Could America turn off Europe's internet?

That’s one of the questions that Graham and special guest James Ball will be exploring as they discuss tech sovereignty. Could Gmail, cloud services, and critical infrastructure really become geopolitical leverage? And is anyone actually building a Plan B?

Plus we explore if Meta is quietly plotting to turn its smart glasses into face-recognising surveillance specs? With reports of internal memos suggesting they plan to launch controversial features while everyone’s distracted by political chaos, we ask: is this innovation really wanted by the public... or something far creepier?

All of this, and much more, in episode 455 of the award-winning "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, joined this week by journalist and author James Ball.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses - New York Times.
• Trading Sovereignty for Scale? The Costs of the US - UK Tech Prosperity Deal - Just Security.
• Just Mercy - Wikipedia.
• Just Mercy trailer - YouTube.
• Bryan Stevenson’s TED talk: We need to talk about an injustice - YouTube.
• The Residence - Netflix.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Passwork - a reliable secrets manager and password management solution.
• Adaptive Security - request a custom demo featuring a real CEO deepfake simulation.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

Become a supporter! Join Smashing Security PLUS via Patreon or Apple Podcasts for ad-free episodes on our early-release feed!

FOLLOW THE SHOW:

Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.

AI bots are having existential crises, inventing religions, and allegedly plotting against humanity... or so the internet would have you believe.

We dig into Moltbook, the “AI-only” social network that sent Twitter into a meltdown, attracted breathless talk of the singularity, and turned out to be far less Terminator and far more humans role-playing as bots.

Plus we discuss why "vibe coding" your app might be a catastrophically bad idea, when security researchers can easily peek inside rifle through your private messages, API keys, and databases.

Also this week we learn that pro-Russian hackers are circling the Winter Olympics - or is it the Jamaican Bobsleigh team?

All this and more is discussed in episode 454 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Iain Thomson.

EPISODE LINKS:

• AI Agents Created Their Own Religion, Crustafarianism, On An Agent-Only Social Network - Forbes.
• I Infiltrated Moltbook, the AI-Only Social Network Where Humans Aren’t Allowed - Wired.
• 'Moltbook' social media site for AI agents had big security hole, cyber firm Wiz says - Reuters.
• Italy blames Russia-linked hackers for cyberattacks ahead of Winter Olympics - The Record.
• Italy says railways hit by 'serious sabotage' as Winter Olympics begin - BBC News.
• EpsteIN - GitHub.
• Private Eye.
• Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

SPONSORS:

• Meter - Network infrastructure for the enterprise. Get a free personalised demo.
• Vanta - Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
• Passwork - a reliable secrets manager and password management solution.

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Tell your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

Become a supporter! Join Smashing Security PLUS via Patreon or Apple Podcasts for ad-free episodes on our early-release feed!

FOLLOW THE SHOW:

Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon, or on the Smashing Security subreddit, and visit our website for more episodes.

THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.