Economic pressures and AI hype

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)

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THANKS:

Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.

Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.