Arion Kurtaj, a teenager from the UK, amassed a fortune through audacious cybercrimes. From stealing Grand Theft Auto 6 secrets to erasing Brazil's COVID vaccination data, his exploits were legendary. But his hacking spree took a bizarre turn when he was placed under police protection... in a Travelodge outside Oxford.

Plus Bengal cat lovers in Australia should be on their guard, as your furry feline friends might be leading you into a dangerous trap., and there's yet more headaches for troubled 23andMe.

All this and much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by Thom Langford.

Plus don't miss our featured interview with Paul Fryer from BlackBerry.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• FBI issues warning as crooks ramp up emergency data request scams - The Register.
• Optimistic father of LAPSUS$ hacking suspect says he’s going to try to stop him using computers - Graham Cluley.
• LAPSUS$: GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order - BBC News.
• This Teenage Hacker Became a Legend Attacking Companies. Then His Rivals Attacked Him - Wall Street Journal.
• Bengal cat lovers in Australia get psspsspss’d in Google-driven Gootloader campaign - Sophos.
• Struggling DNA-testing site 23andMe to lay off 40% of its workers - BBC News.
• Remember That DNA You Gave 23andMe? - The Atlantic.
• Big Pharma Would Like Your DNA - The Atlantic.
• Addressing Data Security Concerns - Action Plan - 23andMe Blog.
• YTCH - YouTube-like cable TV.
• Space: 1999 opening titles - YouTube.
• Space: 1999 - Wikipedia.
• Wicked movie: Mattel 'deeply regrets' porn site misprint on dolls - BBC News.
• The Wicked Movie - Official Wicked Movie site.
• Mattel's 'Wicked' Movie Dolls Mistakenly List Porn Site on Packaging - Variety.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• BlackBerry - Tune in and empower your team with the knowledge to stay connected, no matter what crisis. Learn more about BlackBerry's critical event management solutions.
• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

Mamma Mia! A major hacking scandal in Italy has expanded to include alleged involvement from Israel and the Vatican, and just why are companies advertising jobs that don't exist?

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• Massive hack-for-hire scandal rocks Italian political elites - Politico.
• Dossieraggi, i contatti con il Mossad e i dati passati al Vaticano. “Aiutiamo la Chiesa contro la Russia o no?” - La Repubblica.
• That position you just applied for might be a 'ghost job' that'll never be filled - The Register.
• Ghost jobs: why do 40% of companies advertise positions that don’t exist? - The Guardian.
• Job boards are still rife with 'ghost jobs'. What's the point? - BBC.
• How To Spot Ghost Jobs And Make Your Job Search More Efficient - Forbes.
• What Are Ghost Jobs and How Can You Avoid Them? - Tech.co
• That job you applied for might not exist. Here's what's behind a boom in "ghost jobs." - CBS News.
• The Coming Storm - BBC Radio 4.
• Things fell apart - BBC Sounds.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• Vanta – Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Flashpoint - Access the industry’s best threat data and intelligence.

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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

In this week's episode your hosts practice standing on one leg, Carole gives Graham a deepfake quiz, and we investigate how Strava may be exposing the movements of world leaders.

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• Smashing Security #063: Carole’s back.
• Privacy of fitness tracking apps in the spotlight after soldiers' exercise routes shared online - We Live Security.
• Smashing Security #330: Deepfake Martin Lewis, and a deadly jog in the park.
• How Emmanuel Macron can be tracked - Le Monde.
• How Emmanuel Macron can be tracked - YouTube.
• The Pentagon Wants to Use AI to Create Deepfake Internet Users - Intercept.
• Is AI eroding democracy ahead of the US election? - BBC News.
• Fooled twice: People cannot detect deepfakes but think they can - PMC.
• Detect Fakes - Kellogg Northwestern.
• DON'T LET AI STEAL YOUR VOTE! - YouTube.
• Deepfakes fool more than half of Americans, UVU study shows - KLS News radio.
• Crocodiles Of The World.
• Here's How Long You Should Be Able To Stand On 1 Leg By Age - Huffington Post.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• BlackBerry - Tune in and empower your team with the knowledge to stay connected, no matter what crisis. Learn more about BlackBerry's critical event management solutions.
• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

The SolarWinds have returned to haunt four cybersecurity companies who tried to hide their breaches and ended up with their trousers around their ankles, and North Korea succeeds in getting one of its IT workers hired... but what's their plan?

All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• SolarWinds Sunburst supply chain attack - Wikipedia.
• Rep. Katie Porter slams SolarWinds for its poor passwords - Twitter.
• SEC Charges Four Companies With Misleading Cyber Disclosures - SEC.
• Western firm hacked by North Korean cybercriminal hired as remote IT worker - Computing.
• Engaging with a Remote Workforce: Statistics and Strategies for Success - Government Events.
• 67% Of U.S. Employers To Lose Employees To Remote Work In 2024 - Forbes.
• A company's remote-working hire turns out to be in North Korea. He tried to hold it to ransom - Business Insider.
• US company accidentally hires North Korean for remote work, gets blackmailed when they try to fire him - IBTimes.
• Watch “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” - Channel 4.
• Undercover film exposing UK far-right activists pulled from London festival - The Guardian.
• Kermode and Mayo’s Take - YouTube.
• The Fear of God: 25 Years of the Exorcist – BBC iPlayer.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

WordPress's emperor, Matt Mullenweg, demands a hefty tribute from WP Engine, and a battle erupts, leaving millions of websites hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, the Internet Archive, a digital library preserving our online history, is under siege from hackers.

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• WP Engine is not WordPress - WordPress.
• Secure Custom Fields - ​​WordPress.
• Tweet from Advanced Custom Fields.
• Advisory: Advanced Custom Fields changes - Tim Nash.
• WordPress saga escalates as WP Engine plugin forcibly forked and legal letters fly - The Register.
• Internet Archive hacked, data breach impacts 31 million users - Bleeping Computer.
• The Internet Archive is still down but will return in ‘days, not weeks’ - The Verge.
• Dimsdale podcasts - OTR radio drama comedy and more.
• Jeff Goldblum’s furiously fun Greek gods drama is a masterpiece - The Guardian.
• KAOS - Netflix.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• Vanta – Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Flashpoint - Access the industry’s best threat data and intelligence.

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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

Join us as we delve into the world of unexpected security breaches and legal loopholes, where your robot vacuum cleaner might be spying on you, and ordering a pizza could cost you your right to sue.

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• We hacked a robot vacuum — and could watch live through its camera - ABC News.
• Their Uber Driver Crashed. A Pizza Order Unraveled Their Injury Lawsuit - NY Times.
• A court blocks a couple from suing Uber over a crash, citing terms and conditions - NPR.
• Taken for a Ride: Parents Can't Sue Uber Over Crash After Daughter's Uber Eats Order - Law.inc
• New Jersey Court Bars Uber Crash Victims from Lawsuit, Citing App Agreement - The Legal Journal.
• Couple Seriously Injured in Uber Crash Blocked From Court by Uber Eats Terms - The Insurance Journal.
• Disney axes bid to stop wrongful death lawsuit over Disney+ terms - BBC.
• Sherwood - BBC iPlayer.
• Chocolate Guinness Cake - Nigella.
• The Best Banana Cake I've Ever Had - Sally's Baking Addiction.
• My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• SentinelOne - secure and protect every aspect of your cloud in real-time.
• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

From family tree to jail cell? A hacker is alleged to have exploited information on genealogy websites to steal millions from public companies. Meanwhile, Kaspersky's US customers are wondering - what on earth is UltraAV?

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• U.K. National Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Hack-to-Trade Fraud Scheme - US Department of Justice.
• Sophos punts anti-virus for Klingons - The Register.
• Designating Kaspersky Lab Leadership in Response to Continued Cybersecurity Risks - US Department of Treasury.
• Kaspersky says Uncle Sam snubbed its verification proposal - The Register.
• Use Kaspersky Antivirus Software? You'll Be Migrated to Pango's UltraAV  - PC Mag. 
• Kaspersky software replaced by 'UltraAV' on some US PCs -   The Register.
• Need Instructions on Refunds for those who bought multi-year subscriptions - Kaspersky.
• US bans Kaspersky antivirus software for alleged Russian links - BBC News.
• Who gave you permission to put UltraAV on my computer? - Kaspersky Total Security.
• MusicBrainz Picard - Cross-platform music tagger powered by the MusicBrainz database.
• 100 Chefs Will Slice Through the Competition in Culinary Class Wars - Netflix.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• SentinelOne - secure and protect every aspect of your cloud in real-time.
• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

Two men are accused of stealing almost a quarter of a billion dollars from one person's cryptocurrency wallet, but why on earth would they be handing out handbags to strangers? And social media comes under the spotlight once more, as we ask if you are delving into misinformation in your most private moments...

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• ZachXBT’s thread on Twitter.
• Indictment Charges Two in $230 Million Cryptocurrency Scam - Department of Justice.
• Two men arrested one month after $230 million of cryptocurrency stolen from a single victim - Bitdefender.
• Skylar Harrison tells her handbag story - TikTok.
• Social media’s role in fueling extremism and misinformation in a divided political climate - PBS News.
• Misinformation on social media - statistics & facts - Pew Research.
• Social Media and News Fact Sheet, 2024  - Pew Research Center.
• "Hyperactive" by Lasse Gjertsen - YouTube.
• Cribbage JD - Play Online - Cardsjd.
• Paddlers Cribbage - L.L. Bean.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• SentinelOne - secure and protect every aspect of your cloud in real-time.
• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

Transport for London (TfL) suffers a cybersecurity incident and tells its 30,000 staff they will all have to their identities verified... in-person. Who might have been behind the attack and why? Meanwhile, Donald Trump's curious relationship with cryptocurrency is explored.

All this and Demi Moore is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

(This episode was recorded before the former US President survived a second assassination attempt)

Episode links:

• TFL cybersecurity incident announcement.
• TFL Employee Hub.
• DICK'S shuts down email, locks employee accounts after cyberattack - Bleeping Computer.
• MGM Resorts shuts down IT systems and slot machines go quiet following "cybersecurity incident" - Hot for Security.
• Teenage suspect in MGM Resorts hack arrested in Britain - The Record.
• Arrest made in NCA investigation into Transport for London cyber attack - NCA.
• Donald Trump Prepares to Unveil World Liberty Financial, a Cryptocurrency Business  - The New York Times.
• Behind the Trump Crypto Project Is a Self-Described ‘Dirtbag of the Internet’ - Bloomberg. 
• Cryptocurrency price on July 22: Bitcoin hits $68,000 level, Dogecoin, Avalanche surge up to 11% - The Economic Times.
• Trump vows to make US ‘world capital of crypto,’ taps Musk for new task force - CoinTelegraph.
• What bankers need to know about Trump's World Liberty Financial - Yahoo! Finance. 
• Bitcoin soars to two-week high after Trump attack - Reuters.
• Trump pitches himself as 'crypto president' at San Francisco tech fundraiser -  Reuters.
• Aave fork on Blast mistakenly liquidated $26m - Crypto news. 
• Crypto Talk With Chase Hero - Ep.7 (The Watchers) - YouTube. 
• Tamdrum.
• ”Inside Out” by Demi Moore - HarperCollins. 
• THE SUBSTANCE trailer - YouTube. 
• Demi's Big Moment - Vanity Fair. 
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• Flashpoint - Access the industry’s best threat data and intelligence.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

It's a case of algorithm and blues as we look into an AI music scam, Ukraine believes it has caught a spy high in the sky, and a cocaine-fuelled bear goes on the rampage.

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• Ukrainian detained for allegedly installing CCTV cameras to aid Russian attacks - The Record.
• Russia calls for restrictions on surveillance cameras, dating apps in cities under attack from Ukraine - The Record.
• Christo and Jeanne-Claude art projects.
• North Carolina Musician Charged With Music Streaming Fraud Aided By Artificial Intelligence - United States Department of Justice.
• Man Arrested for Creating Fake Bands With AI, Then Making $10 Million by Listening to Their Songs With Bots - The Futurist.
• Kobo Clara BW ereader - Kobo.
• Cocaine Bear: Why? - The Atlantic.
• Cocaine Bear Official trailer - YouTube.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management – Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• Sysdig - Secure your cloud in real time. Detect, investigate, and respond to threats at cloud speed.
• 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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.

There's a whole new dating scam that could mean you end up out of pocket (or beaten up) after a first date with a glamorous admirer, and a woman in Los Alamos uses an Air Tag to entrap a thief.

Plus - don't miss our featured interview with Maya Levine of Sysdig.

All this, and a very bad Cockney accent, in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by industry veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

• Mail Theft Suspect Apprehended Using AirTag - Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
• Google and Apple deliver support for unwanted tracking alerts in Android and iOS - Google Security blog.
• Apple and Google deliver support for unwanted tracking alerts in iOS and Android - Apple.
• Barclays Scams Bulletin: Men more likely to fall victim to romance scams, while women lose more money - Barclays.
• 3 men trapped by same woman: Journalist on modus operandi of dating app scams -  India Today. 
• Mumbai club under fire for 'dating scam' after man gets Rs 61,000 bill - India News.
• Romance scams in 2024 + online dating statistics - Norton.
• Tips for romance scams - Better Business Bureau.
• What to know about romance scams - Consumer Advice.
• The Godfather club dating app scam in Mumbai - YouTube.
• What accent does Butcher have in ‘The Boys’? - NME.
• Shokz bone conduction headphones - Shokz.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

• 1Password Extended Access Management - Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.
• Sysdig - Secure your cloud in real time. Detect, investigate, and respond to threats at cloud speed.
• Material Security – 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.

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 and our early-release feed!

FOLLOW US:

Follow us on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity, 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.