Cryptocurrency traders suffer a hamster-related loss, beware of charity scammers this holiday season, and do you have the patience to sit through Peter Jackson’s eight-hour Beatles documentary?
All this and much more is discussed in the latest edition of the award-winning “Smashing Security” podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, who are flying solo this week.
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Does Finland really exist?
Oh, it definitely exists. I've been there.
There is a theory that Finland is actually the Baltic Sea. According to the theory, Russia and Japan made up the country of Finland in 1918.
It was a little bit rainy when I was there, but I didn't realize I was in a boat the whole time.
Smashing Security, Episode 254: A Dead Hamster, a Brass Pen, and the Beatles with Carole Theriault. Carole Theriault and Graham Cluley.
Hello, hello, and welcome to Smashing Security episode 254. My name's Graham Cluley.
Hello, hello, and welcome to Smashing Security episode 254. My name's Graham Cluley.
And I'm Carole Theriault.
And Carole, this week we are joined by the very special, the incredible, the wonderful, extraordinary nobody. Absolutely nobody. How come? Why don't we have a guest this week?
We've been busy AF lately. December is always a difficult time, isn't it? It's just there's a lot of work around.
And I've been on an overseas trip. I've just come back from Saudi Arabia, the beautiful city of Riyadh.
And you are currently in quarantine, aren't you?
Yes, I'm self-quarantining. I haven't got any symptoms and I've had no positive test results.
But under the new regulations because of Omicron, I'm not allowed out for a few days having just returned.
So I'll be stuck here until I get a negative test result, which hopefully will happen in the coming hours.
But under the new regulations because of Omicron, I'm not allowed out for a few days having just returned.
So I'll be stuck here until I get a negative test result, which hopefully will happen in the coming hours.
Well, we're all extremely thankful for that. Now let's thank this week's sponsors: 1Password, Perimeter 81, and Upticks. It's their support that helps us give you this show for free.
Now, coming up on today's show, Graham, what do you got?
Now, coming up on today's show, Graham, what do you got?
I have got a story for you about hamster-related conspiracy theories.
Okay, that's fun. And I'm talking charity scams. All this and much more coming up on this episode of Smashing Security.
Now, chum. I love a conspiracy theory, don't you?
I do. You often accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist on this show, so I'm surprised you're admitting that you're actually into them as well.
Oh, no, no, no, no. I think there's a difference between loving a conspiracy theory and believing a conspiracy theory.
Yeah, I don't believe conspiracy theories. Well, I probably do. I don't know which ones. I don't know that they're conspiracy theories.
Let me run a few past you and see if you believe them or not.
Did man really land on the moon, or was it a hoax filmed by Stanley Kubrick, who then felt bad about it, included clues about the truth in The Shining?
So, did man really land on the moon? What do you think? Or was it a hoax?
Did man really land on the moon, or was it a hoax filmed by Stanley Kubrick, who then felt bad about it, included clues about the truth in The Shining?
So, did man really land on the moon? What do you think? Or was it a hoax?
I think men really landed on the moon.
Okay, all right. In 2008, you remember those ever-so-smart scientists at CERN in Geneva? They turned on the particle accelerator there, didn't they?
The most powerful and largest one in the world.
The most powerful and largest one in the world.
The Hadron Collider?
That's the thing.
Now, did they, when they do that, did they also accidentally create a black hole in the center of the Earth and we all got sucked into it and we just haven't noticed yet?
Now, did they, when they do that, did they also accidentally create a black hole in the center of the Earth and we all got sucked into it and we just haven't noticed yet?
I have no idea. If we haven't noticed, I wouldn't know.
Well, all right, but you are considering the possibility. All right.
Well, I know nothing. I know sweet fuck-all about hadron colliders and how they work. I have no idea.
Okay, all right, okay. So that's a possible from you. You think we might have been sucked into something.
Yes, that's right, that's right. It's a possible from me. Yes, focusing on that. All right, okay. Yeah.
Let's try another one. Does Finland not really exist?
Finland, no, it definitely exists. I've been there. So that one I can be—
Oh, well, have you been to Finland or have you been to eastern Sweden Western Russia or northern Estonia, because there is a theory that Finland is actually the Baltic Sea.
And anyway—
And anyway—
It wasn't, it was a little bit rainy when I was there. But I didn't realise I was in a boat the whole time.
According to the theory, Russia and Japan made up the country of Finland in 1918.
So that Japan could fish there without causing huge environmental impact, and then transport their fish via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
That's why the railway was created, by the way. Pretending that they were actually transporting Nokia products.
So that Japan could fish there without causing huge environmental impact, and then transport their fish via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
That's why the railway was created, by the way. Pretending that they were actually transporting Nokia products.
Okay.
And other countries have cottoned on to this, but they've agreed to keep it a secret for some reason or other. So that's the conspiracy. So you think Finland does exist?
Yes, I do. Although I'm now questioning it now, because that sounded really impressive, what you just said.
It sounds plausible, doesn't it?
It sounds exceptionally plausible.
So my final one for you is the one which I'm going to focus on today, which is, did Warren Buffett, the super investor—
The rich, the super, super duper rich man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did he organise the assassination of a cryptocurrency trading hamster?
A hamster hamster, an image of a hamster, or a person called Mr. Hamster?
No, no. What do you mean an image of a hamster?
Well, an actual rodent.
Yes, I'm talking about an actual hamster with four paws and a liking for cheese. Yeah.
Is it called assassination if you kill an animal?
Alright, does it matter? Did Warren Buffett—
I don't know, you've made me question everything now. I'm questioning everything. I'm totally paranoid now.
Did he organise the death of a cryptocurrency trading hamster? Yes or no?
I have no idea.
Well, maybe you'll be able to decide by the end of my little section.
Okay, I look forward to that.
There is a hamster. His name is Mr. Goxx, seemingly named after Mt. Gox, which was a cryptocurrency trading platform which went bankrupt some years ago. Now, Mr.
Goxx, he has a trading desk, a hamster wheel, and two tunnels marked buy and sell made out of loo paper rolls. And he was telling people how to invest.
Goxx, he has a trading desk, a hamster wheel, and two tunnels marked buy and sell made out of loo paper rolls. And he was telling people how to invest.
The hamster?
Yes. So he would choose—
With his mouth? He would sit there and go, "Frank! Frank, you definitely gotta buy this one. It's time to buy." He's the E.F. Hutton Mouse now.
So he would, first of all choose what kind of currency he thought people should trade in by going in the hamster wheel. And rather the wheel of fortune, rather that.
You see, he would run round and that would choose a random cryptocurrency, and he would stop on the cryptocurrency he wanted, and then he would either run down the loo paper roll, which was marked sell or the one that was marked buy.
And that would tell people which cryptocurrency to sell or buy. And—
You see, he would run round and that would choose a random cryptocurrency, and he would stop on the cryptocurrency he wanted, and then he would either run down the loo paper roll, which was marked sell or the one that was marked buy.
And that would tell people which cryptocurrency to sell or buy. And—
So is this being streamed online on a website or something?
Yes.
You can go watch it.
On Twitch.
Right.
He has a Twitch channel as all cool people do.
All right. So it's on Twitch.
Yes. And so far so normal, right? So far so 2021.
Oh yeah. Super normal. Super normal.
But what's unusual, what was unusual about this was that Mr. Gox, the hamster.
Hamster.
Yes, was actually making money.
He was beating professional cryptocurrency traders and fund managers, and folks would tune into his Twitch channel to watch him trading in real time and maybe follow his suggestions.
He was beating professional cryptocurrency traders and fund managers, and folks would tune into his Twitch channel to watch him trading in real time and maybe follow his suggestions.
So what you're saying is that knowing absolutely nothing about crypto, just going in and randomly buying and selling various different things could lead you to be way more rich than the actual investors that are apparently specialists in this field.
Well, maybe the legitimate investors are also randomly buying and selling cryptocurrency.
I mean, maybe this makes more sense than wasting time trying to work out which one you should be investing in.
I mean, maybe this makes more sense than wasting time trying to work out which one you should be investing in.
That's my point, right? So the fact that I know nothing about this might give me an edge.
Because Mr. Gox, the furry pawed trader, was doing quite well. By the end of September, Gox Capital, his investment firm, was up about 20%.
It was actually outperforming even Berkshire Hathaway, which is Warren Buffett's company.
It was actually outperforming even Berkshire Hathaway, which is Warren Buffett's company.
There's a lot of words here you're using. So what you're saying now, hamsters can actually own companies? This is good.
Well, if you had—
So he's sitting there with his little fat cigar going, "We're quittin', guys!" You're fired!
I don't think you should give cigars to hamsters. I think that's a bit like giving cigarettes to rabbits. It's kind of not cool. I know people do it. Not good though.
So all was going well. Everything was right with the world until the end of November when it was announced that Mr. Gox, real name Max.
So all was going well. Everything was right with the world until the end of November when it was announced that Mr. Gox, real name Max.
The hamster.
Yes, he had suddenly and unexpectedly died of unknown causes.
Right.
Apparently after going off his food for a day or two, which is a very sad thing to hear, obviously. It was reported by the world's press that Mr. Gox, the hamster, had died.
I'm really glad that they saved Colin Inches for this.
Yeah. So, well, you know, he was doing quite well. He was an extraordinary hamster. And many of Mr. Gox's 18,000 Twitter followers were mourning his death.
But inevitably, parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death in prison of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the case of Quadriga's Gerald Cotten. Do you remember Gerald Cotten?
In Quadriga. We've talked about this on the podcast before.
So in early 2019, we learned that the founder and chief executive officer of a cryptocurrency exchange called Quadriga had suddenly and unexpectedly died, a bit like Mr.
Gox the hamster.
But inevitably, parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death in prison of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the case of Quadriga's Gerald Cotten. Do you remember Gerald Cotten?
In Quadriga. We've talked about this on the podcast before.
So in early 2019, we learned that the founder and chief executive officer of a cryptocurrency exchange called Quadriga had suddenly and unexpectedly died, a bit like Mr.
Gox the hamster.
Dun dun dun!
But Gerald Cotten wasn't hanging out in his hamster cage. Instead, he was travelling in India where he claimed he was opening an orphanage.
Is he a human or is he a fellow hamster as well?
No, Gerald Cotten is a 30-year-old human. Hamsters don't tend to live that long.
Now, when he allegedly died, the company claimed that $250 million Canadian dollars worth of cryptocurrency belonging to hundreds of thousands of customers was either missing or couldn't be accessed because only—
Now, when he allegedly died, the company claimed that $250 million Canadian dollars worth of cryptocurrency belonging to hundreds of thousands of customers was either missing or couldn't be accessed because only—
Oh, I now do. I do remember the story now.
Yes. Only Cotten had the password to its offline cold wallets.
And he was now mysteriously disappeared or dead.
Oh, he went overseas. He's disappeared. And it's like, well, so have the funds, it seems. What's going on?
Crazy story, yeah.
And there's even apparently now a Netflix documentary being made about how investors are sort of sleuthing around trying to get to the bottom of what happened.
Is Gerald Cotten really dead? Had he taken all the money? Has his wife got the money? All this kind of stuff, you know.
Is Gerald Cotten really dead? Had he taken all the money? Has his wife got the money? All this kind of stuff, you know.
Yeah, it's a great story though, come on.
Yeah, it's a very cool story. So I think there are parallels here.
So we've got a case of two individuals who have died from unknown cause in a mysterious way when they were having some sort of success related to cryptocurrency.
So we've got a case of two individuals who have died from unknown cause in a mysterious way when they were having some sort of success related to cryptocurrency.
Okay. Did you drink any crazy juice in Saudi Arabia? Because, okay.
What's crazy? What's crazy?
Why are you tying these two things together?
Because they're both in the world of cryptocurrency and they've died.
So therefore it's causal, it's correlated, it's definitely related. Okay.
You are the one who believes we're living in a black hole caused by the scientists.
Okay, gaslighter.
The hadron, well.
I just said I didn't know. I think the answer I said is I have no idea.
Don't think you can light gas inside a black hole. That would be a good test. Something for you to think about, Carole. Anyway, take care. Take heed, maybe.
As to how you invest your cryptocurrency, both where and whose advice you're taking, whether it be a hamster or someone.
As to how you invest your cryptocurrency, both where and whose advice you're taking, whether it be a hamster or someone.
I don't understand. So a hamster's died and your story is take heed when people that were actually taking his advice were making more money than other people.
Well, well, so what?
So basically, look for a new hamster should be your advice.
Not easy to replace. A hamster that talented?
It seems to me any hamster could do this job. I wonder if they were down different holes, there was food or different scents put in to try and entice them one way or another.
There's a conspiracy theory.
There's a conspiracy theory.
There you go. Carole, what have you got for us this week?
Well, Graham, I don't know if you've noticed, but Christmas is a-coming.
Jingle, jingle, ho, ho, ho.
You have a kid. It must be serious when you have a kid. You must be getting lists of all the crap you're going to need to get and all the stuff.
No, not really, because it's not my job. That's what Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, is doing, Carole.
Oh, so you don't even get to see the list at all and you have to just go buy blind?
I mean, no, I don't have to buy anything. Everything is bought by Father Christmas and his magic elves. They're the ones who handle it. And isn't that great?
Okay, well, I want to— I want you to imagine, Graham, that you are feeling generous. I know, really try and imagine that you're feeling generous.
Yeah.
And you decide to give money to a worthy cause. Right? And you're just mulling this over.
And lo and behold, you get in your social media feed, you see that Martha, okay, your great, great friend Martha has just loved a post from a charity you haven't heard of before.
And lo and behold, you get in your social media feed, you see that Martha, okay, your great, great friend Martha has just loved a post from a charity you haven't heard of before.
Oh, that's good of her.
And it's helping save the starving donkeys at Christmas time.
Oh, little donkeys.
And you love Martha, you like donkeys. I know you love donkeys. So do you click the link?
Well, I might be interested in what she's giving money to. Yeah, why not?
Yeah, I think you would be like, hmm. I think your immediate reaction would be like, I think Martha might be falling for something. I just want to double check that this is really—
What, just because she's liked something charitable?
Well, I think no. Okay, so she said, hey, hey, Graham, you can only be my friend if you give him 100 quid.
Ah, now then. Now, knowing Mark, now I'm a little bit more— now I'm feeling less charitable and less interested. Yes.
Right. Okay, so because the thing is, there seems to be quite a bit of charity scam warnings going on out there.
I was doing some research for another story I was doing for our friends at The Cyberwire, actually.
And it turns out that there's a big kerfuffle about raising awareness about charity fraud.
I was doing some research for another story I was doing for our friends at The Cyberwire, actually.
And it turns out that there's a big kerfuffle about raising awareness about charity fraud.
Oh.
Have you had these? Do you get these in your mail?
Not a huge amount, but I'm interested in this kerfuffle.
Is the problem that genuine charities are upset about people warning about charity scams because it may mean the genuine charities don't get as much charity?
Is the problem that genuine charities are upset about people warning about charity scams because it may mean the genuine charities don't get as much charity?
Well, that is what this story is all about because that's my concern as well, right?
There's all this news about all these charity scams going on, especially during the holiday season.
The FBI have just put out a release on this and the reason is, of course, people tend to give more generously during the holiday season.
Or yet another reason, depending on where you live, is that there are tax deductions for charity donations before the end of the year.
There's all this news about all these charity scams going on, especially during the holiday season.
The FBI have just put out a release on this and the reason is, of course, people tend to give more generously during the holiday season.
Or yet another reason, depending on where you live, is that there are tax deductions for charity donations before the end of the year.
Right, yeah.
So if a scammer pretended to be an agent from a well-known charity group or sent you an email invitation for a donation at the right time, you might be much more likely to click on it.
And you know, being duped by a charity scam during the holiday season is like putting on a Santa hat only for it to be filled with, you know, my in-laws' bread sauce.
Like, it is not fun.
And you know, being duped by a charity scam during the holiday season is like putting on a Santa hat only for it to be filled with, you know, my in-laws' bread sauce.
Like, it is not fun.
I don't think it matters who's made the bread sauce. I don't think it's specific to your in-laws.
I agree. Yeah.
Yeah. It's not a good thing.
No, but if you decide to give money to, I don't know, the homeless or the sick or the lonely or the elderly, and you found out you ended up lining the pocket of some scammer, you'd be a bit—
Oh, I'd be really annoyed.
But you know, this is the thing that I kind of think is fascinating by charity scams, because a charity scammer needs to fool you into happily giving the money away.
Unlike a ransom attack, right, where it goes, if you don't give me your money, we are going to embarrass you publicly.
Unlike a ransom attack, right, where it goes, if you don't give me your money, we are going to embarrass you publicly.
At least that's honest. At least that's an honest way of robbing you, right? They've been fairly upfront saying, look, here's the deal. We are criminals.
Yeah. Yeah.
We will show your naked pictures unless you give us 200 quid.
There's a certain decency about being robbed in that way, right, or being extorted in that fashion. It's like, okay, I understand what's going on here.
But when they come to you with a little jingle, jingle, jingle, say, oh, look at the poor orphans.
Will you give money to the poor orphans or something like that, and then you find out that you've been scammed, then that's gonna be— yeah, that's somehow worse, isn't it?
But when they come to you with a little jingle, jingle, jingle, say, oh, look at the poor orphans.
Will you give money to the poor orphans or something like that, and then you find out that you've been scammed, then that's gonna be— yeah, that's somehow worse, isn't it?
Yeah, but it's way worse for the people that depend on the charities, of course.
Because there's people out there— if you stop giving to food banks and shelters and health centers, what then?
Because there's people out there— if you stop giving to food banks and shelters and health centers, what then?
Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, totally, yeah.
So this is a really sticky pickle.
Oh, don't start that.
No, no one's paid for us. No one sponsored this. But no, but it is, right?
Because people tend to want to give at this time, but they're going to be worried about scammers because, hey, they're not going to get their tax deduction if they go for the wrong charity.
So it seems to me we need some advice, right? Because Christmas time is coming.
Because people tend to want to give at this time, but they're going to be worried about scammers because, hey, they're not going to get their tax deduction if they go for the wrong charity.
So it seems to me we need some advice, right? Because Christmas time is coming.
You're the woman to give us some.
No, you are. I think you are. You're the experts here in loads of things, you know, related to tech. So what advice do you have? No, of course I've got a list of things.
Of course I've got a list of things. I just want to see if you hit any.
Of course I've got a list of things. I just want to see if you hit any.
Well, I suppose if you have a favourite charity already and you know what their website is, for instance, you could go directly to their website.
Right. Don't follow links. Go and search on a search engine and find the exact page if you want to give to that specific charity that you already know about.
The other thing you could do is if you have a favourite charity, maybe you could have a standing order. So that each year they take some money.
Give the hackers money month on month.
No, no, no, not the hacker. No, look. What are you doing to me?
Well, I just see you're getting in interview mode. It was cute. It was cute.
I'd be careful as well if you were on the high street too, because people might come up to you, mightn't they, sort of shaking their collection tin.
100%. 100%. That's happened to me a lot. 'Cause I think there's a lot of scammers in my neighbourhood who use charities.
And you know what's happening now as well?
Tell me.
People are wearing masks, so which makes them even seem even more like bandits. It's like, oh, hang on, who might you be stopping me?
Daylight, you know, highway robbery that's going on here.
Daylight, you know, highway robbery that's going on here.
I think the best advice I have is slow down. It is a problem that actual legit charities tend to go, right now, this is happening, and, you know, fill you with emotive images.
And, you know, if you don't give right now, this is what's going to happen. And yeah, you know, scammers have capitalized on that. But I think our job is to kind of say, slow down.
So get the information, go away, and then process that and do your own research.
Don't just sign up and do a money order right there and then, because especially in shopping center or door stopping events, it can be pretty— you can feel bad to say no.
But I think if someone's pressuring you to pay right now rather than giving you information to let you go think about it, yeah.
And, you know, if you don't give right now, this is what's going to happen. And yeah, you know, scammers have capitalized on that. But I think our job is to kind of say, slow down.
So get the information, go away, and then process that and do your own research.
Don't just sign up and do a money order right there and then, because especially in shopping center or door stopping events, it can be pretty— you can feel bad to say no.
But I think if someone's pressuring you to pay right now rather than giving you information to let you go think about it, yeah.
Yeah.
And sometimes I've done that when people have come to my door and knocked on my door and said, we're collecting for, I don't know, the Three-Legged Donkeys of Malaga or something like that.
And it's like, you know, they show you some emotive—
And sometimes I've done that when people have come to my door and knocked on my door and said, we're collecting for, I don't know, the Three-Legged Donkeys of Malaga or something like that.
And it's like, you know, they show you some emotive—
See donkeys again. I know.
Yeah. And they show you some emotive photographs and you think, oh crikey. But I would rather say, look, can you give me a leaflet?
Exactly.
And I'll read about this. And when I'm feeling a bit more sensible and less pressured, then I'll make a decision as to whether I want to do this or not.
But a lot of people don't want to look like an idiot at that time. Do you have trouble with that or no? No, it comes naturally.
I think that was an insult.
No, it wasn't really. Now, another piece of advice. What do you think about using a credit card in these situations?
Because if you do, you have a lot more rights to dispute a charge if something goes wrong than any other type of payment.
So people that say, oh, that's true, you pay me with gift cards or a money transfer or a bit of bitcoin, you know, or a bit of crypto, bit of Ethereum, Dogecoin, Lucky coin.
Because if you do, you have a lot more rights to dispute a charge if something goes wrong than any other type of payment.
So people that say, oh, that's true, you pay me with gift cards or a money transfer or a bit of bitcoin, you know, or a bit of crypto, bit of Ethereum, Dogecoin, Lucky coin.
And some of the credit cards out there, for instance, those provided by past sponsor privacy.com, for instance, you can create little virtual credit cards, can't you?
Love that. Revolut do that too, yeah.
You could give them your details, but you could maybe have a limit as to how much it's spent and you'd know who was using that card because sometimes you're nervous about giving your credit card details and where else is this going to end up and how's it going to be used?
Exactly.
And the other thing is, in order for tax deductions to work, and this is where the US guys might be more au fait with this than we are, because we know about tax deduction stuff, but how many people when they give to a charity go and check beforehand to see if they're listed amongst the charities that from which you can actually deduct your tax from?
You know what I'm trying to say?
And the other thing is, in order for tax deductions to work, and this is where the US guys might be more au fait with this than we are, because we know about tax deduction stuff, but how many people when they give to a charity go and check beforehand to see if they're listed amongst the charities that from which you can actually deduct your tax from?
You know what I'm trying to say?
I know what you say, and I must admit I only do that personally when I'm given a charitable donation of more than £1 million.
If it's just little sums of money, like half a million, I don't bother. But when it's a big sum that I'm giving, then I do care.
If it's just little sums of money, like half a million, I don't bother. But when it's a big sum that I'm giving, then I do care.
Right. No, no, I've given a billion and never actually looked. Oh.
So. Wow.
I'm more generous than you. That's all I'm trying to say.
Grow Bezos. Yeah.
Yeah, I'll be up there in the air. I'll be up there. Yeah. We're going to be in the spaceship together. I can't wait.
You'll be riding up on his great big— Yeah. Oh!
Can we go to Pickle Week, please?
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And welcome back. And you join us at our favorite part of the show, the part of the show that we like to call Pick of the Week.
Pick of the Week. Pick of the Week.
Pick of the Week is the part of the show where everyone chooses something they like.
Could be a funny story, a book that they've read, a TV show, a movie, a record, a podcast, a website, or an app, whatever they wish. Doesn't have to be security related necessarily.
Could be a funny story, a book that they've read, a TV show, a movie, a record, a podcast, a website, or an app, whatever they wish. Doesn't have to be security related necessarily.
Better not be.
Well, my pick of the week is not security related. Last week, Carole had her pick of the year. Did you not, Carole?
Yes, I did. You haven't even watched it yet, and it's now gone from Netflix.
I didn't get a chance. I did see the trailer, but it sounded really good. Anyway, maybe I will go and purchase it online to watch.
Worth it. Worth it.
Right. Because I have a pick of the year as well. The TV event of the year, if not maybe several years, because I have been watching—
Is this Doctor Who related?
No, not Doctor Who. I have been watching on Disney Plus Get Back, the new documentary by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame. Have you heard of this, Carole?
No. I know Peter Jackson. I know of Peter Jackson, but I don't know anything about the documentary. I don't have Disney Channel.
You should get a free trial for 7 days or however long, and then just binge on this. So Peter Jackson, as you know, he made Lord of the Rings, right?
And they were— Oh, do you remember he did his extended cut? He did this, it's 3 movies. Oh my goodness.
And they put them out on DVD and they were 3 and a half hours long and they went on forever and ever, but they were great. You know, they were good movies.
And then he did The Hobbit and somehow he managed to split The Hobbit into 3 different movies as well. It's just God, drag it out, mate.
And they were— Oh, do you remember he did his extended cut? He did this, it's 3 movies. Oh my goodness.
And they put them out on DVD and they were 3 and a half hours long and they went on forever and ever, but they were great. You know, they were good movies.
And then he did The Hobbit and somehow he managed to split The Hobbit into 3 different movies as well. It's just God, drag it out, mate.
Oh, moneymaker.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, he's done the same again because it was announced maybe 18 months ago or so that Peter Jackson was making a documentary or remaking a documentary about the Beatles and it would be coming out of the cinema and then COVID happened.
And during the COVID thing, the decision was made, let's not put this in the cinema.
Let's instead put it out on streaming and we'll make it rather than one 1.5-hour movie, we'll make it 3 separate documentaries with a total running time of about 8 hours.
Well, he's done the same again because it was announced maybe 18 months ago or so that Peter Jackson was making a documentary or remaking a documentary about the Beatles and it would be coming out of the cinema and then COVID happened.
And during the COVID thing, the decision was made, let's not put this in the cinema.
Let's instead put it out on streaming and we'll make it rather than one 1.5-hour movie, we'll make it 3 separate documentaries with a total running time of about 8 hours.
I think we can start saying now that it's been Peter Jacksoned.
Yes. Right? So, yes.
Verb it up.
Each episode is about 2.5 to 3 hours long. I've watched it all. I downloaded some of it before I got to Saudi Arabia, and then I've watched the remainder since getting back.
And what it is is this, right? Okay, I have to set the scene for those people who aren't Beatles nerds.
In January 1969, the Beatles went to Twickenham Film Studios, a great big hangar-like thing. It's cold. It was huge. It wasn't the normal place where they recorded their music.
And they had this challenge because at the end of January 1969, Ringo was going off to make a terrible movie called The Magic Christian with Peter Sellers.
And what it is is this, right? Okay, I have to set the scene for those people who aren't Beatles nerds.
In January 1969, the Beatles went to Twickenham Film Studios, a great big hangar-like thing. It's cold. It was huge. It wasn't the normal place where they recorded their music.
And they had this challenge because at the end of January 1969, Ringo was going off to make a terrible movie called The Magic Christian with Peter Sellers.
He didn't know at the time it was going to be terrible though.
Presumably not. Ringo wanted to be a big movie star. He was put into this movie.
And so the Fab Four thought, okay, why don't we use this bit of time which we've got to make a TV documentary?
We'll have ourselves filming, rehearsing for a show, rehearsing for a concert, and we'll rehearse songs from The White Album, which had just been released, a double album, extraordinary album they'd just released.
And then when they got there, they said, hey, you know, why don't we just come up with completely new songs?
So they decided instead of recording and rehearsing songs they'd already written, right?
They would instead write 14 new songs within 3 weeks, learn them, then perform them in a concert in public.
They'd not done any public performances for about 3 years since the crazy days of Beatlemania. So, they started doing this and the tensions rose.
And within a few days, George Harrison quit the band. Because it had a bit of a—
And so the Fab Four thought, okay, why don't we use this bit of time which we've got to make a TV documentary?
We'll have ourselves filming, rehearsing for a show, rehearsing for a concert, and we'll rehearse songs from The White Album, which had just been released, a double album, extraordinary album they'd just released.
And then when they got there, they said, hey, you know, why don't we just come up with completely new songs?
So they decided instead of recording and rehearsing songs they'd already written, right?
They would instead write 14 new songs within 3 weeks, learn them, then perform them in a concert in public.
They'd not done any public performances for about 3 years since the crazy days of Beatlemania. So, they started doing this and the tensions rose.
And within a few days, George Harrison quit the band. Because it had a bit of a—
Falling out.
A variety of possible reasons. Some people say it's because Yoko ate some of his biscuits. Other people say Paul McCartney was being a bit overbearing.
As long as there was no hamsters involved, I'm happy.
Right. And when he came back, they dumped the idea of a TV documentary and things like that.
They said, instead, we're going to make it a movie and we'll finish the movie with a big concert performance.
And the director was saying, oh, well, why don't we go to Tripoli and we'll be in the amazing architecture and you'll be surrounded by 2,000 Arabs holding torches?
Or let's go to a sick kids' hospital, but not too sick, just broken legs and stuff.
And so he's saying, oh, the director's got all these ideas and they don't really want to do any of this, right? They don't really want to.
And it's this pressure, how are we going to learn all these songs? And they're goofing around. Anyway, the film came out in 1970. It's called Let It Be.
And it was a pretty dreary affair, not least because just before the film came out, it was announced that the Beatles had split up.
And some people viewed the movie as the reason why the Beatles split up. Okay, zoom forward to the present.
Peter Jackson has taken over 160 hours of the raw camera footage and hundreds and hundreds of hours of audio. He stitched it all together.
He's upscaled the footage, re-edited this into this 3-part documentary called Get Back.
So effectively, you are a fly on the wall over these 3 weeks watching the Beatles very candidly rehearsing songs, even coming up with songs on the spot.
So for instance, you actually see the moment when Paul McCartney wrote the Get Back song. You know the song Get Back? Jojo was the dad.
So you see him just strumming away and the tune begins to appear out of thin air, and then the other Beatles get involved and they make it this song.
And there's other hilarious things which happen in the documentary. I absolutely loved it. It was wonderful. 8 hours. Now, it may not be for the casual Beatles fan.
You may find it a little bit drawn out.
They said, instead, we're going to make it a movie and we'll finish the movie with a big concert performance.
And the director was saying, oh, well, why don't we go to Tripoli and we'll be in the amazing architecture and you'll be surrounded by 2,000 Arabs holding torches?
Or let's go to a sick kids' hospital, but not too sick, just broken legs and stuff.
And so he's saying, oh, the director's got all these ideas and they don't really want to do any of this, right? They don't really want to.
And it's this pressure, how are we going to learn all these songs? And they're goofing around. Anyway, the film came out in 1970. It's called Let It Be.
And it was a pretty dreary affair, not least because just before the film came out, it was announced that the Beatles had split up.
And some people viewed the movie as the reason why the Beatles split up. Okay, zoom forward to the present.
Peter Jackson has taken over 160 hours of the raw camera footage and hundreds and hundreds of hours of audio. He stitched it all together.
He's upscaled the footage, re-edited this into this 3-part documentary called Get Back.
So effectively, you are a fly on the wall over these 3 weeks watching the Beatles very candidly rehearsing songs, even coming up with songs on the spot.
So for instance, you actually see the moment when Paul McCartney wrote the Get Back song. You know the song Get Back? Jojo was the dad.
So you see him just strumming away and the tune begins to appear out of thin air, and then the other Beatles get involved and they make it this song.
And there's other hilarious things which happen in the documentary. I absolutely loved it. It was wonderful. 8 hours. Now, it may not be for the casual Beatles fan.
You may find it a little bit drawn out.
Peter Jacksoned.
And the first episode in particular is a little bit more depressing than the others because they're not very happy in the first part of this documentary.
They're all bitchy to each other?
There's just—
Anybody want tea? No, no, I'm fine, thank you.
There is a lot of tea and toast being made during the course of it. But there are funny things which happen.
There's a song called 'Two of Us' and Lennon and McCartney at one time are actually singing it like ventriloquists. They sort of challenge each other.
Can you sing the song without moving your lips?
They're going, "Ta-da-da, Stein de Taurel, got the gear, got the gear." Anyway, they're doing, there's a lot of arsing around, but it's wonderful.
And I've been looking forward to seeing it so much. It's now come out, hasn't disappointed. Beatles fans around the world are delighted with it.
Go to Disney+ if you're even a little bit interested in the Beatles and watch it. It is slightly slow TV, and I do like slow TV.
There's a song called 'Two of Us' and Lennon and McCartney at one time are actually singing it like ventriloquists. They sort of challenge each other.
Can you sing the song without moving your lips?
They're going, "Ta-da-da, Stein de Taurel, got the gear, got the gear." Anyway, they're doing, there's a lot of arsing around, but it's wonderful.
And I've been looking forward to seeing it so much. It's now come out, hasn't disappointed. Beatles fans around the world are delighted with it.
Go to Disney+ if you're even a little bit interested in the Beatles and watch it. It is slightly slow TV, and I do like slow TV.
Okay, you've mentioned a number of times. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. So that is it. And it is my pick of the year.
Whoa.
Get Back by Peter Jackson on Disney+.
Okay. Yeah, I just— the energy that was coming off you during that, I didn't even feel I could interrupt.
So I might, I might watch it again. I might watch it again this week.
Good.
Locked down for a few weeks. Exactly.
Why don't you learn it? Why don't you learn every single line in it? And then you could entertain all your friends. I'd love that so, so, so much. So much.
Oh, I'll put a link into the trailer. You'll enjoy the trailer at least. That's only a minute and a half. That's quite fun. Link's in the show notes.
Carole, what's your pick of the week?
Carole, what's your pick of the week?
Okay, so I recently had a birthday.
Oh.
And I got a few great gifts. Ah. Graham, you gave me a very interesting gift. I've actually started it. It's a book. So listeners, it's a book. It's quite an intense, heavy book.
I was very impressed by you buying this for me. It's called A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women. And it's by Siri Hustvedt. And it's essays on art, sex, and the mind.
And I'm 30 pages in. And so far, my takeaway is that we give credence to scientists and researchers more than we do artists. And it's a damn shame.
But I'm still to read about all the reasonings as to why.
I was very impressed by you buying this for me. It's called A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women. And it's by Siri Hustvedt. And it's essays on art, sex, and the mind.
And I'm 30 pages in. And so far, my takeaway is that we give credence to scientists and researchers more than we do artists. And it's a damn shame.
But I'm still to read about all the reasonings as to why.
Oh, but you're enjoying it, are you?
Yeah, yeah, I am. Oh, good. She's quite an engaging writer. I've not read her before.
Right. Okay.
So thank you very much. However, my book is not my pick of the week.
Oh.
It's the gift that my husband bought me. And listeners, I love this. If you like pens, it's not an ordinary pen.
Right.
It is a Brass Kaweco. So K-A-W-E-C-O. Brass sports pen.
A sports pen?
Well, it's called brass. It's called sport because it's smaller and it's very— it's just amazing. So it's beautiful.
What type of— is it a fountain pen? Is it a ballpoint pen?
It's a fountain pen.
Right.
I'm sure they do ballpoint pens. Kaweco have been pen people since the 1870s or something. But this brass pen is the perfect weight. It writes like a dream.
It's super compact and fits into the smallest pouch or case. It's beautiful. You should look it up, Clue. It's really, really good.
It's super compact and fits into the smallest pouch or case. It's beautiful. You should look it up, Clue. It's really, really good.
It's the bomb. Does it take ink cartridges or do you have to do that? Do you remember the slurpy thing?
You can do both of them. So currently I have an ink cartridge in it.
But I also have a plunger one that I can— because I have lots of ink around the house, so I can actually plunge in ink of different colors into the little plunger receptacles.
You can choose how you want to use it.
But I also have a plunger one that I can— because I have lots of ink around the house, so I can actually plunge in ink of different colors into the little plunger receptacles.
You can choose how you want to use it.
What do you do with your pen?
Write, doodle, draw. Make lists.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Boring. Yeah, okay, I thought maybe you'd do something more fun with it. All right, fair enough.
Listen.
Pick earwax out or something like that.
I'm not even talking to you anymore, Graham. I'm talking to listeners. Listeners, it is the bomb.
Okay, I actually heard about this pen about 6 months ago and I mentioned it to my other half, right. And then of course I totally forgot about it and he didn't.
And that's why I married well. So this is my pick of the week, the Kaweco Brass Sport. And I'm proud to recommend anybody who likes to draw, doodle, or handwrite.
And link in the show notes.
Okay, I actually heard about this pen about 6 months ago and I mentioned it to my other half, right. And then of course I totally forgot about it and he didn't.
And that's why I married well. So this is my pick of the week, the Kaweco Brass Sport. And I'm proud to recommend anybody who likes to draw, doodle, or handwrite.
And link in the show notes.
I love a doodle, I must say.
Explains a lot.
Well, that just about wraps up the show for this week. If you want to follow us, you can do so on Twitter @SmashingSecurity, no G, Twitter won't allow us to have a G.
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And we've also got a subreddit. So go and check out Smashing Security up there.
And don't forget to ensure you never miss another episode, follow Smashing Security in your favorite podcast app, such as Overcast, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
And big shout out to our episode sponsors, 1Password, Upticks, and Perimeter 81. And of course to our wonderful Patreon community. It's thanks to them all that this show is free.
For episode show notes, sponsorship information, guest lists, and the entire back catalog of more than 253 episodes, check out smashingsecurity.com.
For episode show notes, sponsorship information, guest lists, and the entire back catalog of more than 253 episodes, check out smashingsecurity.com.
Until next time, cheerio, bye-bye, bye. Maybe we could do the podcast sometime like a ventriloquist. So without moving our lips.
I thought you were going to ask us if we could Peter Jackson our podcast and make it 3 hours long.
Hosts:
Graham Cluley:
@grahamcluley.com
@
/ grahamcluley
Carole Theriault:
Show notes:
- How Stanley Kubrick Staged the Moon Landing — The Paris Review.
- The Day the World Didn't End — NASA.
- Does Finland Exist? Many Don't Think So — The Culture Trip.
- Mr Goxx, the crypto-trading hamster beating human investors — BBC News.
- Mr Goxx's Twitch channel — Twitch.
- RIP Mr. Goxx: Cryptocurrency trading HAMSTER DIES of unknown causes — Daily Mail.
- Epstein’s death proves feeding ground for conspiracy theories — Financial Times.
- Smashing Security episode 114: Darknet Diaries, death, and beauty apps — In which we discussed the Quadriga case.
- Find QuadrigaCX’s missing $190 million, and you could win a $100,000 bounty — Graham Cluley.
- Fraud: Charities warned to be extra vigilant over coming months — UK Fundraising.
- Donate safely this Giving Tuesday — FTC.
- Watch The Beatles: Get Back — Disney +
- The Beatles: Get Back trailer — YouTube.
- Kaweco Brass Sport pen.
- Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff
- Support us on Patreon!
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