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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

A room with a view, AI music shenanigans, and a cocaine bear

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 Recor...

Sep 11, 202434 minEp. 384

The Godfather club, and AirTags to the rescue

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 l...

Sep 04, 202454 minEp. 383

Smashing Security presents The AI Fix: An AI cookery dumpster fire, the ARC prize, and a creepy new AI friend

While "Smashing Security" is on its summer holiday, here's a chance to listen to an episode of its sister show - "The AI Fix". In episode ten of The AI Fix, Graham attempts to say "quinoa", Mark draws a line in the amper-sand, ChatGPT becomes an expert in solar panels and bomb disposal, and our hosts watch a terrifying trailer for a creepy new AI friend. Graham discovers that the world of AI cookery is a soggy, limey mess, and learns an unusual trick for making a great mojito, while Mark pits hi...

Aug 05, 202442 min

CrowdStrike, Dark Wire, and the Paris Olympics

Computers blue-screen-of-death around the world! The Paris Olympics is at risk of attack! And the FBI pull off the biggest sting operation in history by running a secret end-to-end encrypted messaging app! All this and much much more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by industry veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by cybersecurity journalist and the author of “Dark Wire”, Joseph Cox. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult theme...

Jul 24, 202454 minEp. 382

Trump assassination conspiracies, Squarespace account hijacks, and the butt stops here

Social media fuels conspiracies galore after Donald Trump is shot at a rally, cryptocurrency websites are hijacked after a screw-up at Squarespace, and our guest takes a close look at bottoms on Instagram. 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 Zoë Rose. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Killed by Google...

Jul 17, 202455 minEp. 381

Teachers TikTok targeted, and fraud in the doctors’ waiting room

Execs at a health tech startup are sentenced to jail after a massive ad fraud, and a school is shaken after teachers are targeted via TikTok. 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 Jason Meller of 1Password. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Outcome, a hot tech startup, misled advertisers w...

Jul 10, 202449 minEp. 380

Private nights, evil twins, and crypto home invasions

Apps can let you spy on strangers in bars, a gang of cryptocurrency thieves turns to kidnap and assault, and have you joined the mile-high evil twin club? 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 Mark Stockley of the brand-new "The AI Fix" podcast (co-hosted with Graham!). Talk about nepotism. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude lan...

Jul 03, 202449 minEp. 379

Julian Assange, inside a DDoS attack, and deepfake traumas

Wikileaks's Julian Assange is a free man, deepfakes cause trouble in the playground, and we hear hot takes about ransomware and tales from inside a devastating denial-of-service attack. 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 Eleanor Dallaway. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Julian Assange lands in Aust...

Jun 26, 202448 minEp. 378

An unhealthy data dump, railway surveillance, and a cheater sues Apple

There's a wee data breach with unhealthy implications in Scotland, privacy has gone off the rails in the UK, and a cheater blames Apple for his expensive divorce. 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 Lianne Potter of the "Compromising Positions" podcast. Plus don't miss our featured interview with Abhishek Agrawal, CEO of Material Security. Warning: This podca...

Jun 19, 20241 hrEp. 377

iOS 18 for cheaters, and a model cop extortionist?

Apple announces a new privacy feature in iOS that will allow you to hide and lock away your apps - but will it be philanderers who benefit the most? And an ex-police officer is arrested for extortion. 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: Graham’s video thanking people for voting for “Smashing Secur...

Jun 12, 202432 minEp. 376

Crashing robo-taxis, and name-dropping rappers

Drones, some coloured cardboard, and a piece of tinfoil may be all the kit you need to crash a robot-driven taxi, and a rapper is accused of using Justin Bieber's name to defraud a TV company. 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: Riding Baidu's self-driving robo-taxi - YouTube. Malicious Attacks ag...

Jun 05, 202436 minEp. 375

Microsoft’s Recall controversy, and the North Korean insider threat

Microsoft gets itself into a pickle with a privacy-popping new feature on its CoPilot+ PCs, the FTC warns of impersonated companies, and is your company hiring North Korean IT workers? 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 author, journalist, and podcaster Geoff White. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: ...

May 29, 202453 minEp. 374

iPhone undeleted photos, and stealing Scarlett Johansson’s voice

iPhone photos come back from the dead! Scarlett Johansson sounds upset about GPT-4o, and there's a cockup involving celebrity fakes. 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 special guest Anna Brading of Malwarebytes. Plus! Don't miss our featured interview with Sandy Bird of Sonrai Security. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language....

May 22, 202456 minEp. 373

The fake deepfake, and Estate insecurity

Remember when a US mother was accused of distributing explicit deepfake photos and videos to try to get her teenage daughter's cheerleading rivals kicked off the team? Well, there has been a surprising development. And learn how cybercriminals have been stealing boomers' one-time-passcodes via a secretive online service. 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 c...

May 15, 202439 minEp. 372

Unmasking LockBitsupp, company extortion, and a Tinder fraudster

The kingpin of the LockBit ransomware is named and sanctioned, a cybersecurity consultant is charged with a $1.5 million extortion, and a romance fraudster stole £80,000 from women he met on Tinder. 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 “Ransomware Sommelier” Allan Liska. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode link...

May 08, 202451 minEp. 371

The closed loop conundrum, default passwords, and Baby Reindeer

The UK Government takes aim at IoT devices shipping with weak or default passwords, a man spends two years incarcerated after being mistaken for the person who stole his identity, and are you au fait with the latest scams? 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 Paul Ducklin. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: ...

May 01, 202454 minEp. 370

Keeping the lights on after a ransomware attack

Leicester City Council suffers a crippling ransomware attack, and a massive data breach, but is it out of the dark yet? And as election fever hits India we take a close eye at deepfakery. 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: When a breach goes from 25 documents to 1.3 terabytes… - Graham Cluley. Le...

Apr 24, 202443 minEp. 369

Gary Barlow, and a scam turns deadly

Take That's Gary Barlow chats up a pizza-slinging granny from Essex via Facebook, or does he? And a scam takes a sinister turn - for both the person being scammed and an innocent participant - in Ohio. 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: Animal Crossing with Garry Kasparov - Smashing Security. Gar...

Apr 17, 202437 minEp. 368

WhatsApp at Westminster, unhealthy AI, and Drew Barrymore

MPs aren't just getting excited about an upcoming election, but also the fruity WhatsApp messages they're receiving, can we trust AI with our health, and who on earth is pretending to be a producer for the Drew Barrymore TV show? 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 John Hawes. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episo...

Apr 10, 202452 minEp. 367

Money-making bots, and Incognito isn’t private

Google says it is deleting your Google Chrome Incognito private-browsing data that it should never have collected anyway. Can a zero-risk millionaire-making bot be trusted? And what countries are banned from buying your sensitive data? 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 Host Unknown's Thom Langford. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, ...

Apr 03, 202451 minEp. 366

Hacking hotels, Google’s AI goof, and cyberflashing

Security researchers find a way to unlock millions of hotel rooms, the UK introduces cyberflashing laws, and Google's AI search pushes malware and scams. 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 T-Minus's Maria Varmazis. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Unsaflok - Security vulnerabilities in Saflok hotel ...

Mar 27, 202454 minEp. 365

Bing pop-up wars, and the British Library ransomware scandal

There's a Bing ding dong, after Microsoft (over?) enthusiastically encourages Chrome users to stop using Google, and silence hits the British Library as it shares its story of a ransomware attack. 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 Kolide founder Jason Meller about his firm's acquisition by 1Password. Warning: This podcast may contain nut...

Mar 20, 202452 minEp. 364

Stuck streaming sticks, TikTok conspiracies, and spying cars

Roku users are revolting after their TVs are bricked by the company, we learn how to make money through conspiracy videos on TikTok, and just how much is your car snooping on your driving? 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 Dave Bittner from "The Cyberwire" podcast. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: ...

Mar 13, 202451 minEp. 363

Ransomware fraud, pharmacy chaos, and suicide

Is there any truth behind the alleged data breach at Fortnite maker Epic Games? Who launched the ransomware attack that caused a fallout at pharmacies? And what's the latest on the heart-breaking hack of Finnish therapy clinic Vastaamo? 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 Jessica Barker. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude lang...

Mar 06, 202450 minEp. 362

Wireless charging woe, AI romance apps, and ransomware revisited

Your smartphone may be toast - if you use a hacked wireless charger, we take a closer look at the latest developments in the unfolding LockBit ransomware drama, and Carole dips her toe into online AI romance apps. 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 Paul Ducklin. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Volt...

Feb 28, 202454 minEp. 361

LockBit locked out, and funeral Facebook scams

Heaven's above! Scammers are exploiting online funerals, and LockBit - the "Walmart of Ransomware" - is dismantled in style by cyber cops. 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 Keiron Holyome about how BlackBerry is using predictive AI to stay one step ahead against threats. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude lang...

Feb 21, 202453 minEp. 360

Declaring war on ransomware gangs, mobile muddles, and AI religion

Holy mackerel! AI is jumping on the religion bandwagon, ransomware gangs target hospitals, and what's happened to your old mobile phone number? 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 "Ransomware Sommelier" Allan Liska. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: I changed my number and now i can log into others ac...

Feb 14, 202451 minEp. 359

Hong Kong hijinks, pig butchers, and poor ransomware gangs

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? A company in Hong Kong suffers a sophisticated deepfake duping, be one your guard from pig butchers as Valentine's Day approaches, and spare a moment to feel sorry for poor ransomware gangs. 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 c...

Feb 07, 202451 minEp. 358

Interview with an iPhone thief, anti-AI, and have we gone too far?

The iPhone security setting that you should enable right now, the worrying way that AI is predicting what criminals look like, and we play a game of face fake or real... 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 Mark Stockley. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language. Episode links: Mobile phone stolen every six minutes in London...

Jan 31, 202459 minEp. 357

Big dumpers, AI defamation, and the slug that slurped

This week the podcast is more lavatorial than usual, as we explore how privacy may have gone to sh*t on Google Maps, our guest drives hands-free on Britain's motorways (and is defamed by AI), and ransomware attacks an airplane-leasing firm. 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 BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman. Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adu...

Jan 24, 202446 minEp. 356
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