This episode of Brutally Honest Security covers several major cybersecurity stories, including the x47.c Windows botnet and its use of xAI Grok, the September 2026 V2 Exchange Server security update, and continued exploitation of SharePoint vulnerabilities by the Warlock threat group.

Also covered are the ransomware incident that forced the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi to shut down systems, along with the detention of a suspected ShinyHunters hacker in Jordan.

Topics include AI-powered malware, Windows botnets, Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint vulnerabilities, ransomware, ShinyHunters and cybercrime investigations.

Episode Links:

Windows Botnet x47.c:
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/x47c-botnet-ai-api-draining-18/
https://www.securityweek.com/new-x47-c-windows-botnet-weaponizes-xai-grok-ai-api-draining/

September 2026 V2 Exchange Server Security Update:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/released-september-2026-v2-exchange-server-security-updates/4561718

Mississippi mayor says ransomware incident led city to shut down systems:
https://therecord.media/vicksburg-mississippi-government-ransomware-attack

Warlock Exploits SharePoint Flaws:
https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/warlock-exploits-sharepoint-flaws-to.html

ShinyHunters hacker detained n Jordan:
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/key-shinyhunters-hacker-detained-jordan-is-cooperating-sources-say-2026-10-03/

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Whether you’re a security professional, IT leader, breach counsel, or just someone trying to make sense of the headlines, Eric’s blunt breakdowns make complex cyber topics accessible and actionable. Expect frank discussions, real stories from the trenches, and zero fluff.

If you’re tired of jargon and want the truth about today’s cyber threats, tune in to Brutally Honest Security. Its cybersecurity explained the way it should be direct, honest, and impossible to ignore.

No script. No limits. If it matters in cyber, it’s fair game.

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👉 Subscribe now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about our cybersecurity services and check out our resources section: https://barricadecyber.com

AI companies are warning that artificial intelligence may be moving too fast, but is anyone actually going to slow down?

In this episode of Brutally Honest Security, Eric Taylor takes on the growing AI arms race and questions whether calls to pump the brakes on development match what is actually happening across the technology industry. While the headlines focus on advanced AI models and autonomous threats, Eric looks at a much more immediate cybersecurity reality: AI may already be helping attackers develop proof-of-concept exploits dramatically faster than defenders have seen in the past.

The episode also covers the continued rise of ClickFix attacks, compromised WordPress sites being used to deliver malicious commands, and why organizations need to pay closer attention to the infrastructure supporting their websites.

Eric also weighs in on a dispute involving CrowdStrike and a Berlin government investigation before turning to Flock Security and the broader privacy concerns surrounding automated license plate readers, connected camera networks, data correlation, false identification and the growing amount of information being collected about everyday movement.

Plus, a simple trip to the pharmacy raises another important question: Why are we still asking people to say their name, date of birth and address out loud when protecting personal information has never mattered more?

Topics include AI in cybersecurity, AI-generated exploits, CVE proof-of-concept development, ClickFix attacks, WordPress security, CrowdStrike, endpoint detection and response, Flock Security, automated license plate readers, surveillance, PII exposure and cybersecurity privacy.

No script. No limits. If it matters in cyber, it’s fair game.

=============================
Whether you’re a security professional, IT leader, breach counsel, or just someone trying to make sense of the headlines, Eric’s blunt breakdowns make complex cyber topics accessible and actionable. Expect frank discussions, real stories from the trenches, and zero fluff.

If you’re tired of jargon and want the truth about today’s cyber threats, tune in to Brutally Honest Security. Its cybersecurity explained the way it should be direct, honest, and impossible to ignore.

No script. No limits. If it matters in cyber, it's fair game.

👉 Subscribe now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

=============================
Follow Barricade Cyber Solutions:

• Connect on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/barricadecyber
• Eric’s LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ransomware
• Listen to this podcast on Transistor.fm (or your favorite podcast platform): https://brutallyhonestsecurity.transistor.fm

Visit https://barricadecyber.com to learn about our mission to help businesses be safer tomorrow than they are today.

© 2026 Barricade Cyber Solutions

How much information about you can AI piece together from years of social media posts, photos, tags and digital breadcrumbs?

In this episode of Brutally Honest Security, Eric Taylor reacts to a disturbing example of Meta AI connecting information across social media to build detailed profiles involving a user's family and location. It opens a much bigger conversation about online privacy, the data we willingly share, the information exposed through breaches, and how easily those pieces can be combined into something far more revealing than most people realize.

Eric also breaks down security developments involving ScreenConnect and MikroTik, including risks surrounding remote access platforms, SSH vulnerabilities and the speed at which proof-of-concept exploits can begin circulating after vulnerabilities become public.

The episode closes with a look at the changing cybersecurity landscape, where AI-assisted tooling, undisclosed zero-days and increasingly accessible offensive capabilities are making it easier for attackers to move quickly while defenders still have to protect an entire environment.

Topics include Meta AI privacy, social media data exposure, OSINT, breached data, ScreenConnect security, MikroTik vulnerabilities, remote code execution, zero-day exploits, AI in cybersecurity and why organizations may need to become more cautious about how quickly they trust, reconnect and expose systems.

=============================
Whether you’re a security professional, IT leader, breach counsel, or just someone trying to make sense of the headlines, Eric’s blunt breakdowns make complex cyber topics accessible and actionable. Expect frank discussions, real stories from the trenches, and zero fluff.

If you’re tired of jargon and want the truth about today’s cyber threats, tune in to Brutally Honest Security. Its cybersecurity explained the way it should be direct, honest, and impossible to ignore.

No script. No limits. If it matters in cyber, it's fair game.

👉 Subscribe now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

=============================
Follow Barricade Cyber Solutions:

• Connect on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/barricadecyber
• Eric’s LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ransomware
• Listen to this podcast on Transistor.fm (or your favorite podcast platform): https://brutallyhonestsecurity.transistor.fm

Visit https://barricadecyber.com to learn about our mission to help businesses be safer tomorrow than they are today.

© 2026 Barricade Cyber Solutions