Something very strange is happening to the Apple Podcasts app. Over the last several months, I’ve found both the iOS and Mac versions of the Podcasts app will open religion, spirituality, and education podcasts with no apparent rhyme or reason. Sometimes, I unlock my machine and the podcast app has launched itself and presented one of the bizarre podcasts to me. On top of that, at least one of the podcast pages in the app includes a link to a potentially malicious website. Here are the titles of some of the very odd podcasts I’ve had thrust upon me recently (I’ve trimmed some and defanged some links so you don’t accidentally click one):

“5../XEWE2'""x22"onclic…”

“free will, free willhttp://www[.]sermonaudio[.]com/rss_search.asp?keyword=free%will on SermonAudio”

“Leonel Pimentahttps://play[.]google[.]com/store/apps/detai…”

“https://open[.]spotify[.]com/playlist/53TA8e97shGyQ6iMk6TDjc?...”

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Someone Is Trying to ‘Hack’ People Through Apple Podcasts

For months Apple Podcasts has been randomly opening spirituality and religion podcasts by itself, and one case directing listeners to a potentially malicious website.

^{Joseph Cox (404 Media)}