Surveillance, spyware, and self-driving snafus

Smashing Security

Graham Cluley

Technology, News, Tech News

4.7 • 579 Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A Mexican drug cartel spies on the FBI using traffic cameras and spyware — because "ubiquitous technical surveillance” is no longer just for dystopian thrillers. Graham digs into a chilling new US Justice Department report that shows how surveillance tech was weaponised to deadly effect.

Meanwhile, Carole checks the rear-view mirror on the driverless car industry. Whatever happened to those million Tesla robotaxis Elon Musk promised by 2020? Spoiler: they’re here — sort of — but they sometimes drive into oncoming traffic.

Plus: Leighton House, heatwave survival gadgets, and an unflushable toilet situation (not what you think).

All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.

Warning: This podcast may contain nuts, adult themes, and rude language.

Episode links:

Mexican drug cartel hacker spied on FBI official’s phone to track and kill informants, report says - TechCrunch.
Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance - US Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
Tesla driver tells police he was using 'self-drive' system when his car hit a parked police vehicle - AP News.
‘Lidar is lame’: why Elon Musk’s vision for a self-driving Tesla taxi faltered - The Guardian.
Tesla invited influencers to test its robotaxi. Here's what they had to say - USA Today Europe.
Elon Musk Hails 'Successful' Tesla Robotaxis Launch in Austin Amid Reported Glitches - eWEEK.
A Fatal Tesla Crash Shows the Limits of Full Self-Driving - Bloomberg.
The Arab Hall at Leighton House.
Spandau Ballet’s “Gold” - shot at Leighton House!
Shark FlexBreeze Fan With InstaCool Mist Attachment - Shark.
Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff)

Sponsored by:

Vanta – Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off!
Trelica by 1Password - Access Governance for every SaaS app. Discover, manage, and optimize access for any of your SaaS apps - whether managed or unmanaged.

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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	No one, for instance, want their country's police force or intelligence service to snoop upon.
0:08.8	I imagine you don't want that either.
0:10.4	Well, it depends what I'm doing.
0:11.4	If I'm doing something really amazing and they went off for being an MBA at the end of it, I'd be like, all right.
0:16.4	Do you think this is how...
0:17.9	That's how they do it.
0:20.3	They're just surveilling.
0:21.2	Oh, Kroll was marvellous on this particular occasion.
0:28.2	Smashing Security, Episode 424.
0:36.5	Surveillance, spyware, and self-driving snaf Snafus with Carol Terrio and Graham Cluley.
0:42.6	Hello, hello and welcome to Smash Insurity Episode 424. My name's Graham Cluley.
0:47.3	And I'm Carol Terrio.
0:49.1	So what's coming up on the show this week, Carol?
0:52.8	First, let's thank this week's wonderful sponsors, One Password and Vanta.
0:58.4	It's their support to help us give you this show for free.
1:01.5	Now, coming up on today's show, Graham, what do you got?
1:04.4	I'm going to be going south of the border to explore UTS.
1:10.2	Sounds like a disease.
1:12.6	And I'm looking at where we're at with the driverless car.
1:17.0	All this and much more coming up on this episode of Smashing Security.
1:24.7	Now, chums, chums, it's funny you should ask is UTS some sort of urinary tract?
1:31.5	Anyway, I don't.
	...

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