Can't Hack This! Gold & Silver in a Digital Age -

Some people in tech circles are calling it Black October.
AI has reached the point where it can blast through cybersecurity defenses that were once considered unbreachable.
That means virtually anything digital can be hacked – including your bank account.
But no matter how sophisticated your AI bot, you can't hack gold or silver. 
In this episode of the Midweek Memo podcast, host Mike Maharrey explains the growing risk of AI hacking and how to protect yourself. 
And as the holiday season approaches, Mike suggests a great gift that will stand the test of time, inspired by an amazing find in Bulgaria.
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<blockquote>
"Seeing is believing. A picture’s worth 1,000 words. Show me, don’t tell me!"
</blockquote>
Mike notes that this common-sense wisdom is starting to make less sense.
<blockquote>
"In the age of AI, you can’t believe everything that you see. AI photos and video are getting to the point that it’s difficult to tell they’re fake. A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a story about a tiger calling for help when his keeper had a medical emergency. The story was complete with photos from a surveillance camera. But the photos were fake. And the story was made up. And you know what? It fooled me."
</blockquote>
Mike points out that AI has advanced significantly in a very short period of time.
<blockquote>
"It was long ago that AI images were mocked because they couldn’t even get the right number of fingers on a hand. And now I’m paranoid! I find myself scrutinizing every video and photo I run across, trying to determine if it’s real. What happens when we can’t tell anymore?"
</blockquote>
Mike says AI seems to be eroding our confidence in reality, with significant ramifications. 
<blockquote>
"I’ll give you an example. What gives the dollar its value? We’re told it is backed by the “full faith and credit of the federal government.” What happens when there is no longer “full faith?” I mean, there shouldn’t be, because the government is intentionally wrecking your money. But still, you see what I’m driving at here, right? And it’s not just the dollar. People have lost faith in everything. I have people tell me they don’t bother to buy gold because 'it’s just manipulated anyway.'”
</blockquote>
Mike notes that there have been some pretty wild developments in the AI realm over the last few weeks. Some people in tech circles are calling it "Black October."
<blockquote>
"AI has reached the point where it can blast through cybersecurity defenses that were once considered unbreachable. That means virtually anything digital can be hacked – including your bank account.
"Do you know what can’t be hacked?
"Physical gold and silver."
</blockquote>
Over the last few weeks, cyberthreat reports have gone parabolic.
<img src="https://www.moneymetals.com/uploads/content/cve-tracker.jpeg" width="500" height="298" class="mx-auto p-3" alt="" />Mike quotes a techie on X who summed up what's going on.
<blockquote>
“We're 48 hours into what is being called Black October. In the last 2 days there have been several dozen cyberattacks which, in isolation, would each have been the worst to happen in an entire calendar year. Every sector, from government to education to big tech and banks, is being massively affected, and people are starting to freak out.”
</blockquote>
Several banks have reported AI agents working within customer accounts, some of which appear to be taking unauthorized actions.
The issue is that AI agents have become nearly as good as the most sophisticated programmers. But there's a big difference. AI bots don't sleep, and you can link 10,000 together with a single command. As our techie on X put it, "They'll work together tirelessly until they accomplish their task."
Mike notes that most people assume their money is "safe" in the bank.
<blockquote>
"Is it, though? The bank introduces significant counterparty risk. Simply put, you have no control over your funds when they are in the bank. Hackers do. With a sophisticated AI tool, hackers could access your savings account and drain it completely. They cannot 'drain' the silver coin I’m holding in my hand."
</blockquote>
Mike said that even absent hacking threats, it's still unwise to hold all your assets in digital form. 
<blockquote>
"Consider what would happen if a major storm took out the electrical grid in your area. How would you access your money or do business if you can’t even fire up your computer or charge your phone? We take the digital world for granted, but it wouldn’t take much to send us back to the proverbial Stone Age. It’s wise to be prepared. Hold some physical gold or silver as insurance."
</blockquote>
Mike offers some suggestions to help mitigate the risk.
<blockquote>
"Use long, difficult passwords and change them frequently. Turn on two-factor authentication.  And beware of giving AI bots access to sensitive accounts. Most importantly, keep at least one toe in the physical world. Keep assets you can hold in your hand. Gold and silver in your safe can’t be hacked, and they can’t be 'turned off.'”
</blockquote>
Mike then pivots to silver, noting that many people have turned bearish. However, technical analyst Jesse Colombo thinks we're just in a consolidation phase, and the next leg of the bull run is right around the corner. 
<blockquote>
"Colombo has some pretty compelling technical analysis to back up this claim. I summarized it in an article over at MoneyMetals.com/news. I’m not going to try to go through it all here because there are a lot of visuals. I’ll link to the article in the show notes for you to check out."
</blockquote>
Mike then proclaims he recently received his Walmart gift catalogue in the mail. 
<blockquote>
"It reminded me that the holidays are right around the corner. Heck, they’ll be playing Christmas music next week. So, I guess it’s time to start thinking about gift-giving, eh? Want a gift that stands the test of time?
"Get gold!"
</blockquote>
Mike suggests gold stud earrings. 
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<blockquote>
"They are beautiful, classic, and will last, well, forever! Or at least a really long time.
"How long have people been getting gold earrings as gifts?
"At least 1,700 years!"
"At a site in Bulgaria, archaeologists unearthed a child’s grave. Among the bones, they discovered 'stunningly preserved' gold earrings."
</blockquote>
Mike notes that the earrings look just like they came out of a case at Kay Jewelers. 
<blockquote>
"This is a testament to gold's durability."
</blockquote>
Mike points out that gold also serves as money for many of the same reasons we value it as jewelry. 
<blockquote>
"It is durable, malleable, and it doesn’t decay, corrode, or degrade. Gold is gold – forever."
</blockquote>
And its value is recognized worldwide. 
<blockquote>
"From skyscrapers in Manhattan to tents in the Sahara, people value gold. And of course, gold is beautiful. That’s why people have been adorning their bodies with it for more than 6,000 years. I’m pretty certain your loved one would be thrilled to get some gold this holiday season. Something to consider as you plan your holiday gift-giving!"
</blockquote>
Mike ends the show with a call to action — call 800-800-1865 and talk with a Money Metals precious metals specialist today.
<h2>Articles Mentioned in the Show</h2>
<a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2024/02/29/buy-gold-and-silver-to-hedge-against-counterparty-risk-003015">Buy Gold and Silver to Hedge Against Counterparty Risk</a>
<a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2026/10/26/russian-gold-reserves-down-62-tonnes-this-year-as-they-support-the-wartime-economy-005318">Russian Gold Reserves Down 62 Tonnes This Year as They Support the Wartime Economy</a>
<a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2026/10/22/the-bull-market-isnt-over-silver-setting-up-for-next-leg-higher-005311">The Bull Market Isn't Over: Silver Setting Up for Next Leg Higher</a>

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