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.

Italy stopped Russian-linked cyberattacks targeting Foreign Ministry offices and Winter Olympics websites and hotels, Foreign Minister Tajani said.

Italy has thwarted a series of Russian-linked cyberattacks aimed at Foreign Ministry offices, including one in Washington, as well as Winter Olympics websites and hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, according to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

“We have foiled a series of cyberattacks on Foreign Ministry offices, starting with Washington, and also on some Winter Olympic sites, including hotels in Cortina,” said Tajani, who is also deputy premier, emphasizing that “these are Russian-led actions.” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters during a trip to Washington, as reported the Italian news agency ANSA.

The pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16) claimed the DDoS attacks. Recently, the group shared a list of targets through its channels that included many hotels in Cortinas’ area and government websites, including the Foreign Minister.

The group remarked that the attacks were retaliation for Italy’s pro-Ukraine stance, and listed other targets including the Italian embassy in Washington and consulates in Sydney, Toronto, and Paris.

The Milano Cortina 2026 organizers are aware that many other attacks will target the Winter Olimpic games in the next weeks. At the time, the attacks had a limited impact, thanks to the work of Italian authorities and Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency.

The attacks recorded so far have not been extremely powerful, although there is awareness that the threat landscape includes botnets capable of launching DDoS attacks of a magnitude that requires complex mitigation. I am thinking, for example, of the recent attacks carried out by the AISURU botnet, which, however, does not appear to be part of the arsenal of pro-Russian activists such as Noname057(16).

Italy will deploy 6,000 security officers across Milan–Dolomites Games sites, including bomb squads, snipers, and anti-terrorism units, Interior Minister Piantedosi said.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics)

The influx of security personnel from around the world is sparking concern among Italians ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.