How not to steal $46 million from the US government
Smashing Security
Graham Cluley
4.7 • 579 Ratings
🗓️ 12 March 2026
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A Wikipedia security engineer accidentally wakes a dormant JavaScript worm that hadn't stirred since 2024 - and within minutes, giant woodpecker images are plastered across the internet's favourite encyclopaedia.
Meanwhile, a crypto contractor hired to help the US Marshals manage seized digital assets allegedly decides to help himself to $46 million of it - and then brags about it on a recorded Telegram call.
Plus: Graham champions Asterix, Trisha discovers the fantasy novels of Robin Hobb, and someone called "Lick" ends up in the nick.
All this, and much more, in episode 458 of the "Smashing Security" podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, and special guest Tricia Howard.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Major data leak forum dismantled in global action against cybercrime forum - Europol.
- Ericsson blames vendor vishing slip-up for breach exposing thousands of records - The Register.
- How hackers bypassed MFA with a $120 phishing kit – until law enforcement shut them down - Hot for Security.
- Wikipedia hit by self-propagating JavaScript worm that vandalized pages - Bleeping Computer.
- FBI arrests crypto thief accused of stealing $46 million from seized government wallet - Tom’s Hardware.
- Twitter thread by ZachXBT about John Daghita’s arrest - Twitter.
- Asterix - Wikipedia.
- Robin Hobb.
- The Complete Farseer trilogy - Harper Collins.
- 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!
- ThreatLocker - Start your free trial and book a demo of ThreatLocker today to see how you can implement Zero Trust in your environment.
- Meter - Network infrastructure for the enterprise. Get a free personalised demo.
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THANKS:
Theme tune: "Vinyl Memories" by Mikael Manvelyan.
Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks.
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I can't believe you've never heard of Asterix. |
| 0:05.8 | I'm sorry. |
| 0:06.8 | I'm sorry. |
| 0:07.2 | I was born way after you. |
| 0:08.8 | All right. |
| 0:09.8 | All right. |
| 0:10.4 | Blimey. |
| 0:10.9 | Just kidding. |
| 0:15.8 | Smashing Security. Episode 458, How Not to Steal $46 million from the US government, |
| 0:28.4 | with Graham Cluley and special guest Trisha Howard. |
| 0:31.4 | Hello, hello, and welcome to Smash Insecurity Episode 458. |
| 0:34.5 | My name's Graham Cluelly. |
| 0:35.9 | And I'm Trisha Howard. |
| 0:37.9 | Tricia, welcome back to Smash Insecurity. Lovely as always to have you here. What's been keeping you |
| 0:43.3 | busy? Well, I am currently at a company in stealth mode that will not be in stealth mode much longer. |
| 0:49.2 | And so that's been kind of consuming most of my time. |
| 0:52.1 | Ah, getting ready for the big launch, eh? |
| 0:54.4 | Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. That must be consuming hours and hours of my time. Ah, getting ready for the big launch, eh? Oh, yeah, oh yeah. |
| 0:55.7 | That must be consuming hours and hours of your life every week. |
| 0:59.8 | It is, it is. |
| 1:00.7 | I think it's important, though, to find time to have downtime. |
| 1:04.3 | And so when I do have, you know, minutes, so to speak, of that, I have been enjoying very |
... |
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