Governments and businesses race to patch websites with critical cyber-security update
The World TonightSummary
Urgent efforts are underway to address significant vulnerabilities in PHP, a coding language that supports approximately 70% of websites globally. Researchers using AI tools identified two major flaws, prompting a scramble among developers to implement patches and secure their systems. Volker Dusch from the PHP Foundation emphasized the proactive measures taken to mitigate risks after the vulnerabilities were confirmed by OpenAI in August.
In related discussions, Professor Sana Karaghani, former head of the UK Government's Office for Artificial Intelligence, characterized the situation as a positive example of AI's role in cybersecurity. She noted that while AI tools can identify vulnerabilities, human oversight remains crucial in directing their use. The conversation also highlighted the ongoing need for robust cybersecurity measures across all sectors, not just in high-risk areas like banking.
In a separate legal development, Donald Trump faces a deadline to testify in a defamation lawsuit against the BBC regarding an edited speech related to the January 6 Capitol riots. A judge has mandated that Trump provide his deposition by December 11, with the possibility of videotaping the session. The BBC alleges that Trump's legal team has been slow to disclose necessary documents, raising concerns over the progress of the case.
Additionally, the podcast touches on the underrepresentation of women in science education, spotlighting a study revealing that only one woman, Rosalind Franklin, is included among 86 scientists recommended for study in UK curricula. Dr. Patricia Farrar, a historian of science, criticized this lack of representation and called for more recognition of female scientists like Marie Curie and Dorothy Hodgkin, emphasizing the need for effective role models for young women in STEM fields.
Show Notes
The vulnerabilities were found within the PHP programming language by AI systems run by OpenAI. But could they just have easily been found by hackers? We ask the former head of the UK Government’s Office for Artificial Intelligence, Sana Khareghani. Also in the programme: We explore the difficulties of accurately diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) after actress Christina Applegate says she was wrongly told she had the condition. And the new film by The Banshees of Inisherin director Martin McDonagh - Wild Horse Nine - stars John Malkovich as a 1970s CIA agent. But is it any good?
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Governments and cyber-security agencies around the world are urging online companies to fix flaws in their programming language, or take down their websites. We speak to a technology expert who explains how worried we should be. Also in the programme, a 74-year-old American man is released from a Russian penal colony. We hear from the lawyer for Stephen Hubbard. And we take you to the rainforests of Cameroon, where a British music group have been recording the voices and instruments of the people who live in Baka. (Photo: Hard disk drives at the computer server, as cyber agencies warn that websites may be taken offline while PHP prepares a critical fix, in Berlin, Germany, October 21, 2026. Credit: REUTERS)
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