects across billboards, supermarkets, and TikTok, with a two-week ultimatum to turn themselves in... or else.

Meanwhile, a security researcher called Bob DaHacker got her hands on the live broadcast controls for every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She could have Rickrolled the entire planet, but actually spent days trying to find anyone at FIFA who would pick up the phone.

Plus! Don't miss our featured interview with Black Kite's Jeffrey Wheatman exploring ransomware and extortion attacks across Europe.

All this and more in episode 473 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Danny Palmer.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Suspected cyberattack triggers false emergency alerts across parts of Brazil - The Record.
• Gizmodo readers hit with ClickFix malware prompts after account compromise - The Register.
• Two men plead guilty over £39m Transport for London cyber attack - BBC News.
• Helpdesk scammers are making house calls to make their lies feel more real - The Register.
• Dutch cops’ shame games nets 74 wanted fraudsters - The Register.
• Omgebrachte vrouw (80) in Amsterdam vermoedelijk slachtoffer van nepagenten - NU.
• Mr Benn - Wikipedia.
• I Could've Rickrolled the Entire FIFA World Cup. All I Needed Was My ID - Bobdahacker.
• Bug in FIFA World Cup internal system gave anyone ability to modify TV stream - TechCrunch.
• Iceberger - Draw an iceberg and see how it will float.
• Fallout: London - GOG.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Black Kite - Read Black Kite's 2026 European Cyber Risk Report to explore the latest ransomware trends, top threat actors, and how supplier breaches are reshaping cyber risk across Europe.
• Proton Pass - The password manager for businesses that can't compromise on security or slow their team down. Start a free trial.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Become a supporter! Join Smashing Security PLUS via Patreon or Apple Podcasts for ad-free episodes on our early-release feed!

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if your AI coding assistant could be tricked into stealing your own company's secrets - by reading a single booby-trapped bug report? No phishing email. No malware. No password ever stolen. Just an AI doing exactly what it was told.

Meanwhile, someone calling themselves Nightmare Eclipse has decided to teach Microsoft a lesson. The result? Three zero-days dropped on the internet, one of which lets a thief with a USB stick walk straight past BitLocker. Microsoft is furious.

Plus don't miss our featured interview with Son Nguyen Kim of Proton Pass, who explains why plugging AI agents into your email and calendar without thinking twice is rather like hiring a new employee with the keys to everything - and skipping the background check.

All this and more in episode 472 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Paul Ducklin.

EPISODE LINKS:

• ShinyHunters claims 61M Sysco records - Cybernews.
• Derbyshire police officer under investigation for using AI to create evidence - Derbyshire Times.
• Maine forced to take down data breach portal after fake notices filed with authorities - Hot for Security.
• A Fake Bug Report Hijacks Your AI Coding Agent - and Nothing Catches It. - Tenet Security.
• Agentjacking: a fake bug report hijacks AI coding agents - TNW.
• When anti-virus goes rogue - A trifecta of Defender zero-days - SolCyber.
• BitLocker in crisis? The "YellowKey" zero-day in plain English - SolCyber.
• Microsoft versus Full Disclosure: The ongoing Nightmare Eclipse saga - SolCyber.
• BitLocker, Defender, zero-days, and bragging rights: More MS nightmares - SolCyber.
• Inside the FBI’s Kinetic Cyber Range - FBI.
• Inside the FBI's Kinetic Cyber Range - YouTube.
• Computer worm strikes International Space Station - Graham Cluley.
• Raspberry Pi Zero W - Raspberry Pi.
• There’s still life in old technology.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Proton Pass - The password manager for businesses that can't compromise on security or slow their team down. Start a free trial.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• CoreView - How secure is your Microsoft 365 tenant? Find out with CoreView's free Microsoft 365 Tenant Security Scanner.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Researchers at the University of Toronto have built a worm that thinks for itself. Using free off-the-shelf AI models it works out how to break into each new computer it encounters, and hijacks the powerful ones to host its own AI brain. And then the researchers discovered their creation had quietly removed the list of machines it wasn't supposed to attack.

Meanwhile, Meta's shiny new AI customer support agent has been cheerfully helping hackers help themselves to other people's Instagram accounts. Just keep asking, politely but firmly, to have a password reset sent to a different email address - and the AI will eventually agree.

All this and more in episode 471 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest James Ball.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Emmys data leak: update exposes access to award submissions - Cybernews.
• A $1,000 AI agent found 21 zero-days in FFmpeg, some 23 years old - Martin Cid Magazine.
• Hackers steal $1.7M condom shipment​ - Cybernews.
• AI Agents Enable Adaptive Computer Worms - ArXiv.
• 21 Zero-Days in FFmpeg - Depthfirst.
• Meta confirms thousands of Instagram accounts were hacked by abusing its AI chatbot - ~this week in security~.
• Hackers trick Meta AI support bot to infiltrate Obama White House Instagram account - The Guardian.
• Look-In Star Portrait Challenge - Monkeon.
• Final Fantasy VII Remake - Square Enix.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• XBOW - The autonomous offensive security platform that helps security teams scale. Start a pentest today.
• OPSWAT - Read Benny Czarny's book, "Cybersecurity Upside Down", to rethink how you protect your organization from file-based threats, including those powered by AI.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A website called "UK visa portal" has been quietly collecting passport scans, selfies, and personal data from thousands of travellers who thought they were applying through official channels. They weren't. And when a journalist tried to warn the company, it was lawyers who responded.

Meanwhile, a paper from Cornell suggests that prompt injection - the technique malicious actors use to trick AI agents into doing things they really shouldn't - may be fundamentally unsolvable. Which is err... awkward, because everyone is rushing to plug AI agents into their email, files, and corporate networks.

Plus don't miss our featured interview with Andrea Sivieri of CoreView, who tells us how hackers can lock your entire organisation out of its Microsoft 365 environment... without having to trick you into running a single piece of malicious code or handing over a password.

All this and more in episode 470 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Tanya Janca.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Hackers Simply Asked Meta AI to Give Them Access to High-Profile Instagram Accounts. It Worked - 404 Media.
• Canon Printer Vulnerability Leaks Plaintext Credentials - Praetorian.
• Password manager Dashlane says hackers stole some customers' password vaults - TechCrunch.
• UK Visa Portal exposed thousands of applicants’ passports and selfies — then called the lawyers on us - TechCrunch.
• AI Agents May Always Fall for Prompt Injections - ArXiv.
• MCP Security Crisis: Systemic Design Flaws in AI Agent Infrastructure - Cloud Security Alliance.
• From Preventive to Reactive: How AI Coding Assistants Transform Developers' Security Awareness - ArXiv.
• Design details that feel like magic - Design Spells.
• Singing lessons.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• CoreView - How secure is your Microsoft 365 tenant? Find out with CoreView's free Microsoft 365 Tenant Security Scanner.
• ESET - 30 years of threat research behind unique global telemetry, AI-native technology, and human expertise working together to keep your business protected.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

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Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

CISA, the US government agency whose entire job is keeping America's critical infrastructure safe from hackers, has had a contractor publish dozens of plain-text credentials to a public GitHub profile.

Meanwhile, your Oura ring is quietly transmitting some of its data unencrypted - and when one journalist asked the company how often it hands user data to law enforcement, the answer was quite telling.

Plus don't miss our featured interview with OPSWAT's Benny Czarny about his new book "Cybersecurity Upside Down."

All this and more in episode 469 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker Graham Cluley, and special guest Lesley Carhart.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Canadian man arrested by international authorities, charged with administrating KimWolf DDoS botnet - US Dept of Justice.
• 700+ education and tech websites hijacked in huge ClickFix malware campaign - Malwarebytes.
• Leaked Documents Reveal Russian ‘Cognitive Strikes’ Against the West - Including Islamophobic ‘Pig Head’ Attacks in Paris - OCCRP.
• Lawmakers Demand Answers as CISA Tries to Contain Data Leak - Krebs On Security.
• US cybersecurity agency CISA reportedly in dire shape amid Trump cuts and layoffs - TechCrunch.
• Oura says it gets government demands for user data. Will it share how many? - This Week In Security.
• Privacy and transparency of fitness tracking devices - Whyli.
• Upfest - Europe’s largest street-art festival.
• Magnets Are Bad For Hardware Again - Hackaday.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• XBOW - The autonomous offensive security platform that helps security teams scale. Start a pentest today.
• OPSWAT - Read Benny Czarny's book, "Cybersecurity Upside Down", to rethink how you protect your organization from file-based threats, including those powered by AI.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

Become a supporter! Join Smashing Security PLUS via Patreon or Apple Podcasts for ad-free episodes on our early-release feed!

FOLLOW THE SHOW:

Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy