Smashing Security podcast #454: AI was not plotting humanity’s demise. Humans were

Graham Cluley @ 12:30 am, February 12, 2026  @grahamcluley.com  / grahamcluley 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. Smashing Security #454: AI was not plotting humanity’s demise. Humans were PLAY 00:00 00:00 00:00 MUTE SETTINGS Host: Graham Cluley:  @grahamcluley.com  @gcluley@mastodon.green  / grahamcluley Guest: Iain Thomson:  / iain-thomson-abb6651 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) Sponsored by: 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: You can help the podcast by telling your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Join Smashing Security PLUS for ad-free episodes and our early-release feed! Follow us: Follow the show on Bluesky, or join us on the Smashing Security subreddit, or visit our website for more episodes. Thanks: Theme tune: “Vinyl Memories” by Mikael Manvelyan. Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks. Found this article interesting? Follow Graham Cluley on LinkedIn, Bluesky, or Mastodon to read more of the exclusive content we post. AI Denial of Service Law & order Podcast Security threats #AI #artificial intelligence #Italy #Moltbook #Podcast #russia #Smashing Security #Winter Olympics Graham Cluley Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and hosts the popular "Smashing Security" podcast. Follow him on TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastodon, or drop him an email.