In Episode 32 of IT SPARC Cast, John and Lou unpack the controversy behind the White House blaming iPhones for the Signal security scandal—and why the real issue might not be Signal at all. They also explore Microsoft’s rollout of the Windows 365 Link and celebrate a win for transparency in Apple’s legal encryption battle with the UK government. The CVE of the Week dives into how Microsoft’s Security Copilot AI discovered and suggested fixes for 12 zero-days across embedded Linux platforms. It’s a wild week for privacy, security, and the promise (and peril) of AI.

🕒 Show Notes:

00:00 - Intro

📰 News Bytes

00:48 - Microsoft’s Windows 365 Link Goes On Sale

•Microsoft’s thin-client VDI device is finally available globally

•$350 price tag raises eyebrows compared to cheaper Chrome OS devices

•Real value may lie in deep Microsoft ecosystem integration for centralized management

•https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/04/03/2143251/microsofts-miniature-windows-365-link-pc-goes-on-sale

07:00 - White House Blames iPhone for Signal Scandal

•Government officials allegedly leaked information via Signal

•White House blames Apple/Siri contact auto-fill for mistakenly adding a journalist to private Signal chats

•John and Lou explain why the issue isn’t Signal—it’s contact mismanagement and user error

•https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/06/white-house-reportedly-blames-auto-suggested-iphone-contact-for-signal-scandal/ 

15:05 - Ransomware Gang Everest Gets Hacked

•Notorious Russian ransomware gang Everest suffers ironic takedown

•Their dark web site replaced with the message: “Do not crime, crime is bad. xoxo from Prague”

•Previously hit NASA, cannabis retailers, and Brazilian government

•https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/07/someone-hacked-everest-ransomware-gang-dark-web-leak-site/ 

18:17 - UK Unblocks Apple Encryption Fight Details

•A court rules Apple can publicly acknowledge the case

•A win for transparency

•This story connects back to the IT SPARC Deep Dive on international data privacy

•https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/uk-effort-to-keep-apple-encryption-fight-secret-is-blocked/ar-AA1CsokD 

24:00 - CVE of the Week

Microsoft Uses AI to Find Security Flaws

•Microsoft Security Copilot uncovers 12 new vulnerabilities in GRUB2, U-Boot, and Barebox

•Issues include buffer overflows, arbitrary memory reads, and integer overflows

•Copilot didn’t just find the bugs—it also recommended patches

•Lou and John discuss how AI can be a force multiplier in cybersecurity

•https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-uses-ai-to-find-flaws-in-grub2-u-boot-barebox-bootloaders/ 

28:39 - Mail Bag & Closing Comments

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