Stop the press - a company has actually said "sorry" after a data breach, and hotels are helping hackers phish their own guests.

In episode 444 of "Smashing Security" we examine a refreshingly honest breach response (and why legacy systems are still going to ruin your week), dig into a nasty hotel-booking malware campaign that abuses trust in apps and CAPTCHAs, and chat about autonomous pen testing, AI-turbocharged cybercrime, and what CISOs should really be asking on Monday morning.

And lost Doctor Who is brought back to life by one very dedicated animator, and we take a look at Eddie Murphy’s career.

All this and more is discussed in episode 444 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Tricia Howard.

Plus - don't miss our featured interview with Snehal Antani from Horizon3.ai!

EPISODE LINKS:

• A Simple WhatsApp Security Flaw Exposed 3.5 Billion Phone Numbers - Wired.
• British hacker must repay £4m after hijacking celebrity Twitter accounts - BBC News.
• Cloudflare experiences a massive outage - LifeHacker.
• Protecting our Merchants: Standing up to Extortion - Checkout.
• A miracle: A company says sorry after a cyber attack - and donates the ransom to cybersecurity research - Hot for Security.
• Large-Scale ClickFix Phishing Attacks Target Hotel Systems with PureRAT Malware - The Hacker News.
• Unmasking a Sophisticated Phishing Campaign That Targets Hotel Guests - Akamai.
• Doctor Who Animation: Daleks' Master Plan - The Nightmare Begins. Part 1 - YouTube.
• Doctor Who Animation: Daleks' Master Plan - The Nightmare Begins. Part 2 - YouTube.
• Being Eddie - Netflix.
• 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!
• Horizon3.ai - Get an autonomous pentest demo and see your network the way attackers do. Visit Horizon3.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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Tinder has got a plan to rummage through your camera roll, and Warren Buffett keeps popping up in convincing deepfakes dishing "number one investment tips."

Meanwhile, will agentic AI replace your co-hosts before you can say "EDR for robots"? and why you should still read books.

All this, plus Lily Allen's new album and Claude Code come up for discussion in episode 443 of the "Smashing Security" podcast, with special guest Ron Eddings.

EPISODE LINKS:

• ‘Landfall’ spyware abused zero-day to hack Samsung Galaxy phones - TechCrunch.
• Cyber insurers paid out over twice as much for UK ransomware attacks last year - The Register.
• Lost iPhone? Don’t fall for phishing texts saying it was found - Bleeping Computer.
• Tinder to use AI to get to know users, tap into their Camera Roll photos - TechCrunch.
• Facebook’s AI can now suggest edits to the photos still on your phone - TechCrunch.
• Berkshire warns of AI deepfakes impersonating Warren Buffett - Reuters.
• West End Girl - Wikipedia.
• West End Girl - Spotify.
• Claude Code.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Action1 - Keep your systems safe (and your sanity intact) with the patch management platform that just works. The best part? Your first 200 endpoints are free, forever, with no functional limits.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Trelica by 1Password - Access Governance for every SaaS app. Discover, manage, and optimize access for any of your SaaS apps - whether managed or unmanaged.

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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Time itself comes under attack as a state-backed hacking gang spends two years tunnelling toward a nation’s master clock — with chaos potentially only a tick away.

Plus when ransomware negotiators turn to the dark side, what could possibly go wrong?

All this and more is discussed in episode 442 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Dave Bittner.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Alleged Meduza Stealer malware admins arrested after hacking Russian org - Bleeping Computer.
• Tap-and-Steal: The Rise of NFC Relay Malware on Mobile Devices - Zimperium.
• Postcode Lottery's lucky dip turns into data slip as players draw each other's info - The Register.
• Chinese Ministry of State Security MSS WeChat post - WeChat.
• China blames US for cyber break-in, claims America is world's biggest bit burglar - The Register.
• Chicago firm that resolves ransomware attacks had rogue workers carrying out their own hacks, FBI says - Chicago Sun Times.
• MicroMacro: Crime City.
• Star Wars 3.5 foot animated LED R2-D2 - Home Depot.
• TrackaLacker.
• 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!
• Material - Email security that covers the full threat landscape – stopping new flavors of phishing and pretexting attacks in their tracks, while also protecting accounts and data from exploit or exposure.
• Drata - The world’s most advanced Trust Management platform – making risk and compliance management accessible, continuous, and 10x more automated than ever before.

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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Basketball stars have allegedly joined forces with the mafia to fleece high-rollers in a poker scam involving hacked shufflers, covert cameras, and an X-ray card table.

Meanwhile, researchers have found they could poke around an FIA driver portal to pull up the personal details of Formula 1 megastars.

Plus: Graham’s “Pick of the Week” turns CAPTCHA hell into a delightfully deranged browser game that will make you question vegetables, geometry, and your life choices, while Danny takes a trip to ancient Africa...

All this and more is discussed in episode 441 of "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Danny Palmer.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Baohuo, the gray eminence. Android backdoor hijacks Telegram accounts, gaining complete control over them - Dr Web.
• Cyberattack on Russia’s food safety agency reportedly disrupts product shipments - The Record.
• Dissecting YouTube's malware distribution network - Check Point.
• 31 Defendants, Including Members and Associates of Organized Crime Families and National Basketball Association Coach Chauncey Billups, Charged in Schemes to Rig Illegal Poker Games - US Department of Justice.
• How Hacked Card Shufflers Allegedly Enabled a Mob-Fueled Poker Scam That Rocked the NBA - Wired.
• Every Formula 1 driver on the grid just had their passport and license details leaked - but it could have been so much worse - TechRadar.
• I’m not a robot - Neal.fun.
• Can I Beat The CAPTCHA Game? - YouTube.
• An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi - Penguin.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Action1 - Keep your systems safe (and your sanity intact) with the patch management platform that just works. The best part? Your first 200 endpoints are free, forever, with no functional limits.
• SecAlerts - SecAlerts makes your job easier by matching vulnerabilities to your software, using information as soon as it’s released. Use code SMASHING for 50% off a year subscription.
• 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.

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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

A literal insider threat: we head to a Romanian prison where “self-service” web kiosks allowed inmates to run wild. Then we head to the checkout aisle to ask why JavaScript on payment pages went feral, and how new PCI DSS rules are finally muzzling Magecart-style skimmers.

Plus: Graham reveals his new-found superpower with Keyboard Maestro, and Scott describes a slick new way to whip up beautiful how-to videos with Screen Studio.

All this and more is discussed in episode 440 of "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Scott Helme.

EPISODE LINKS:

• What caused the AWS outage - and why did it make the internet fall apart? - BBC News.
• China blames US for cyber break-in, claims America is world's biggest bit burglar - The Register.
• Nintendo allegedly hacked by Crimson Collective hacking group - screenshot shows leaked folders, production assets, developer files, and backups - Tom’s Hardware.
• Romanian inmate hacks into prison IT system, modifies sentences for others - Romania Insider.
• New Version of PCI DSS Designed to Tackle Emerging Payment Threats - Infosecurity Magazine.
• What is Magecart? How this hacker group steals payment card data - CSO.
• Keyboard Maestro.
• Screen Studio.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• ANON - Find, monitor and remove data about yourself online. Manage your digital footprint with ease. Use code SMASHING for a 25% discount.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Trelica by 1Password - Access Governance for every SaaS app. Discover, manage, and optimize access for any of your SaaS apps - whether managed or unmanaged.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

A critical infrastructure hack hits the headlines - involving default passwords, boasts on Telegram, and a finale that will make a few cyber-crooks wish the ground would swallow them whole. 

Meanwhile we dig into the bit we don't talk about enough: the human cost of defending companies from hackers - stress, burnout, and how better leadership culture can help make security teams safer and saner.

Plus we say a heartfelt "la di dah" to Diane Keaton, and tune in to a freshly re-released slice of pre-Fleetwood Mac history for the music-obsessed amongst us. 

All this and more is discussed in episode 439 of "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and his special guest Annabel Berry.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Cyber-attacks rise by 50% in past year, UK security agency says - The Guardian.
• What does the end of free support for Windows 10 mean for its users? - The Guardian.
• Satellites found exposing unencrypted data, including phone calls and some military comms - TechCrunch.
• Anatomy of a Hacktivist Attack: Russian-Aligned Group Targets OT/ICS - Forescout.
• Caught in the act: Ransomware attack sticks to our AI-created honeypot - Forescout.
• Human Performance in Security Operations: A Survey on Burnout, Wellbeing and Flow State Among Practitioners - NDSS Symposium.
• State of the Security Profession 23/24 - Chartered Institute of Information Security.
• Leading Cyber.
• Mental Health in Cybersecurity Foundation.
• “Play it Again, Sam” - IMDB.
• “Play it Again, Sam” clip - YouTube.
• “Buckingham Nicks” - Spotify.
• Fleetwood Mac - Silver Springs (Live, 1997) - YouTube.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

If anything we've discussed today has resonated with you, or if you're going through a tough time, please know you are not alone. There is always someone ready to listen, without judgment. Here are a few of the available resources:

• Shout - text 85258 (24x7)
• Samaritans - tel 116123 (24x7)
• Suicide prevention - tel 0800 689 5652 (6pm - 3.30am)
• SANEline - tel 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm - 10.30pm)

SPONSORS:

• SecAlerts - SecAlerts makes your job easier by matching vulnerabilities to your software, using information as soon as it’s released. Use code SMASHING for 50% off a year subscription.
• ANON - Find, monitor and remove data about yourself online. Manage your digital footprint with ease. Use code SMASHING for a 25% discount.
• 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.

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Your computer's mouse might not be as innocent as it looks - and one ransomware crew has a crisis of conscience that nobody saw coming.

We talk about how something as ordinary as a web page could turn your mouse into a surprisingly nosey neighbour, and why ransomware gangs need to think carefully about their reputation.

Meanwhile, Graham reveals a baked potato hack that might just change your life, and we take an unexpected detour to South America for a bit of literary adventure involving inflatable pigs.

All this and more is discussed in episode 438 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and his special guest Geoff White.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Discord users' data stolen by hackers in third-party data breach - Bitdefender.
• North Korean hackers increasingly targeting wealthy crypto holders - BBC News.
• Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters offering $10 in Bitcoin to 'endlessly harass' execs - The Register.
• Vacanti mouse - Wikipedia.
• Mic-E-Mouse.
• Invisible Ears at Your Fingertips: Acoustic Eavesdropping via Mouse Sensors - Arvix.
• Mic-E-Mouse Pipeline Demonstration - YouTube.
• Hackers say they have deleted children's pictures and data after nursery attack backlash - BBC News.
• Baked Potato - Wikipedia.
• “At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig: Travels through Paraguay” - Penguin.
• 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.
• Trelica by 1Password - Access Governance for every SaaS app. Discover, manage, and optimize access for any of your SaaS apps - whether managed or unmanaged.
• Drata - The world’s most advanced Trust Management platform – making risk and compliance management accessible, continuous, and 10x more automated than ever before.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Researchers uncovered a security flaw in Salesforce’s shiny new Agentforce. The vulnerability, dubbed "ForcedLeak", let them smuggle AI-read instructions in via humble Web-to-Lead form... and ended up spilling data for the low, low price of five dollars.

And we discuss why data breach communications still default to "we take security seriously" while quietly implying "assume no breach" - until the inevitable walk-back.

Plus, we take a look at ITV's phone-hacking drama with David Tennant, and take a crack at decoding the history of the Rosetta Stone.

Hear all this and more in episode 437 of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, joined this week by special guest Paul Ducklin.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Harrods suffers new data breach exposing 430,000 customer records - Bleeping Computer.
• Caméras dissimulées : la CNIL sanctionne la Samaritaine - CNIL.
• ‘Total internet blackout’ in Afghanistan sparks panic after Taliban vowed to stamp out immoral activities - CNN.
• ForcedLeak: AI Agent risks exposed in Salesforce AgentForce - Noma.
• The Hack - itvX.
• The Hack - YouTube.
• The Rosetta Stone: The Story of the Decoding of Hieroglyphics - Amazon.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• SecAlerts - SecAlerts makes your job easier by matching vulnerabilities to your software, using information as soon as it’s released. Use code SMASHING for 50% off a year subscription.
• ANON - Find, monitor and remove data about yourself online. Manage your digital footprint with ease. Use code SMASHING for a 25% discount.
• 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.

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

Ransomware doesn’t just freeze computers - it can silence alarms too. And when the Natural History Museum in Paris went dark, thieves helped themselves to €600,000 worth of gold in a daring late-night heist. Meanwhile, developers have a new headache: a worm dubbed “Shai Hulud” has wriggled its way through more than 180 npm packages, quietly stealing secrets.

But it’s not all doom and gloom - unless you count your kitchen appliances turning into ad billboards.

All this and more is discussed in episode 436 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and his special guest Zoë Rose.

EPISODE LINKS:

• EU cyber agency says airport software held to ransom by criminals - BBC News.
• Teenagers charged over cyber attack on TfL costing millions of pounds - Sky News.
• Teen arrested on suspicion of Vegas Strip attack that cost $100M - SF Gate.
• Paris: cyber-attack hits Natural History Museum, cancels exhibition - Sortira Paris.
• Cybersécurité : le Grand Palais et plusieurs musées dont le Louvre victimes d’une attaque par rançongiciel - Le Parisien.
• "Des pièces de collection nationale": le directeur du Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Paris indique que les pépites d'or volées ont "une valeur inestimable" - BFMTV.
• Shai-Hulud Supply Chain Attack: Worm Used to Steal Secrets, 180+ NPM Packages Hit - Security Week.
• Shai-Hulud: Ongoing Package Supply Chain Worm Delivering Data-Stealing Malware - Wiz.
• 180+ NPM Packages Hit in Major Supply Chain Attack - Ox.
• Samsung confirms ads will now be shown on its $1,800+ fridges - UniLad.
• Bosch Cordless Multifunction Tool - Bosch.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORED BY:

• Vanta – Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Trelica by 1Password - Access Governance for every SaaS app. Discover, manage, and optimize access for any of your SaaS apps - whether managed or unmanaged.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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

When "bad actors" stop being hackers and start being... actual actors.

This week, Graham and special guest Jenny Radcliffe play “Hacker or Ham?” (yes, Steven Seagal, we’re looking at you), before diving into a campaign which saw an Iranian gang luring Israeli performers with fake casting calls for a serious film. We unpack why positive lures can short-circuit scepticism just as effectively as fear.

Plus, the UK's ICO says students are increasingly hacking their own schools.

Meanwhile, Graham heads to 1960s Oxford with Endeavour, while Jenny investigates the Wirral’s mysterious "Catman".

All this, and more, in episode 435 of the "Smashing Security" podcast.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Shai-Hulud Worm Compromises npm Ecosystem in Supply Chain Attack - Unit 42.
• Jaguar Land Rover extends production shutdown after cyber-attack - The Guardian.
• AI-Driven Deepfake Military ID Fraud Campaign by Kimsuky APT - Genians.
• Israel says suspected Iranian hackers targeted actors in phishing attack - Iran International.
• Iranian Educated Manticore Targets Leading Tech Academics - Check Point.
• Children hacking their own schools for 'fun', watchdog warns - BBC News.
• Endeavour - ITVx.
• Crowds armed with torches hunt the “cat man” every night - Liverpool Echo.
• 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!
• Adaptive Security - request a custom demo featuring a real CEO deepfake simulation today from adaptivesecurity.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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

Become a supporter 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.

ENJOYED THE SHOW?

Make sure to check out our sister podcast, "The AI Fix".

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