Graham explores how the Elusive Comet cybercrime gang are using a sneaky trick of stealing your cryptocurrency via an innocent-appearing Zoom call, and Carole goes under the covers to explore the extraordinary lengths bio-hacking millionaire Bryan Johnson is attempting to extend his life.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:Elusive Comet advisory - Security Alliance.Mitigating Elusive Comet Zoom remote control attacks - Trail of Bits.Aureon Capital: The Fake VCs who Almost Hacked Me - David Z Morris.Requesting or giving Remote Control - Zoom knowledgebase article.Has Bryan Johnson’s anti-aging experiment backfired? Biohacker spending $2 million-a-year admits to a costly misstep - Economic Times.  How Blueprint Founder Bryan Johnson Sought Control Via Confidentiality Agreements - The New York Times.Anti-aging mogul Bryan Johnson claims NY Times preparing ‘hit piece’ about alleged use of prostitutes, drugs - NY Post.KOReader - document reader for E Ink devices.

A cybersecurity firm is buying access to underground crime forums to gather intelligence. Does that seem daft to you?And over in Nigeria, even if romance scammers would like to update their LinkedIn profiles, just how easy is it to turn a new leaf after a sweet-talking career in cybercrime?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:Sell your forum accounts - PRODAFT.International Scammers Steal Over $1 Trillion in 12 Months in Global State of Scams Report 2024 - Gasa.org.Why Nigeria's internet scammers are 'role models' - BBC News.28-year-old fraudster surrenders to EFCC, confesses to romance scams - Punch Newspapers.Black Box - BBC iPlayer.Black Box trailer - YouTube.Katherine Ryan Battleaxe Tour - LW Theatres. Louis Theroux Interviews - Series 1: 5. Katherine Ryan - BBC iPlayer.Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)Sponsored by:Dashlane - Protect against the #1 cause of data breaches - poor password ha

QR codes are being weaponised by scammers — so maybe think twice before scanning that parking meter. And in a blunder so dumb it makes autocorrect look smart, the White House explains how it leaked war plans on Signal because an iPhone mistook a journalist for a government insider.Plus! Don't miss our featured interview with Josh Donelson of Material and Tony Albano from Google, about detection and response in today's AI-driven world.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:The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans - The Atlantic.Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal - The Atlantic.How the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg got added to the White House Signal group chat - The Guardian.From convenience to compromise: The rising threat of quishing scams - Fast Company.Microsoft Warns of Tax-Themed Email Attacks Using PDFs and QR Codes to Deliver Malware - Hacker News.QR Code Statistics 2024: Trends & Use Cases - QR Code.Honey Garlic Scallop Kabobs - Heinz.

Renowned cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt falls victim to a phishing attack, resulting in the exposure of thousands of subscriber details, and don't lose your life savings in a whisky scam...All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.Plus! Don't miss our featured interview with Alastair Paterson, CEO and co-founder of Harmonic Security, discussing how companies can adopt Generative AI without putting their sensitive data at risk.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:A Sneaky Phish Just Grabbed my Mailchimp Mailing List - Troy Hunt.Thunderbird breach notice.Opération Cactus - Le Groupement d’Intérêt Public Action contre la Cybermalveillance.Cancer patient lost life savings to whisky barrel scammers - BBC. How to spot an investment scam - Saga Money.More than £612 million was lost to investment fraud in the UK last year - City of London Police. Adolescence - Netflix.Behind the scenes of Adolescence - YouTube.Thames Water: Inside the Crisis - BBC iPlayer.

A YouTuber has unleashed an innovative AI bot army to disrupt and outwit the world of online scammers, and a New York Times investigation looks into the intricate web of global money laundering.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:O2’s AI granny Daisy unveils what she’s learnt from her time on the phone to scammers – and what you can do to ruin their day - O2.Lenny - The Telemarketing Troll.I Built a Bot Army that Scams Scammers - Kitboga on YouTube.Takeaways From Our Money Laundering Investigation - The New York Times.Infiltrating scammer networks with the world’s top fraud fighters - YouTube.Open Street Map - Open Street Map.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!Drata - The world’s most advanced Trust Management platform – making risk and compliance management accessible, continuous, and 10x more automated than ever before.

In episode 409 of the "Smashing Security" podcast, we uncover the curious case of the Chinese cyber-attack on Littleton's Electric Light Company, and a California landlord's hidden camera scandal. 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:This is the FBI, open up. China's Volt Typhoon is on your network - The Register.Landlord recorded nude videos of woman tenant with cameras hidden in bedroom smoke detectors, lawsuit says - The Independent.Landlord arrested after tenant discovers hidden camera in rented room - PBSO.Hidden Cameras: What Travelers Need to Know - The New York Times.Shakespeare insults t-shirt - Royal Shakespeare Company.OAS Exhibitions - Oxford Art  Society.Carole’s “Rusty Sage” - Bluesky.Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)Sponsored by:Drata - The world’s most advanced Trust Management platform – making risk and compliance management accessible, continuous, and 10x more automated than ever before.

What happens when a healthcare giant’s legal threats ignite a Streisand Effect wildfire… while a ransomware gang appears to ditch the dark web for postage stamps?Find out about this, and more, 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 wanted to help': Students arrested after exposing FreeHour security flaw - Times of Malta.Medusa ransomware gang demands $2M from UK private health services provider - DataBreaches.net.Medusa Unveils Another 50TB of Stolen Data from HCRG Care Group, Giving Greater Insight Into the Scope of the Breach - DataBreaches.net.HCRG Care’s lawyers claimed an injunction issued in a “private” hearing required us to remove two posts. We didn’t comply - DataBreaches.net.Security firm leaves more than five billion records exposed on unsecured database - Graham Cluley.After threatening me with legal action, Keepnet Labs finally issues statement over data breach - Graham Cluley.Sophos apologises for going legal on school techies - The Register.Mail Scam Targeting Cor

Journey with us to Myanmar's shadowy scam factories, where trafficked workers are forced to run romance-baiting and fake tech support scams, and find out why a company's mandatory hold time for tech support could lead to innocent users having their computers compromised.All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.Plus - don't miss our featured interview with Acronis CISO Gerald Beuchelt!Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:HP deliberately adds 15 minutes waiting time for telephone support calls - The Register.HP mandated 15-minute wait time for callers - why that was good news for criminals - Bob Sullivan.How vulnerable people are trafficked to fuel a global cyber scam industry - ABC News.Hundreds of foreigners freed from Myanmar's scam centres - BBC News.'I need help': Freed from Myanmar's scam centres, thousands are now stranded - BBC News.Some foreigners pulled out of Myanmar scam centres face struggle to get home - Yahoo! News.'Pig Butchering' Scam: How China's 'Broken Tooth' stole over $75 bn from global investors using crypto currencies - The Economic Times.

We explore how the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has been hacked to the jaw-dropping tune of $1.5 billion, and we look at what is being done to better defend women and girls' safety online.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:Incident Update: Unauthorized Activity Involving ETH Cold Wallet - Bybit.Bybit Launches Recovery Bounty Program with Rewards up to 10% of Stolen Funds - Bybit.ZachXBT links Bybit hack to Lazarus Group - Twitter.Online Safety Act: explainer - GOV.UKThese Are The 10 Most Complained-About TV Moments In Ofcom's History - Ofcom. Ofcom to push for better age verification, filters and 40 other checks in new online child safety code - TechCrunch.UK’s internet watchdog toughens approach to deepfake porn - TechCrunch.Girlguiding research exposes alarming online harms facing girls - Charity Today News.Ofcom's approach to implementing the Online Sa

From shadowy Bitcoin exchanges to Interpol’s most wanted, Alexander Vinnik was the alleged kingpin behind BTC-e, a $4bn crypto laundering empire. Learn more about him, and how he became a geopolitical pawn between the US, France, and Russia. Plus! Hear how concert-goers are being warned about a swathe of scams hitting stadiums and arenas around the world.All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.PLUS! Don't miss our featured interview with Cliff Crosland of Scanner.devWarning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:Russian National And Bitcoin Exchange Charged In 21-Count Indictment For Operating Alleged International Money Laundering Scheme And Allegedly Laundering Funds From Hack Of Mt. Gox - US Dept of Justice.BTC-e Operator Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy - US Dept of Justice.US releases Russian cybercriminal as part of exchange for teacher Marc Fogel - The Guardian.Lloyds Bank issues urgent warning over Taylor Swift ticket scams - Lloyds.Warning after more than 120k people queue for Black Sabbath Villa Park tickets as fans say 'scam' - Birmingham Live.‘Don’t buy tickets for Beyoncé’ - Minister Gayton McKenzie warns South Africans of concert scam - Independent Online.

The story of how hackers managed to compromise the US Government's official SEC Twitter account to boost the price of Bitcoins, AI isn't helping reduce the rife conspiracy theories inside classrooms, and is the funeral bell tolling for ransomware?All this and more is discussed in episode 404 of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by special guest Jane Wakefield.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:SEC's Twitter account hacked to say Bitcoin ETFs approved - Hot for Security.Twitter says it’s not its fault the SEC’s account got hacked - Graham Cluley.SEC Twitter hack blamed on SIM swap attack - Hot for Security.The SEC’s X account got hacked by a 25-year-old who went by ‘AGiantSchnauzer’ and got paid in Bitcoin, feds say - Fortune.Pupils share conspiracy theories for fun, with girls ‘more susceptible’ - The Times.AI chatbots unable to accurately summarise news, BBC finds - BBC News.US-led cybersecurity coalition vows to not pay hackers' ransom demands - TechCrunch.35% Year-over-Year Decrease in Ransomware Payments, Less than

In episode 403 of "Smashing Security" we dive into the mystery of $65 million vanishing from Coinbase users faster than J-Lo slipped into Graham's DMs, Geoff gives a poor grade for PowerSchool's security, and Carole takes a curious look at QR codes.All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by The Lazarus Heist's Geoff White.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:ZachXBT’s thread - Twitter.Coinbase employee tells users not to use a VPN or ad blocker - Twitter.What PowerSchool won’t say about its data breach affecting millions of students - TechCrunch.QR code - Wikipedia.Reed–Solomon error correction - Wikipedia.Urgent warning over QR code scam tricking drivers out of £100s at popular car parks - Express.Scam alert: QR code on an unexpected package - Consumer AdviceNew Star Blizzard spear-phishing campaign targets WhatsApp accounts - Microsoft Security Blog.What You Must Know Before Scanning a QR Code - AARP.

What happens when eager computer enthusiasts unknowingly download a trojanized hacking tool and find themselves on the wrong side of cybersecurity? A former employee's actions led to chaos and raise urgent questions about the security of cultural treasures. And join us as we explore the alarming trend of social media influencers staging fake kidnappings.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, joined this week by Lianne Potter from the "Compromising Positions" podcast.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:No Honour Among Thieves: Uncovering a Trojanized XWorm RAT Builder Propagated by Threat Actors and Disrupting Its Operations - CloudSEK.British Museum forced to partly close after alleged IT attack by former employee - The Guardian.Chart: What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?- Statista.Tikked off: What happens when TikTok fame fades - Vox.Influencer burnout is real - Vox.Influencer slammed for staging fake kidnapping plot because she was ‘bored’ - Mirror Online."Mom influencer" Katie Sorensen sentenced to jail for falsely claiming couple tried to kidnap her kids at a crafts store - CBS News.

An Italian hacker makes the grade and ends up in choppy waters, and hear true stories of title deed transfer scams.All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the award-winning "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.Plus - don't miss our featured interview with Avery Pennarun of Tailscale.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:Report from Corriere Di Bologna newspaper.Caro Musk, assumi subito l’hacker quindicenne di Cesena – Il Foglio.15-Year-Old Hacker Diverts Ships in Mediterranean Sea for Fun – Hot for Security.90-year-old immigrant could lose Brooklyn home after deed theft scam, family says – CBS News. Protect your home. Spot the signs of deed theft – Better Business Bureau. Woman Charged for Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family – DOJ.Home Title Theft: How To Protect Yourself – Forbes Advisor.Here’s How Scammers in America Can Take the Title to Your Home Without You Knowing It – Moneywise.

The video game Path of Exile 2 suffers a security breach, we explore the issues of using predictive algorithms in travel surveillance systems, and the very worst IoT devices are put on show in Las Vegas. Oh, and has Elon Musk accidentally revealed he cheats at video games?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, joined this week by The Cyberwire's Dave Bittner.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:Player of Games - Grimes.‘Path of Exile 2’ Players Call Bulls**t on Elon Musk’s Video Game Stream - Gizmodo.Elon Musk "Playing" Path of Exile 2 - YouTube.Elon Musk is Lying About Being Good at Video Games - YouTube.Elon Musk Streams His ”Totally Not Boosted” ‘Path of Exile 2’ Character, Proves He Has No Idea What He’s Doing - Vice.Hacker Broke into ‘Path of Exile 2’ Admin Account, Hijacked Wave of Characters - 404 Media.Inside the Black Box of Predictive Travel Surveillance - WIRED.Average Number of Smart Devices in a Home 2025 - Consumer Affairs.Global IoT and non-

Ever wonder how those "free" browser extensions that promise to save you money actually work? We dive deep into the controversial world of Honey, the coupon-finding tool owned by PayPal, and uncover a scheme that might be leaving you with less savings and your favorite YouTubers with empty pockets.Plus, we take a look at Kagi, the search engine you pay not to show you adverts, and discuss what you should do with your old, no-longer-wanted technology.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:Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam - MegaLag on YouTube.The Honey Scam: Explained - Marques Brownlee on YouTube.14 million people don’t know how to erase their data from an old device - ICO. Electronics hoarding habit among Brits and Americans - SellCell.Practical advice for online and electronic devices - ICO. How to factory reset your Google Pixel phone - Google. How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple. Reset your Android device to factory settings - Google. Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings  - Apple.

This week, we delve into the dark world of fake CAPTCHAs designed to hijack your computer. Plus, the AI safety clock is ticking down – is doomsday closer than we think? And to top it off, we uncover the sticky situation of Krispy Kreme facing a ransomware attack.All this and more is discussed in the latest jam-packed edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by Mark Stockley of "The AI Fix" podcast.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:CAPTCHAs from hell - Reddit.“DeceptionAds” — Fake Captcha Driving Infostealer Infections and a Glimpse to the Dark Side of Internet Advertising - Guardio.AI Safety Clock Ticks Closer To ‘Midnight,’ Signifying Rising Risk - Forbes.Krispy Kreme admits there's a hole in its security - The Register. Nutritional and Allergen Information - Krispy Kreme. &UDM=14.Does one line fix Google? - Tedium.ElevenLabs.The GCHQ Christmas Challenge 2024 - GCHQ.Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)Sponsored by:

A Canadian man is arrested in relation to the Snowflake hacks from earlier this year - after a cybersecurity researcher managed to track his identity, and a cryptocurrency-trading Instagram influencer is in trouble with the law.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:Accused Kitchener hacker unmasked after threatening woman online - The Waterloo Region Record.Canadian Man Arrested in Snowflake Data Extortions - Krebs on Security.Who wants to be next? - Bluesky post by Allison Nixon.Crypto Trader Kills His Mum For £500k After Going Into Debt To Maintain 'Perfect Lifestyle' - IB Times. Autopsy reveals injuries on body of Colleen Rebelo’s body after alleged murder - Australia News.Influencer Marketing Statistics 2024 - Artios.BLACKkKLANSMAN trailer - YouTube.A Soft Murmur.Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)Sponsored

A CEO is arrested for turning satellite receivers into DDoS attack weapons, and we journey into the world of bossware and "affective computing" and explore how AI is learning to read our emotions – is this the future of work, or a recipe for dystopia?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:Korea arrests CEO for adding DDoS feature to satellite receivers - Bleeping Computer.Data on our minds: affective computing at work - IFOW. How Much Does 'Bossware' Really Curb Remote Work Slacking? - Inc. MN8 – 2 Channel EEG Headphones - Emotiv.Commercial EEG Headsets for Enterprises - Emotiv.‘Bossware’ computer tracking devices harm workers’ wellbeing, says report - The Times.Your Company’s Bossware Could Get You in Legal Trouble - 1Password.The Abandoned, Apocalyptic Architecture of One Bold 1970s Retail Chain - Atlas Obscura.Bankrupt - BEST Products Co. - YouTube.Defunct BEST Products Sto

A Kansas City man is accused of hacking into local businesses, not to steal money, but to... get a cheaper gym membership? A DNA-testing firm has vanished, leaving customers in the dark about what's happened to their sensitive genetic data. And Australia mulls a social media ban for youngsters.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, joined this week by Anna Brading.Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.Episode links:KC Man Indicted for Computer Hacking - Department of Justice.DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers’ genetic data - Malwarebytes.DNA firm holding highly sensitive data 'vanishes' without warning - BBC News.Australia proposes 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16 - Reuters.The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing - The Conversation.Australia's under-16 social media age ban legislation excludes messaging apps - YouTube.Australia’s plan to ban children from social media popular but problematic - PBS News.Which Countries Are Considering Soci