SN 1062: AI-Generated Malware - Ireland Legalizes Spyware

Security Now (Audio)

Leo Laporte

Twit, Steve Gibson, Leo Laporte, Hacking, Technology, Cyber Crime, Malware, Security, Encryption, Spyware

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2026

⏱️ 163 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Can AI really write malware better than hackers ever could? This episode exposes the first real-world case of advanced, fully AI-generated malware and why it signals a seismic shift in cybersecurity risk.

CISA's uncertain future remains quite worrisome.
Worrisome is Ireland's new "lawful" interception law.
The EU's Digital Rights organization pushes back.
Microsoft acknowledges it turns over user encryption keys.
Alex Neihaus on AI enterprise usage dangers.
Gavin confesses he put a database on the Internet.
Worries about a massive podcast rewinding backlog.
What does the emergence of AI-generated malware portend?

Show Note - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1062-Notes.pdf

Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's time for security now. Steve Gibson is here. He's worried. He's worried about the future of Sisa in the United States.
0:06.8	He's worried about Ireland's new lawful interception law that makes spyware legal. He's worried about AI generated malware.
0:16.9	Yes, it's here. All that more. Coming up next on Security Now.
0:23.8	Podcasts you love.
0:25.6	From people you trust.
0:28.1	This is Twit.
0:33.2	This is Security Now with Steve Gibson, episode 162, recorded Tuesday, January 27th, 2026.
0:42.9	Voidlink, AI generated malware.
0:46.5	It's time for security now, the show we cover the latest security news, this computer information that you need to know with this guy right here, the king of the hill when it comes to security news, this computer information that you need to know with this guy right here,
0:55.9	the king of the hill when it comes to security, Mr. Steve Gibson. Hi, Steve. Leo, great to be
1:01.9	with you again for another Tuesday, the last one of January. So say goodbye to January,
1:07.2	everybody. I don't know where it went. Can I be happy to let it go. I'm not going to say many, many people.
1:12.8	It was a bad January and from many perspectives and certainly cold also.
1:18.3	I guess the weather has just gone crazy and bromize too.
1:21.9	Yeah, really freezing cold.
1:24.1	It's only 52 degrees here in California.
1:27.2	It's just terrible.
1:28.2	I don't know what to do.
1:30.9	All right.
1:31.7	What are we covering on the show today?
1:33.4	Enough for Volus.
1:37.3	Checkpoint research, I think they call themselves.
	...

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