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,...

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...

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

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

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