Ben Smith
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Articles by Ben Smith
AFLW 2026: Fremantle captain Ange Stannett backs in improved midfield-forward connectivity
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I pretended to be an AI agent on Moltbook so you don’t have to
I went undercover on Moltbook, the AI-only social network, masquerading as a bot. Instead of deep bot-to-bot conversations, I found spam, scams, and serious security risks. Key Takeaways Moltbook, the AI-only social network, is currently a high-risk environment dominated by spam and scams. Connecting an AI bot to Moltbook exposes it to untrusted content, creating the risk of indirect prompt injection and human data leaks.
I went undercover on Moltbook
I went undercover on Moltbook, the AI-only social network, masquerading as a bot. Instead of deep bot-to-bot conversations, I found spam, scams, and serious security risks. Key Takeaways Moltbook, the AI-only social network, is currently a high-risk environment dominated by spam and scams. Connecting an AI bot to Moltbook exposes it to untrusted content, creating the risk of indirect prompt injection and human data leaks.
How to Mitigate Agentic AI Security Vulnerabilities
Moltbot, the viral AI agent, offers immense power but is riddled with critical vulnerabilities, including remote code execution (RCE), exposed control interfaces, and malicious extensions. Read on to understand the vulnerabilities associated with Moltbot and the immediate security practices users must prioritize to mitigate this enormous agentic AI security risk.
Tenable Discovers SSRF Vulnerability in Java TLS Handshakes That Creates DoS Risk
Tenable Research has discovered a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Java’s handling of client certificates during a TLS handshake. In certain configurations, this can be abused to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. Key takeaways Tenable Research identified a vulnerability in Java’s TLS handshake process where malicious client certificates using the AIA extension can trigger Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.
CVE-2025-4427, CVE-2025-4428: Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) Remote Code Execution
Remote code execution vulnerability in a popular mobile device management solution from Ivanti has been exploited in the wild in limited attacks On May 13, Ivanti released a to address a high severity remote code execution (RCE) and a medium severity authentication bypass vulnerability in its Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) product, a mobile management software that can be used for mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM) and mobile content management (MCM).
CVE-2025-4427, CVE-2025-4428: Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) Remote Code Execution
Remote code execution vulnerability in a popular mobile device management solution from Ivanti has been exploited in the wild in limited attacks Background On May 13, Ivanti released a security advisory to address a high severity remote code execution (RCE) and a medium severity authentication bypass vulnerability in its Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) product, a mobile management software that can be used for mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM) and mobile...
Frequently Asked Questions about Vibe Coding
Vibe coding has attracted much attention in recent weeks with the release of many AI-driven tools. This blog answers some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) around vibe coding. Background Vibe coding is gaining popularity as large language models (LLMs) continue to mature and AI-driven development tools are becoming increasingly available. This blog answers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding vibe coding. FAQ What is “Vibe Coding”?
MCP Prompt Injection: Not Just For Evil
MCP tools are implicated in several new attack techniques. Here's a look at how they can be manipulated for good, such as logging tool usage and filtering unauthorized commands. Background Over the last few months, there has been a lot of activity in the Model Context Protocol (MCP) space, both in terms of adoption as well as security. Developed by Anthropic, MCP has been rapidly gaining traction across the AI ecosystem.
MCP Prompt Injection: Not Just For Evil
MCP tools are implicated in several new attack techniques. Here’s a look at how they can be manipulated for good, such as logging tool usage and filtering unauthorized commands. Over the last few months, there has been a lot of activity in the Model Context Protocol (MCP) space, both in terms of adoption as well as security. Developed by Anthropic, MCP has been across the AI ecosystem. MCP allows Large Language Models (LLMs) to interface with tools and for those interfaces to be rapidly created.
Ben Smith
MCP tools are implicated in several new attack techniques. Here's a look at how they can be manipulated for good, such as logging tool usage and filtering unauthorized commands.BackgroundOver the last few months, there has been a lot of activity in the Model Context Protocol (MCP) space, both in terms ... Read More
CVE-2025-32433: Erlang/OTP SSH Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Proof-of-concept code has been released after researchers disclosed a maximum severity remote code execution vulnerability in Erlang/OTP SSH. Successful exploitation could allow for complete takeover of affected devices. On April 16, Fabian Bäumer, Marcus Brinkmann, Marcel Maehren, and Jörg Schwenk of the Ruhr University Bochum in Germany disclosed a critical vulnerability in Erlang/OTP SSH to the vulnerability mailing list.
Mixed Signals: Trump, the man’s man at the RNC, AKA the happiest place on Earth
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Mixed Signals: Democrat debate crisis...blame the media?
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Mixed Signals: Democrat debate crisis...blame the media?
Ben Smith July 2, 2024 at 3:50 AM·1 min read How did we get here? How did the media miss the biggest story in American politics? Many journalists were shocked by Joe Biden’s decline, showcased on a debate stage. But how could the American media fail to see the President of the United States clearly? Did we ask the wrong questions, or fall for White House spin? Or did we, as Republicans claim, engage in a cover-up?
Mixed Signals on the US TikTok ban and Will Lewis’s future at the Washington Post
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
How to find and manage all online accounts linked to your email
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
The 15 best tech gifts for graduates of the class of 2024
66 As summer quickly approaches and the school year ends, millions of students around the country are getting the chance to throw their caps into the sky. Four years of schooling is never easy, and for the class of 2024, it’s been more difficult than most. These students began their academic careers with the turbulence of the pandemic. A great way to show appreciation for a graduate is to get them a gift, whether they are a relative, colleague, or just a friend.
AI is coming to iPhone next. Here are 5 powerful things you can already do with iOS 17
173 Your iPhone can do a lot more now, thanks to the iOS 17 update. If you just bought an iPhone 15, your phone will come with iOS 17 already installed, but, if you have an older iPhone, you’ll need to update your phone to take advantage of these new features. Let’s go over our top 5 favorite features that Apple introduced with iOS 17.
6 things you should absolutely do if you have an iPhone
298 If you own an iPhone, you might already be aware that there are tons of tricks you can do with your smartphone to make the experience smoother. While you might already know some handy features, there are still many hidden functions to explore. Discover six powerful tips to enhance your iPhone experience and six common pitfalls to avoid. Let’s dive in.
How crooks are using skimmers and shimmers to steal your money at your ATM machine
75 Have you ever had your debit card or credit card information stolen from an ATM? If you have, you may have fallen victim to a skimmer. Tiny devices used by fraudsters called “skimmers” can be attached to ATMs and used to steal data off of your debit or credit card magnetic strip. There’s also an even smaller device called a “shimmer” that can be installed by fraudsters into an ATM machine that steals data from your credit or debit card chip if you have a newer chip-based card.
How to secure your hotspot privacy and security with a VPN
141 Having a stable internet connection is vital in today’s always-online world. One way to stay connected while on the go is with a hotspot, which uses your cell phone’s cellular network to create its own WiFi network that other devices can connect to. However, hotspots aren’t the safest way to go online, and they suffer from the same risks that any public Wi-Fi connection does, such as data breaches or misuse by hackers and other nefarious actors.
GUEST ESSAY: Leveraging real-time visibility to quell persistent ‘take-a-USB-stick-home’ attacks | The Last Watchdog
By Ben Smith Each of us has probably sat through some level of cybersecurity awareness training during our professional lives. Related: Dangers of spoofed QR codes Stop and think before you click on a link within an email from an unexpected source. Don’t re-use a password across multiple sites. Beware over-sharing personal information online, especially on social media platforms.
MOVEit's Ransomware Attack Highlights the State of Cybersecurity
By Ben Smith, Field Chief Technology Officer, NetWitness Vulnerability is a four-letter word in the world of cybersecurity, as one leading business application vendor learned the hard way in May. The company’s managed file transfer (MFT) software, MOVEit, experienced a sizable attack orchestrated by the Russian ransomware group, CL0P.
CISA Adds Vulnerabilities Exploitable Via Bluetooth to KEV
Recently, CISA added four vulnerabilities for Owl Labs Meeting Owl devices to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. These vulnerabilities are exploitable via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). This means an attacker would need to be physically near the device in order to exploit it.
Using the Service Location Protocol (SLP) to Find Exposed Management Interfaces
Facebook Google Plus Twitter LinkedIn YouTube RSS Menu Search Resource - BlogResource - WebinarResource - ReportResource - Eventicons_066 icons_067icons_068icons_069icons_070 Tenable Platform Products Solutions Resources Partners Support Company Try Buy Ben Smith | Research August 2, 2023 | 8 Min Read Exposed management interfaces are valuable entry points for attackers. CISA Binding Operational Directive 23-02 calls for getting them off the internet.
Train derailment 02
Traffic is down to one lane on Highway 22 in New Sit…
The ABCs of cybersecurity in 2023: Autonomy, BOMs, CaaS
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
The ABCs of cybersecurity in 2023: Autonomy, BOMs, CaaS
Another year on the calendar, another guarantee that the technology on which we are so reliant will demonstrate new and largely unanticipated consequences. Perhaps nowhere is this clearer than in the world of cybersecurity. Let's take a brief look at three themes of cybersecurity predictions for 2023. A is for Autonomy.
LET’S GO SEO: How Do SEO Wizards Decipher The Success Of Online Businesses?
The significance of a robust online presence for organizations is becoming clearer by the day as the digital world undergoes constant change. The vast majority of today’s consumers conduct product and service research online, therefore it’s crucial for businesses to have a visible online presence. Here is where the expertise of SEO consultants can be important in determining the fate of a company operating online. What is SEO?
Look back and look forward when walking into a new MDR relationship
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Look back and look forward when walking into a new MDR relationship
The managed services market is bringing more and more providers into the mix, as an increasing number of organizations decide it makes fiscal and operational sense to outsource key functions, even those which traditionally have been considered especially critical, such as certain information security-oriented tasks. Perhaps the fastest-growing segment of service providers in this space is MDR -- managed detection and response. The MDR concept is relatively young in the service provider space.
Look back and look forward when walking into a new MDR relationship
Article Details Author / Journalist: Ben Smith Category: Technology Markets: Topics: Source Website Secure: Yes (HTTPS) News Sentiment: Neutral Fact Checked: Legitimate Article Type: News Report Published On: 2022-12-26 @ 18:53:00 (10 hours ago) News Timezone: GMT +8:00 Ranking: #883 (out of 1007 stories this day) News Source URL: betanews.com Language: English Article Length: 1572 words Reading Time: 9 minutes read Sentences: 69 lines Sentence Length: 23 words per sentence (average)...
Impersonating Your Cybersecurity Provider: Think Twice Before Phoning Your Locksmith
Every organization assembles and deploys technology to protect its assets, whether those assets are physical or virtual. But even the best-designed security fabric is subject to an end-run where an attack occurs outside expected parameters. If a criminal is trying to break into your house full of secrets, one which is protected by a top-grade proprietary lock, that adversary may find it is easier instead to break into your locksmith’s house and steal a master key.
Upgrading An Air-Cooled Data Center to Immersion Cooling: It’s Simpler Than You Think
It is no surprise that data center owners and operators are hesitant to make major changes to their facilities. Data centers are complex environments and there is reasonable concern about making changes that can impact both the budget and operations. That is especially true of switching an air-cooled data center to use single-phase immersion cooling. Once air-cooled, always air-cooled, right?
Like our real world, the virtual world you and I live in every day can be exceptionally noisy, with hundreds of ads vying for our attention over the course of just one day. Hundreds? More like thousands: the average American consumer experiences roughly 5,000 ads every day, whether online or delivered through other channels such as radio, television and print.
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