Cybersecurity Essentials and Picks of the Week

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-IoT connections 2010-2025 - Statista.
• U.S. Cyber Trust Mark: New Label for IoT Devices - National Law Review. 
• How the Internet of Things will be good for the planet - Thales Group.
• The ‘Worst in Show’ CES products put your data at risk and cause waste, privacy advocates say - AP News.
• The CES worst in show awards lampoon AI everthing - The Register.
• The Worst Devices of CES 2025!! - YouTube. 
• This Could Be Your AI Robot Girlfriend - For $175,000 - Forbes.
• Pick of the week! archive - Smashing Security.
• Elton John: Never too late - Disney Plus.
• Apple News.
• 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.
• Tripwire Enterprise - Set up a demo of Tripwire Enterprise to see how you can simultaneously harden your systems and automate compliance.

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Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.