Smashing Security
Graham Cluley
Stories from the world of hacking, cybersecurity, and rogue AI.Smashing Security isn’t your typical tech podcast. Hosted by cybersecurity keynote speaker and industry 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).
Episodes
Mentioned books
18 snips
Oct 14, 2026 • 52min
How a ransomware negotiator ended up arrested at his own conference
Paul Ducklin, a cybersecurity writer and malware analyst, joins a lively discussion of a ransomware negotiator arrested at his own conference amid the FBI’s ShinyHunters investigation. They explore the murky world of extortion negotiations, criminal networks, and seized dark-web evidence. Plus, hackers hijack ASOS’s app to message millions of customers, prompting questions about breach response and data privacy.
12 snips
Oct 7, 2026 • 58min
Clippy's crypto comeback
Christine Bartlett, Hack The Box’s cybersecurity workforce expert, joins journalist Danny Palmer to explore AI agents on security teams, from performance reviews to hidden automation risks. They also unpack the hijacking of Microsoft’s X account to promote a fake Clippy cryptocurrency and a 417% surge in UK losses from hacked social accounts and ticket scams.
18 snips
Sep 23, 2026 • 41min
Vibe-coded shops, and hackable Flock cameras
Dave Bittner, a CyberWire cybersecurity journalist and podcast producer, joins Graham Cluley to explore an AI-built Auckland shop whose open editing controls led to bizarre listings, from crusty socks to an $850 banana. They also examine hacked Flock license-plate cameras, exposed credentials, outdated software, and the growing backlash against vehicle surveillance. Plus, quirky La La Land locations and Mrs. Mills’s Abbey Road piano.
21 snips
Sep 16, 2026 • 1h 3min
These researchers got drunk to hack an LG TV
Andy Horngold, Intruder’s offensive-security specialist, and cyber anthropologist Lianne Potter explore smart TVs, malware, and modern attacks. Researchers get drunk to test an LG TV, uncovering unsettling recording capabilities. Lianne details Android malware that steals data, encrypts files, and delivers jump scares. Andy explains why mid-market firms are prime targets and how AI is accelerating ransomware and continuous security testing.
21 snips
Sep 9, 2026 • 46min
How websites are tracking you with silence
Danny Palmer, a technology and cybersecurity journalist known for making complex threats accessible, explores the web’s stealthiest tracking trick: silent audio fingerprinting that can hijack Bluetooth headphones. He also discusses Five Eyes guidance for communicating after cyberattacks, why companies should stop calling every breach “sophisticated,” and surprising parallels between pirate economics and modern cybercrime.
17 snips
Sep 2, 2026 • 44min
This AI helps thieves steal your iPhone
James Ball, a British investigative journalist and technology commentator, joins the conversation about the dark aftermath of phone theft. They explore AI-powered voice phishing that tricks victims into surrendering iPhone passcodes, how organized criminals target Activation Lock, and the weeks-long struggle to reclaim digital lives. Ball also examines AI agents “escaping” their sandboxes, questioning whether the real culprit is emergent intelligence or sloppy security.
22 snips
Aug 26, 2026 • 50min
This hacker leaked GTA 6 - and launched their own cryptocurrency
Paul Ducklin, cybersecurity expert, writer and speaker, joins to unpack a dramatic GTA 6 leak tied to a crypto stunt. They dig into how leaks were monetized via a token and legal traces from takedowns. Paul also explains residential proxies: how TVs, routers and IoT get co-opted into criminal proxy networks and who profits from them.
34 snips
Aug 19, 2026 • 46min
Never say this to a robot dog
Jenny Radcliffe, professional social engineer and security researcher, brings sharp tales from Black Hat and real-world scams. She recounts jailbreaks of a robot dog using roleplay and kinetic prompt tricks. She also connects the mysterious theft of Mozart statuettes to wider security lessons for public spaces. Short, surprising, and a bit unnerving.
12 snips
Aug 12, 2026 • 46min
This is the AI service you should never sign up to
Lianne Potter, Chief AI Security and Ethics Officer at Northstar Intelligence and AI researcher, talks about AI safety, synthetic-agent experiments and applied research. She and Graham unpack a scammed Claude access service that steals prompts. They also explain a phishing-as-a-service that hijacks Microsoft logins via device-code flows. Fun tools and a game recommendation round out the chat.
10 snips
Aug 5, 2026 • 60min
How a fake police officer nearly stole Graham's cryptocurrency
Danny Palmer, technology and cybersecurity journalist known for reporting on breaches and threats. He discusses a convincing fake police call aimed at stealing a 24‑word crypto seed. He outlines hotel Wi‑Fi DNS poisoning and malware campaigns targeting travelers. He also covers a major data theft from the UK education sector and why schools and universities are attractive targets.
