Smashing Security - podcast cover

Smashing Security

Graham Cluleywww.smashingsecurity.com

Stories from the world of hacking, ransomware, cybersecurity, and rogue AI.

Smashing Security isn’t your typical tech podcast. Hosted by cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, it serves up weekly tales of cybercrime, hacking horror stories, privacy blunders, and tech mishaps - all with sharp insight, a sense of humour, and zero tolerance for tech waffle.

Winner of the best and most entertaining cybersecurity podcast awards in 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024, Smashing Security has had over ten million downloads. Past guests include Garry Kasparov, Mikko Hyppönen, and Jack Rhysider.

Follow the podcast on Bluesky at @smashingsecurity.com, and subscribe for free in your favourite podcast app.

New episodes released at 7pm EST every Wednesday (midnight UK).

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Episodes

Love, Nests, and is 2FA destroying the world?

Is two factor authentication such a pain in the rear end that it's costing the economy millions? Do you feel safe having a Google Nest in your home? And don't get caught by a catfisher this Valentine's Day. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by B J Mendelson. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Reme...

Feb 13, 201939 minEp. 115

Darknet Diaries, death, and beauty apps

Jack Rhysider from the "Darknet Diaries" podcast joins us to chat about his interview with the elusive Hacker Giraffe, how a death is preventing cryptocurrency investors from reaching their money, and how 'beauty camera' apps are redirecting users to phishing websites and stealing their selfies. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Jack Rhysider of t...

Feb 06, 201950 minEp. 114

FaceTime, Facebook, faceplant

A FaceTime bug allows callers to see and hear you before you answer the phone, Facebook's Nick Clegg tries to convince us the social network is changing its ways, and IoT hacking is big in Japan. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by John Hawes from AMTSO. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remembe...

Jan 30, 201946 minEp. 113

Payroll scams, gold coin heists, web giants spanked

Business email compromise evolves to target your company's payroll, how the world's largest gold coin was stolen from a Berlin museum, and are internet giants feeling the heat yet over data security? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by people hacker Jenny Radcliffe. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episo...

Jan 23, 201943 minEp. 112

When rivals hack, and "extreme" baby monitors

Why a business spat resulted in Liberia falling off the internet, how the US Government shutdown is impacting website security, and the perplexing world of extreme IoT devices. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Zoë Rose. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ,...

Jan 16, 201941 minEp. 111

What? You can get paid to leave Facebook?

Twitter and the not-so-ethical hacking of celebrity accounts, study discovers how you can pay someone to quit Facebook for a year, and the millions of dollars you can make from uncovering software vulnerabilities. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Maria Varmazis. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episod...

Jan 09, 201951 minEp. 110

Grinches target Amazon and Reddit, stealing Christmas from the poor

Join us for our special Christmas episode as we tell tales of printer hacking, website defacement, Grinches, and how Google is snooping on your private YouTube videos. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by special guest Dave Bittner from The Cyberwire. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: S...

Dec 19, 201847 minEp. 109

Hoaxes, Huawei and chatbots - with Mikko Hyppönen

The curious case of George Duke-Cohan, Huawei's CFO finds herself in hot water, and the crazy world of mobile phone mental health apps. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by special guests Mikko Hyppönen from F-Secure and technology journalist Geoff White. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remembe...

Dec 12, 201849 minEp. 108

Sextorting the US army, and a Touch ID scam

Fitness apps exploit TouchID through a sneaky user interface trick, tech giants claim to have a plan to banish passwords, and you won't believe who was behind a sextortion scam that targeted over 400 members of the US military. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by ferret-loving ethical hacker Zoë Rose. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity ,...

Dec 05, 201844 minEp. 107

Google Maps, Fed phishing, and Grinch bots

How are scammers stealing your money through Google Maps? Why did the FBI create a fake FedEx website? And how are US senators hoping to stop Grinch bots ruining Christmas? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by special guest Maria Varmazis. And don't miss our special bonus interview about passwords with Rachael Stockton of LastPass , sponsors of this ...

Nov 28, 20181 hr 1 minEp. 106

Facebook, Nietzsche, Tesla, and Nicole

Tesla takes customer service a step too far, is it a romantic gesture or stalking when you email 246 women called Nicole, and Carole finds herself in a Facebook dilemma. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Jessica Barker. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , ...

Nov 21, 201844 minEp. 105

The world's most evil phishing test, and cyborgs in the workplace

Does your employer want to turn you into a cyborg? Was this phishing test devised by an evil genius? And how did a cinema chain get scammed out of millions, time and time again...? Oh, and the subject of erasable pens comes up again. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Scott Helme. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our websit...

Nov 14, 201855 minEp. 104

An Instagram nightmare, crazy iPhone deaths, and election hack claims

One travel blogger finds you don't have to be Kylie Jenner to be targeted by an Instagram hacker. When 40 iPhones at a hospital mysteriously die, what could be the explanation? And, surprise surprise, political parties in the USA are throwing around hacking accusations. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Naked Security's Mark Stockley. Follow the s...

Nov 07, 201853 minEp. 103

Ethical dilemmas, Girl Scouts, and porn-loving US officials

Who deserves to die in a driverless car crash? Who has been sniffing around the Girl Scouts' email account? And just how long would it take for a geologist to visit 9,000 adult web pages? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by journalist and "Friends" fan Dan Raywood. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episod...

Oct 31, 201848 minEp. 102

Rule 34, Twitter scams, and Facebook fails

A Facebook friend request leads to arrest, Twitter scams ride again via promoted ads, and adult websites expose their members. Oh, and Graham finds out what Rule 34 is. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Maria Varmazis. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , o...

Oct 24, 201851 minEp. 101

IoT failures, and Donald Trump dating disaster

Yes, Smashing Security has reached its 100th episode! Despite our celebratory mood, we don't forget to take a look at the security stories of the last week - including an alarming IoT failure and a dating app disaster for Donald Trump devotees. All this and much more is discussed in this very special 100th edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault . Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more epi...

Oct 17, 201852 minEp. 100

099: Passwords - A Smashing Security splinter (replay)

With Carole in the wilds of Canada, and Graham knee-deep in a security conference in Glasgow, we drag an episode out from the archives of February 2017 - looking at the thorny subject of passwords. Join computer security veterans Graham Cluley , Carole Theriault , and Vanja Švajcer as they offer some advice and tips for computer users. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , or your favourite podcast app, to...

Oct 10, 201817 min

098: A Facebook omnishambles

Millions of Facebook user accounts put at risk after hack! The UK Conservative party's conference app causes a privacy omnishambles! And Facebook (again) has been doing something naughty with the phone numbers you give it for security reasons! Oh, and Maria gets very excited about something to do with Star Trek. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by M...

Oct 03, 201851 min

097: Dash cam surveillance, robocall plague, and Zoho woe

Why was Zoho's website taken offline by its own domain registrar? How are dash cams making you less secure? And why are robocalls on the rise in the United States? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by The Cyberwire's Dave Bittner. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscribe on Apple Pod...

Sep 26, 201844 min

096: Bribing Amazon staff, and blinking deepfakes

Amazon staff are being bribed to delete negative reviews and leak data, deepfakes are getting more dangerous, an update on John McAfee's bitcoin bet, and our guest gets a shock... All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week (for a while at least) by David Bisson. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember:...

Sep 19, 201834 min

095: British Airways hack, Mac apps steal browser history, and one person has 285,000 texts leaked

Malicious script is being blamed for the British Airways hack, Trend Micro's apps are booted out of the Mac App Store for snaffling private data, and Paul Manafort's daughter wants Twitter to remove a link. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by David Emm of Kaspersky Lab. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more e...

Sep 12, 201842 min

094: Rogue browser extensions, Twitter presence, and how to cheat in exams

What's the danger when browser extensions go bad? Is Twitter sharing your online status a boon for stalkers? And which of the show's hosts is going to admit to cheating in their exams? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by technology journalist David McClelland. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. R...

Sep 05, 201852 min

093: Abandoned domains and dating app dangers

How do fraudsters exploit abandoned domains to steal your company's secrets? How can you better protect your privacy when looking for love online? And who has the longest arms in the animal kingdom? All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , who were joined briefly by a man in a wind tunnel for this episode. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more...

Aug 29, 201837 min

092: Hacky sack hack hack

Is your used car still connected to its old owner? Just how did Apple manage to identify the teenager hacker who stole 90GB of the firm's files? And why on earth would a firm of lawyers start producing pornographic videos? You'll be surprised by the answers! All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Paul Ducklin. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecu...

Aug 22, 201852 min

091: Sextortion, Las Vegas hotels, and Alex Jones

Just how did sextortionists get (some) of the digits in your phone number? Why are some hackers saying they won't be going to DEF CON in Las Vegas anymore? And should Alex Jones from InfoWars be banned from Twitter? All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by special guest Maria Varmazis. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website...

Aug 15, 201848 min

090: Fortnite for Android, and the FCC's DDoS BS

Fortnite players are told they'll have to disable a security setting on Android, the FCC finally admits that it wasn't hit by a DDoS attack, and Verizon's VPN smallprint raises privacy concerns. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by David Bisson. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subscri...

Aug 08, 201837 min

089: Data breaches, ransomware, Bitcoin robberies, and typewriters

Ransomware rears its head again, Dixons Carphone reveals its data breach was almost 1000% worse than they previously thought, a man is accused of stealing five million dollars worth of cryptocurrency through hijacking mobile phones, and a Canadian guy called Norman is rushing to get the typewriters out of storage. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by...

Aug 01, 201845 min

088: PayPal’s Venmo app even makes your drug purchases public

Websites still using HTTP are marked as "not secure" by Chrome, 85,000 Google employees haven't been phished for a year, and if you're buying drugs via PayPal’s Venmo app you should say goodbye to privacy. All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , joined this week by Scott Helme. Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remembe...

Jul 25, 201843 min

087: How Russia hacked the US election

Regardless of whether Donald Trump believes Russia hacked the Democrats in the run-up to the US Presidential election or not, we explain how they did it. And Carole explores some of the creepier things being done in the name of surveillance. All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault . Follow the show on Twitter at @SmashinSecurity , or visit our website for more episodes. Remember: Subs...

Jul 18, 201845 min

086: Elon Musk submarine scams and 2FA bypass

The world has been gripped with the story of that soccer team, those poor boys... but enough about England's World Cup hopes being dashed, it's time for another episode of "Smashing Security". Crypto scamming Thai cave rescue scoundrels! $25 million to make anti-fake news videos! TimeHop data breach! Phone number port out scams! All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault , join...

Jul 11, 201839 min
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