Signal Check

This episode digs into the collapsing exclusivity of zero-day exploits as four spy groups deploy the same attack kit, plus Cisco's freshly patched vulnerabilities already being hammered in the wild. Adrian also covers a new open-source project using steganography to cryptographically prove photos are real, and law enforcement's creative tactics for hiding surveillance tech from public oversight.

Stories covered:

- Four Spy Groups Used the Same Chrome and Windows Exploit Kit Within a Week (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/four-spy-groups-used-same-chrome-and.html

- Cisco FMC flaws exploited by ransomware gang, state-sponsored hackers (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisco-fmc-flaws-exploited-by-ransomware-gang-state-sponsored-hackers/

- Proof of Capture: Apple Reference Image, but open source and using steganography (Hacker News) - https://merybenavente.me/blog/proof-of-capture

- Cops Play Hide and Seek About Using Spy Tech to Avoid Scrutiny and Bad PR (EFF) - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/09/cops-play-hide-and-seek-about-using-spy-tech-avoid-scrutiny-and-bad-pr

- VO2maxxing: What VO2 max means, why it matters, and how much should you care? (Canadian Running) - https://runningmagazine.ca/shakeout-podcast/vo2maxxing-what-it-means-why-it-matters-and-how-much-should-you-care/

- Tom Evans Beat Tom Pidcock and His Mountain Bike to the Top of Snowdon (Marathon Handbook) - https://marathonhandbook.com/tom-evans-beats-tom-pidcock-snowdon/

This episode digs into a wild week in cybersecurity where four separate spy groups deployed the same undocumented exploit kit, Google patched a zero-day actively being exploited in Chrome, and cPanel fixed a flaw that could let one compromised account take over an entire server. Adrian also highlights an ultrarunner who just shattered a world record by running over 600 miles in six days.

Stories covered:

- Four Spy Groups Used the Same Chrome and Windows Exploit Kit Within a Week (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/four-spy-groups-used-same-chrome-and.html

- Chrome V8 Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild Enables Code Execution Inside Sandbox (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/chrome-v8-zero-day-exploited-in-wild.html

- New cPanel Flaw Lets a Hosting Account With Mail Privileges Run Code as Root (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/new-cpanel-flaw-lets-hosting-account.html

- What Exactly Is a Baker’s Cyst—And Can You Get Rid of It? (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a73546684/bakers-cyst-causes-treatment/

- Megan Eckert Just Ran 636 Miles in 6 Days—and Destroyed the Overall American Record (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a73653705/megan-eckert-6-day-world-record-2026/

- Loyalty points fraud is funding hacker holidays (Lock and Code S07E18) - Malwarebytes (Malwarebytes) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxQZ24tYm53b2p3OG5IQ0hPTmVXMl92aTVsR2hEcDU3WF9oS0hkRXRQclc4QmZyRVEwU1dMa1J5RHpfMVoyNG5FX1plYkJTclJxWWp6N0pxdmEyMmVYQXF5STRoc1lXTTk0WGZpb1R3VXdraWRyWG8yTmhxdmhubnQyc2dVU3NwVmtsQ0tTVWdtYjc0b3QxRjk5WmFYbGRaTTNYLXNMY0QwNkxtLUhGRktKNzhKNVBCNmlWUGc?oc=5

This episode covers critical zero-day exploits hitting Adobe Commerce, a proof-of-concept worm that spreads through WeChat calls without user interaction, and a fileless rootkit targeting F5 BIG-IP devices. Adrian digs into the sophistication behind each threat and why they demand immediate attention from security teams.

Stories covered:

- Adobe Patches Magento Zero-Day Exploited to Deploy Rust Backdoor and PHP Web Shell (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/adobe-patches-magento-zero-day.html

- WeChat Zero-Click Worm Took Over Accounts on iPhone and Android via Incoming Calls (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/wechat-zero-click-worm-took-over.html

- Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-breach-f5-big-ip-apm-devices-to-deploy-linux-rootkit/

- A Sports Cardiologist Explains When—and Why—to Cut Out Alcohol So You Can Run Stronger on Race Day (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73603678/when-to-stop-drinking-before-a-race/

- Microsoft Plugs Nearly 1,000 Security Holes (Krebs on Security) - https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/09/microsoft-plugs-nearly-1000-security-holes/

- Loyalty points fraud is funding hacker holidays (Lock and Code S07E18) - Malwarebytes (Malwarebytes) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxQZ24tYm53b2p3OG5IQ0hPTmVXMl92aTVsR2hEcDU3WF9oS0hkRXRQclc4QmZyRVEwU1dMa1J5RHpfMVoyNG5FX1plYkJTclJxWWp6N0pxdmEyMmVYQXF5STRoc1lXTTk0WGZpb1R3VXdraWRyWG8yTmhxdmhubnQyc2dVU3NwVmtsQ0tTVWdtYjc0b3QxRjk5WmFYbGRaTTNYLXNMY0QwNkxtLUhGRktKNzhKNVBCNmlWUGc?oc=5

This episode covers a dangerous zero-day exploit hitting Magento and Adobe Commerce stores, a massive $320 million crypto heist where hackers claim they're the good guys, and actively exploited vulnerabilities in MikroTik routers that are already being used to hijack devices. Adrian also touches on hot-weather running gear for anyone brave enough to jog when it's sweltering outside.

Stories covered:

- Unpatched Magento and Adobe Commerce Zero-Day Exploited to Backdoor Online Stores (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/unpatched-magento-and-adobe-commerce.html

- Bitcoin network used by exchanges hit by $320 million exploit. Hackers claim they're the 'good guys' - CoinDesk (CoinDesk) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2wFBVV95cUxNYlpMcUhFV2FjZTNKLVlzYklnVG40SHlpNWFJSFdmalNZclViQTZqSEFTVVJQY29ZZlFTLThlTTFhQ1hMVmctTnFXbGhzNVRBRUczMFFPYXJrUU5NTkc2bUktRDA2RUk1U2ljNVVrTl9fdktHRG80NmtpdHB3Z28zTU1nbEY1eVBFWjNWQkdOZTd3V2h3SmFldUdHOUtBLUpleTY4ZTA4ZkJmSVgxWFJ2R1JheGxELWJZV21FaE9oaDZ5WEpjeFY5dVI5S2lJejZlamRSdGhrTjYtV0E?oc=5

- Hackers exploit new MikroTik RouterOS flaws to hijack routers (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-exploit-new-mikrotik-routeros-flaws-to-hijack-routers/

- The Best Hot Weather Gear That Beats the Heat and Guards Against Chafing (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a26977933/summer-running-gear/

- A Sports Cardiologist Explains When—and Why—to Cut Out Alcohol So You Can Run Stronger on Race Day (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73603678/when-to-stop-drinking-before-a-race/

- The 57 Best Deals From the REI Labor Day Sale (Wired) - https://www.wired.com/story/rei-labor-day-sale-2026/

This episode covers a critical Magento zero-day hitting online stores, a high-severity Chrome exploit patched over the weekend, and the surprising return of Nitter and XCancel after legal scrutiny. Adrian also touches on marathon pacing advice for race season and reminds listeners that the signals never stop, even when the world's still waking up.

Stories covered:

- Unpatched Magento and Adobe Commerce Zero-Day Exploited to Backdoor Online Stores (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/unpatched-magento-and-adobe-commerce.html

- Google warns of new Chrome zero-day flaw exploited in attacks (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-warns-of-new-chrome-zero-day-flaw-exploited-in-attacks/

- Nitter and XCancel resume service after legal advice (Hacker News) - https://github.com/zedeus/nitter/commit/1428b4c2b4246f92a7e5b2673438e5fb39fcc4a3

- Start Your Marathon Too Fast, and You Could Pay for It Later. Here’s How to Stay in Control. (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73606899/marathon-start-pace-control/

- What Happened to Courtney Dauwalter, Zach Miller, and Other Favorites Who Did Not Finish UTMB? (Trail Runner Mag) - https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture-people/2026-utmb-dnf/

- GrapheneOS Overhauled Default Apps and Secure Clipboard (Hacker News) - https://grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/117225539756835649

This episode covers a critical zero-day hitting Magento and Adobe Commerce stores, an emergency Chrome update for an actively exploited V8 vulnerability, and the extradition of a Russian hacker tied to a massive phishing operation. Adrian also touches on the engineering trade-offs behind Runner's World's latest shoe rankings—because even product design reveals how we prioritize competing goals.

Stories covered:

- Unpatched Magento and Adobe Commerce Zero-Day Exploited to Backdoor Online Stores (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/unpatched-magento-and-adobe-commerce.html

- Google Releases Chrome Update to Patch Actively Exploited V8 Zero-Day (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/google-releases-chrome-update-to-patch.html

- Russian hacker faces up to 20 years in prison, following extradition and indictment over US phishing campaign that allegedly infected 80,000 PCs — hacker stole victims' data via remote access - Tom's Hardware (Tom's Hardware) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4wJBVV95cUxOd0V1WGtZODNDenNkdEdXWVl4Z3VlSFZhemlCS05Mak05QWVlUzdpWXF1ZEY2MkF3NWF5Q2RMeFZDdWE5X1RrM18tdnZTekNqR0s1dDJZR0lkZnY5U2k2NTVPdG1CWC1idmFaaUpOSWZTeklqVlMxMW9WNW51Q25sZHF6NndhYjJUTzY1VkRzakZuQ0pheWQwTTJoR2hNb2lZYUNKX3RUWDZhdDA3R0hUakZwdzYyR2FtelpIUUlPRWl1SGE1dGFBcVFTZU9fY29wY1JZSWhBZ1V6aHBNWWhXclBGSm5hRE5ielNCZmVWT3ZkNEQ3czU1QU4ybDBCS3VFeGJnNUhyTjJBMEkzOVd4OEpXRU9Db3BzRkNEM2dnM0xzZVdNaXRYc3FUSEFLdWo3azdwYjNCeDZZZzlJRmNFLUM4ZVFJZG1wbThodFRvbFFzVVR1U3RCeFFRZDNmbkdVMFNv?oc=5

- The Top 11 Women’s Running Shoes That Have the Comfiest Fit, Coziest Cushioning, and Most Responsive Ride (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a25578469/best-running-shoes-for-women/

- UTMB Showed Me That Trail Running Is Learning What Cycling Already Knows About Risk (Marathon Handbook) - https://marathonhandbook.com/trail-running-risk-lessons-from-cycling/

- Crux: 9 Photos That Capture the Power and Struggle of a Climb’s Hardest Move (Climbing Magazine) - https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/crux-winning-photo-summer-2026-contest/

This episode covers a Russian hacker facing extradition and 20 years for infecting 80,000 PCs, a Chrome zero-day already being exploited in the wild, and a clever supply chain attack hiding malicious instructions inside git config files that AI coding assistants will blindly execute. We also dig into what workout soreness at different time intervals actually tells you about recovery and whether you're training smart or just destroying yourself.

Stories covered:

- Russian hacker faces up to 20 years in prison, following extradition and indictment over US phishing campaign that allegedly infected 80,000 PCs — hacker stole victims' data via remote access - Tom's Hardware (Tom's Hardware) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4wJBVV95cUxOd0V1WGtZODNDenNkdEdXWVl4Z3VlSFZhemlCS05Mak05QWVlUzdpWXF1ZEY2MkF3NWF5Q2RMeFZDdWE5X1RrM18tdnZTekNqR0s1dDJZR0lkZnY5U2k2NTVPdG1CWC1idmFaaUpOSWZTeklqVlMxMW9WNW51Q25sZHF6NndhYjJUTzY1VkRzakZuQ0pheWQwTTJoR2hNb2lZYUNKX3RUWDZhdDA3R0hUakZwdzYyR2FtelpIUUlPRWl1SGE1dGFBcVFTZU9fY29wY1JZSWhBZ1V6aHBNWWhXclBGSm5hRE5ielNCZmVWT3ZkNEQ3czU1QU4ybDBCS3VFeGJnNUhyTjJBMEkzOVd4OEpXRU9Db3BzRkNEM2dnM0xzZVdNaXRYc3FUSEFLdWo3azdwYjNCeDZZZzlJRmNFLUM4ZVFJZG1wbThodFRvbFFzVVR1U3RCeFFRZDNmbkdVMFNv?oc=5

- Google Releases Chrome Update to Patch Actively Exploited V8 Zero-Day (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/google-releases-chrome-update-to-patch.html

- Malicious .git Configs Can Make Claude, Codex, Cursor, and Other AI Agents Run Attacker Code - thehackernews.com (thehackernews.com) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxOWllhLUQ0SXhLYU96cVVWSmlHYllZelNaWGgwZ0d3QlRXMUdaMERhcUNZV0Q1OElxUUNvZE1BU0VBTUloWHpURFdxU3N1b0ozQW13NVF6cVJEb1NJcFRVTWU5ZE5OUjhqb1dpTHNuNmxLS3lCYnhsZ1Mya19SUmxsMFV3?oc=5

- This 3-Day Soreness Checklist Can Reveal If You Nailed Your Workout—or Pushed Too Hard (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73596149/workout-recovery-soreness-check/

- Privacy on the Map (Part 2): Progress, Pitfalls, and the Fight for Enforceable Location Data Protections (EFF) - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/privacy-map-part-2-progress-pitfalls-and-fight-enforceable-location-data

- IDScan sued over alleged data breach affecting 153 million drivers (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/idscan-sued-over-alleged-data-breach-affecting-153-million-drivers/

This episode covers a major breach at Thomson Reuters' court case management platform, the extradition and indictment of a Russian hacker behind an 80,000-PC phishing campaign, and new research showing AI agents can compress cyberattack timelines from two weeks down to just ten hours. Adrian North walks through what each development means for defenders navigating an increasingly automated threat landscape. It's your essential Friday morning security briefing before the inbox explodes.

Stories covered:

- Thomson Reuters Court Software Breach May Have Exposed SSNs and Sealed Data (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/thomson-reuters-court-software-breach.html

- Russian hacker faces up to 20 years in prison, following extradition and indictment over US phishing campaign that allegedly infected 80,000 PCs — hacker stole victims' data via remote access - Tom's Hardware (Tom's Hardware) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4wJBVV95cUxOd0V1WGtZODNDenNkdEdXWVl4Z3VlSFZhemlCS05Mak05QWVlUzdpWXF1ZEY2MkF3NWF5Q2RMeFZDdWE5X1RrM18tdnZTekNqR0s1dDJZR0lkZnY5U2k2NTVPdG1CWC1idmFaaUpOSWZTeklqVlMxMW9WNW51Q25sZHF6NndhYjJUTzY1VkRzakZuQ0pheWQwTTJoR2hNb2lZYUNKX3RUWDZhdDA3R0hUakZwdzYyR2FtelpIUUlPRWl1SGE1dGFBcVFTZU9fY29wY1JZSWhBZ1V6aHBNWWhXclBGSm5hRE5ielNCZmVWT3ZkNEQ3czU1QU4ybDBCS3VFeGJnNUhyTjJBMEkzOVd4OEpXRU9Db3BzRkNEM2dnM0xzZVdNaXRYc3FUSEFLdWo3azdwYjNCeDZZZzlJRmNFLUM4ZVFJZG1wbThodFRvbFFzVVR1U3RCeFFRZDNmbkdVMFNv?oc=5

- AI 'Machine Speed' Cuts 2-Week Attack Down to 10 Hours (Dark Reading) - https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/ai-machine-speed-2-week-attack-10-hours

- What Happened to Courtney Dauwalter, Zach Miller, and Other Favorites Who Did Not Finish UTMB? (Trail Runner Mag) - https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture-people/2026-utmb-dnf/

- Nvidia’s Hugging Face Acquisition Is a $12.9 Billion Bet on Open-Source AI (Wired) - https://www.wired.com/story/nvidias-hugging-face-acquisition-is-a-dollar129-billion-bet-on-open-source-ai/

- Crux: 9 Photos That Capture the Power and Struggle of a Climb’s Hardest Move (Climbing Magazine) - https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/crux-winning-photo-summer-2026-contest/

This episode digs into a cascade of AI-enabled security threats hitting enterprise networks and critical infrastructure, from SonicWall zero-days forming an active attack chain to AI tools porting exploits across industrial controllers and even executing malicious code hidden in developer repos. Adrian connects the dots on how the barrier to sophisticated attacks just collapsed, then shifts gears to talk about knowing the difference between good fatigue and actual damage after a long run.

Stories covered:

- Attackers Exploit Two SonicWall SMA 1000 Zero-Days That May Form an Attack Chain - thehackernews.com (thehackernews.com) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMif0FVX3lxTE0wLW0xenRMNmZvNEhlSkFuTEZDRlBJdEJFbWpGdTJlekpaRTY3a3FpRmtBbW5pUWs2Q25qcUxUR1MzbjVkYl95a1dnWnpRdmZhYTJhTzVWTEluaHBuQS1KTWpLeEc2N05rRy1wVlpwOU9pQzd4dXlmaVFhZW5tdHM?oc=5

- Researchers Use Claude to Port Pre-Auth RCE Exploit From One PLC Model to Another (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/researchers-use-claude-to-port-pre-auth.html

- Malicious .git Configs Can Make Claude, Codex, Cursor, and Other AI Agents Run Attacker Code (The Hacker News) - https://thehackernews.com/2026/09/malicious-git-configs-can-make-claude.html

- Why You’re So Tired After Long Runs—and How to Recover Faster (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73595076/tired-after-long-run/

- Crux: 9 Photos That Capture the Power and Struggle of a Climb’s Hardest Move (Climbing Magazine) - https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/crux-winning-photo-summer-2026-contest/

- It sure looks like hackers breached a major ID card verification service (TechCrunch) - https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/02/it-sure-looks-like-hackers-breached-a-major-id-card-verification-service/

This episode digs into the messy psychology behind a hacker who calls their behavior an addiction, plus active exploits hitting PaperCut users and Langflow's AI framework. Adrian also covers a dark web marketplace selling over 153 million driver's license scans and what that means for identity fraud at scale.

Stories covered:

- 'Addicted to hacking': Young hacker behind historic breach speaks out for 1st time, before reporting to prison - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos (ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos) - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxObHotRTVhbWRuZE1vbkNkRlV5cjUtODlSV0NJYkMyR00tVzJFUjUxNjVHc0x1ZHRiMDg5dnBvczVuQVFocHNocU8yWF85RmRpLXFaQkx1RWdZeHlscmE5UU5aR1haUmgwbEh0TWtYTEVIUEV0YmZXM0U0Unk3SXdCQm50OXg3Wkp0N3Q3eC04OHo3Y0paREU4b3gzem9ubWPSAaQBQVVfeXFMTTFaMzJodU9aZWlRMU1zandRMHc3SmJpckwzQmNHQWdDVHJ5eVNvNWtzSmowd2lyTUptdTJCUTJWZVVzX0E5RFZNT1J2YW1JcHctcUNOa3pnbW84cXE5eEthYTNqa3VPUDI3MEh0VzlfUTRVQ0VrODA0RlBGaVJuUjhlTndwc2JPM2ttVDlwQmxyREpBZXhmUjh0SXNJSGxyMGdfUzQ?oc=5

- Recently patched PaperCut zero-days used in data theft attacks (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/recently-patched-papercut-zero-days-used-in-data-theft-attacks/

- Critical Langflow flaw exploited to steal OpenAI and AWS keys (BleepingComputer) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/critical-langflow-flaw-exploited-to-steal-openai-and-aws-keys/

- FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses (Krebs on Security) - https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/09/fbi-probes-service-selling-153m-drivers-licenses/

- 4 Training Tweaks That Help Runners Over 50 Stay Strong and Lower Injury Risk (Runner's World) - https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a73572037/running-after-50-training-tweaks/

- Backyard world-record holder runs for six straight days and nights (Canadian Running) - https://runningmagazine.ca/trail-running/backyard-world-record-holder-runs-for-six-straight-days-and-nights/