{"podcast":{"title":"Smashing Security","slug":"smashing-security-453614","podcast_index_feed_id":453614,"rss_url":"https://feeds.redcircle.com/c478d684-038f-4b13-8507-bc32af486a2c","website_url":"https://www.smashingsecurity.com","image_url":"https://media.redcircle.com/images/2025/8/26/16/f4c118ba-43eb-4d45-8d86-36cf4c50ff73_595052322-a371c304-01cf-42c1-ab03-e0035a046f63.jpg","author":"Graham Cluley","episode_count":478,"summary":"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 ( https://bsky.app/profile/smashingsecurity.com ) , and subscribe for free in your favourite podcast app. New episodes released at 7pm EST every Wednesday (midnight UK).","last_synced_at":"2026-07-16T10:20:27.006972+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/smashing-security-453614"},"episode":{"title":"The dark web's worst assassins, and Pegasus in the dock","slug":"the-dark-web-s-worst-assassins-and-pegasus-in-the-dock","published_at":"2026-01-29T00:00:28+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/smashing-security-453614/the-dark-web-s-worst-assassins-and-pegasus-in-the-dock","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/smashing-security-453614","url":"https://www.smashingsecurity.com/452","audio_url":"https://audio4.redcircle.com/episodes/9742a3af-1895-4c40-9ddd-531d4737633e/stream.mp3","summary":"In episode 452, a London-based YouTuber wins a landmark court case against Saudi Arabia after his phone was hacked with Pegasus spyware — exposing how a single, seemingly harmless text message can turn a smartphone into a round-the-clock surveillance device. Plus, we go looking for professional hitmen online - only to uncover uncomfortable questions about why some crimes attract customers but very few complaints. All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the \"Smashing Security\" podcast by cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, joined this week by special guest Joe Tidy. EPISODE LINKS: Sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that! PCs refuse to shut down after Microsoft patch - The Register. Russian state hackers likely behind wiper malware attack on Poland’s power grid - The Record. US charges 31 more suspects linked to ATM malware attacks - Bleeping Computer. Dark web arrests in Romania linked to portal which offered services including murder - ROCU. Romanian scammers ran fake hitman-for-hire site, lured desperate perpetrators as 'incompetent assassins' - Fox News. This Fake Hitman Site Is the Most Elaborate, Twisted Dark Web Scam Yet - VICE. Unlikely Assassin, The Murder of Amy Allwine - Rooster. Saudi dissident awarded $4.1 million by UK court for hacking, assault 'by Saudi Arabia' - Reuters. Stalkerware: The software that spies on your partner - BBC News. Using 'stalkerware' to spy on a colleague's phone - YouTube. “Polite Society” trailer - YouTube. Elegoo Saturn 3 3D printer - Elegoo. Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff) SPONSORS: Passwork - a reliable secrets manager and password management solution. Coreview - Download \"Total Tenant Takeover\", a white paper about the Microsoft 365 Disaster No One Is Ready For. Vanta - Expand…","meta_description":"In episode 452, a London-based YouTuber wins a landmark court case against Saudi Arabia after his phone was hacked with Pegasus spyware — exposing how a s…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2737,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/smashing-security-453614/episodes/the-dark-web-s-worst-assassins-and-pegasus-in-the-dock/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/smashing-security-453614/the-dark-web-s-worst-assassins-and-pegasus-in-the-dock.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}