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VP Kamala Harris spent about 90 minutes meeting with the leaders of civil rights and reproductive rights groups on Monday evening. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo

WELCOME HOME ALEX BURNS will return to POLITICO as associate editor for global politics and a columnist, Executive Editor Dafna Linzer and Editor-in-Chief Matt Kaminski announced this morning.

This expansive new role will be charged with helping chart the course for POLITICOs coverage of politics, policy and power as we become a more truly global newsroom, Dafna and Matt write. Alex will work with editors and reporters to develop themes, stories and projects that appeal broadly to our readers, and their political obsessions, in the United States and abroad

Hell build and oversee a team to help push these projects forward, and author one of them himself: A new column, published here and in Europe, for POLITICOs global audience that explores dynamics related to the future of politics, elections, climate, trade and technology, grounded in reporting, analysis and Alexs own perspective.

Alex will rejoin POLITICO after the midterms, following an eight-year run at the NYT and a blockbuster venture into book publishing earlier this year with This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and The Battle for Americas Future. Read the full memo Flashback to Alexs first front-page POLITICO byline on Nov. 6, 2008

We can't wait for Alex to get started and to feature his new column here in Playbook.

HARRIS PLEDGES MORE ACTION ON ABORTION RIGHTS Back in July, a coalition of civil rights and reproductive rights groups pushed President JOE BIDEN for continued leadership in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, requesting a POTUS meeting.

On Monday evening, they got their meeting with VP KAMALA HARRIS, who spent about 90 minutes with the groups leaders. Her message, attendees said, echoed the rising sentiment in Democratic circles that abortion rights stand to be a key motivating factor in the midterms and she said the Biden administration would continue raising the salience of the issue.

The Rev. AL SHARPTON, founder of the National Action Network, told Playbook that while Harris didnt go into specifics, she said there would be more action, and it would be a priority.

Harris made the case that the abortion issue had to be made relevant to all voters, and she touted a blueprint the administration has pushed for months: that the abortion decision was just the beginning of an attack on Americans privacy, with other rights now in the crosshairs.

One suggestion that caught Harris attention was the idea of using pop culture to help connect with voters. MONICA SIMPSON, executive director of SisterSong, told Harris that was one of the missing pieces and noted how P-Valley, the Starz series about a Delta strip club, featured an episode this summer depicting a young girls journey to receive care at Mississippis sole abortion clinic one loosely based on Jackson Womens Health Organization, which was at the center of Junes landmark Supreme Court decision.

As MELANIE CAMPBELL, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, put it: Some people don't listen to MSNBC or read POLITICO like us. They may get information in other ways.

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FOR YOUR RADAR Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) is set to introduce a Senate bill today banning abortions nationally after the first months of pregnancy. Graham has previously introduced similar bills, but this years version which is likely to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, WaPos Caroline Kitchener reports, as opposed to the 20-week threshold in previous bills is sure to become a flashpoint. While Graham and Republicans plan to use the bill to rail against Democratic support for late-term abortions, Democrats are certain to seize on any GOP effort to impose a national ban.

Good Tuesday morning. Election Day is eight weeks away. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.

LAST CALL This is it: The 2022 midterm primary season ends tonight. (OK, except for you sticklers who remember that Louisianans will be voting in their states jungle primary on Nov. 8 while the rest of the country casts their general-election ballots.)

There are some intriguing House races and gubernatorial races on the ballot in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, but the main drama is the Republican race for the chance to face off against Sen. MAGGIE HASSAN (D-N.H.) in November.

The GOP primary saw a major shake-up less than two weeks ago, as our Steve Shepard and Ally Mutnick write in their curtain-raiser: On Sept. 1, a newly created super PAC, White Mountain PAC, began a two-week, nearly $5 million ad blitz for state Senate President CHUCK MORSE.

The source of the new groups funding wont be known until next month. But the pair reports that Republicans in the state and beyond have scrambled to elevate Morse, who is seen as a more mainstream candidate than DONBOLDUC, a far-right former Army general who has closely hugged DONALD TRUMP and held a substantial lead in several recent polls.

This is another race where Democrats have inserted themselves into the GOP primary to secure what they believe will be a more advantageous matchup: Senate Majority PAC launched a $3.2 million ad buy noting that MITCH McCONNELLs Washington establishment is going all-in for Chuck Morse, a message that could both tamp down conservative support in the primary but also resonate in favor of Hassan if Morse makes it to November.

If Bolduc holds on, New Hampshire could move to the edge of the Senate battlefield as GOP groups divert their dollars to more winnable races. But if Morse can eke out a win, Hassan stands to face the knock-down, drag-out battle that political forecasters have long anticipated in the Granite State, with control of the Senate hanging in the balance.

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INFLATION NATION This afternoon, Biden will hold his long-awaited White House event celebrating the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Aides say the event will have thousands of attendees: Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Congress, Governors, Mayors, climate and environmental leaders, healthcare activists, union workers, and other Americans.

Biden will say the bill delivers on promises that Washington has made to the American people for decades lowering costs for families and finally taking aggressive action to tackle the climate crisis, according to an advance copy of his remarks we obtained. And, with the midterms eight weeks away, he will knock Republicans for, among other things, blocking an effort to cap the price of insulin.

But the coverage of the event is certain to be colored by another event today: the 8:30 a.m. announcement of the August consumer price index aka, the new inflation numbers.

POLITICOs Victoria Guida previewed the announcement for us: Economists are expecting Tuesdays consumer price index data to show that prices actually fell (on aggregate) in August compared to July, though only to a level thats about 8 percent higher than last August. Still, that monthly decline, driven particularly by gas prices, would be a welcome sign that inflation is on a steady slope downward. Unfortunately, some other key parts of inflation are likely to remain stubbornly high, notably rent, so the descent could be very slow.

SURVEY SAYS The enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans continues to shrink. In new POLITICO/Morning Consult polling, 56% of Democratic registered voters say they are extremely or very enthusiastic about voting in November, compared to 57% of Republicans who say the same. Our last survey with this question, released Sept. 3, had Republicans with a 4-point advantage.

BIDENS TUESDAY:

9 a.m.: The president will receive the Presidents Daily Brief.

3 p.m.: Biden will host his South Lawn event celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act, with remarks from Biden and Harris, and first lady JILL BIDEN and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF in attendance.

Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE will brief at 1:35 p.m.

HARRIS TUESDAY The VP will also take part in an armchair conversation at 10:10 a.m. at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institutes 2022 leadership conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

THE SENATE is in, with a recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for weekly conference meetings. The Judiciary Committee will hear from Twitter whistleblower PEITER MUDGE ZATKO at 10 a.m.

THE HOUSE will meet at 2 p.m. to take up a variety of legislation. Speaker NANCY PELOSI will swear in new Reps. MARY PELTOLA (D-Alaska), PAT RYAN (D-N.Y.) and JOE SEMPOLINSKI (R-N.Y.) at 6:50 p.m.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his Cancer Moonshot Initiative on Monday, Sept. 12, in Boston. | Scott Eisen/Getty Images

ALL POLITICS

BATTLE FOR THE SENATE Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER is investing $15 million of his own campaign cash across 11 Senate races to protect his majority, Burgess Everett reports this morning. $5 million will go to the DSCC, and the rest will be distributed among the races in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ($1 million each), plus Colorado and Washington state ($500,000 each).

BIG INVESTIGATION The Fight Against an Age-Old Effort to Block Americans From Voting, by ProPublicas Aliyya Swaby and Annie Waldman: For all of the recent uproar over voting rights, little attention has been paid to one of the most sustained and brazen suppression campaigns in America: the effort to block help at the voting booth for people who struggle to read a group that amounts to about 48 million Americans Time and again, federal courts have struck down such restrictions as illegal and unconstitutional. Inevitably, states just create more.

FASCINATING DeSANTIS DISPATCH DeSantis full armor of God rhetoric reaches Republicans. But is he playing with fire? by the Miami Heralds Ana Ceballos: The Republican governor, a strategic politician who is up for reelection in November, is increasingly using biblical references in speeches that cater to those who see policy fights through a morality lens and flirting with those who embrace nationalist ideas that see the true identity of the nation as Christian. He and other Republicans on the campaign trail are blending elements of Christianity with being American and portraying their battle against their political opponents as one between good and evil.

MAR-A-LAGO FALLOUT

MASTER OF HIS FATE After the two sides each proposed two special master candidates last week, DOJ indicated Monday that it would accept the Trump teams suggestion of RAYMOND DEARIE, a former chief federal judge, to oversee the feds review of documents seized from Mar-a-Lago. The move could help speed the process, but U.S. District Judge AILEEN CANNON will still have to sign off on Dearie and make decisions about plenty of other disagreements regarding the special masters work, timing and scope. How the judge rules on those outstanding issues could well determine whether Trumps fight with the Justice Department gets further entangled with appeals, write WaPos Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein.

THE WHITE HOUSE

IVE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD Biden got personally involved Monday with the push to avoid a massive railroad strike later this week, sending a message to the companies and unions, Bloombergs Jordan Fabian reports. The presidents effort signifies how seriously the White House is taking the possibility of a work stoppage, which could disrupt the US economy and hurt Democrats chances of keeping their congressional majorities.

A strike starting Friday doesnt actually seem likely to people close to the negotiations, Tanya Snyder reports: A last-minute deal or an extension of the negotiating period are more expected. But the prospect of a work stoppage is already having an impact. Multiple train routes and other services will be suspended starting today.

KNOWING RICHARD REVESZ Regulatory oversight nominee made a career studying regulation, by Roll Calls Benjamin Hulac: President Joe Bidens pick to lead the White Houses regulatory office possesses a background in environmental law, has written extensively on federal regulations and has drawn support from peers who served under Democratic and Republican administrations.

CONGRESS

WHETHER PERMITTING House progressives are ready to play hardball with Sen. JOE MANCHINs (D-W.Va.) energy permitting reform, after repeatedly getting rolled by the centrist swing vote, Sarah Ferris and Burgess Everett report. Theyre hoping to force Manchin into negotiations on the legislation, with the question of a shutdown threat looming. Still, [s]everal lawmakers and aides said they believe there is a path to an amended deal that can win over [RAL] GRIJALVA and other House Democrats while keeping Manchin on board. In part thats because the reform would aid clean energy as well as fossil fuels.

But Manchin wont be the first to the table. Sen. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-W.Va.) unveiled her own permitting bill Monday, nudging ahead of Manchin with 38 GOP co-sponsors, per Benjamin Hulac. States would be free to develop energy resources on federal lands within their borders, a series of Trump-era regulations would be set into law and a West Virginia pipeline would be approved in Capitos bill.

JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH

THE INVESTIGATIONS Since Wednesday, federal investigators have sent roughly 40 subpoenas in a substantial escalation of their probe into Trump worlds actions around the 2020 election and Jan. 6, NYTs Glenn Thrush, Maggie Haberman, Adam Goldman and Alan Feuer scooped. BORIS EPSHTEYNs and MIKE ROMANs phones were seized under warrant. Other subpoena targets included DAN SCAVINO and BERNARD KERIK. The subpoenas largely focus on the scheme to propose slates of fake Trump electors, as well as the actions of the Save America PAC. They encompass a wide range of people around Mr. Trump, from low-level aides to his most senior advisers.

BILL STEPIEN and SEAN DOLLMAN are also among those subpoenaed, add CNNs Gabby Orr, Kristen Holmes, Sara Murray, Kaitlan Collins, Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz and Zachary Cohen, who peg the total at more than 30.

WILL RUSSELL was on the list too, per CBS Arden Farhi, Fin Gmez and Andres Triay.

WAR IN UKRAINE

THE VIEW FROM THE WEST The speed and overwhelming success of Ukraines recent counteroffensive have taken U.S. officials by surprise, Lara Seligman and Paul McLeary report. Kyiv informed top U.S. generals in advance of the plan to launch simultaneous attacks on two fronts, according to a Ukrainian official, but both governments were shocked by the success of the northern counteroffensive. Now the question is how far Ukrainian troops will be able to get into the Donbas and in the south.

Western intelligence officials think this moment could mark a turning point in the war, WaPos Shane Harris and Ellen Nakashima report. Everybodys watching now to see how Russia reacts and whether President VLADIMIR PUTIN will pull more troops into Ukraine from elsewhere.

But the U.S. is also warning Ukraines supporters not to get ahead of themselves: Victory would be a long way off, report the L.A. Times Tracy Wilkinson and Eli Stokols. U.S. officials said the back-and-forth trade of gains and retreats by Russians and Ukrainians was likely to continue Weapons supplies, weather, and the resolve in Moscow as well as in Washington and European capitals will determine how the rest of the war unfolds.

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TRUMP CARDS

RULE OF LAW WATCH Senate Judiciary Chair DICK DURBIN (D-Ill.) said Monday that his panel will investigate allegations that Trump DOJ figures pressured the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York to alter criminal investigations for partisan reasons, NYTs Benjamin Weiser reports. GEOFFREY BERMAN, who served in that U.S. attorney role from 2018 to 2020, makes the explosive claims in his new book, Holding the Line, that federal officials tried to intervene in cases involving MICHAEL COHEN, JOHN KERRY and GREG CRAIG.

POLICY CORNER

MONKEYPOX LATEST As monkeypox vaccine uptake stalls out, the administration is pivoting its strategy to try to get more at-risk queer men, especially Black and Hispanic men, to get the shot, Megan Messerly and Krista Mahr report. But the sudden drop in vaccination rates has local health departments and public health experts concerned the public may be moving on from the threat of monkeypox too soon, leaving unvaccinated people vulnerable and giving the virus an opening to circulate indefinitely.

To wit: In Charlotte, N.C., WaPos Fenit Nirappil documents the struggle to get Black men vaccinated, as the community most at risk retains plenty of skepticism around the government, safety and structural barriers.

MONUMENTAL NEWS Biden is likely to designate the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado this month, in what would be the first national monument creation of his presidency, WaPos Maxine Joselow scooped. Sen. MICHAEL BENNET and other Colorado Dems have sought to protect the old military training ground and nearby landscapes through legislation, but they havent been able to get past Senate Republicans concerned about the restrictions that protecting the area would impose on mining and drilling.

WHAT DEB HAALAND IS UP TO The Interior Department announced Monday it will move to undo Trump administration moves that loosened offshore oil and gas safety regulations, WSJs Ted Mann reports. The updates to the well-control rule would increase the strength requirements for blowout preventers, the systems designed to cut and seal a well pipe in the event of a surge of high-pressure oil and gas, which could otherwise lead to a spill.

BEYOND THE BELTWAY

WHAT THEYRE WATCHING IN BROOKLYN In the wake of the NYTs blockbuster investigation into New Yorks Hasidic Jewish schools, Empire State politicians have responded in strikingly different ways. NYTs Eliza Shapiro, Brian Rosenthal and Nicholas Fandos break down the reactions: Democratic Reps. JERRY NADLER and HAKEEM JEFFRIES, congressional nominee DAN GOLDMAN and some top state legislators voiced serious concerns, with Jeffries calling for an investigation. But Gov. KATHY HOCHUL treaded carefully, calling it outside the purview of the governor. Her GOP opponent, Rep. LEE ZELDIN, criticized the story and sided with the schools.

Some prominent New York Dems declined to comment or didnt respond, including Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER, Sen. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND and DCCC Chair SEAN PATRICK MALONEY. Mayor ERIC ADAMS said he was not concerned about the story but confirmed that the city is investigating some schools.

Jen Psaki is starting at NBC.

Kyrsten Sinema registered for next years Boston Marathon, coming back from her broken foot this summer.

OUT AND ABOUT The White House News Photographers Association held its annual Eyes of History Awards Gala at the D.C. Ritz Carlton on Saturday night, hosted by Peter Alexander and Alison Starling. The gala recognized the associations top winners in visual journalism contests for the last three years and honored Joni Mazer Field, Carol Guzy and Bobby Williams with lifetime achievement awards. The association named AFPs Brendan Smialowski photographer of the year, CNNs McKenna Ewen video editor of the year and BBC News Anjelica Casas multimedia journalist of the year for 2022. SPOTTED:Anna Johnson, J. David Ake, Sally Buzbee, MaryAnne Golon, Pedro Ugarte, Imelda Flattery, Jackie Smith, Chris Shlemon, Jim Bourg, Kevin Lamarque and Win McNamee.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK Marc Wheat is joining former VP Mike Pences issue advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, as general counsel. He most recently was deputy assistant general counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Greg Jacob continues to advise Pence and his team.

TRANSITIONS Drew Griffin is joining Invariants government relations and comms team. He most recently was chief of staff to Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio). Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins is joining Rep. Charlie Crists Florida gubernatorial campaign as senior adviser, per The Hills Hanna Trudo. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Chris Sharpsten is now EVP of defense programs at J.A. Green & Co. He previously was director of supply, production and distribution for Operation Warp Speed.

Tim McKone is joining Roberti Global as a senior adviser. He recently launched McK Strategies, and previously was EVP for federal relations at AT&T. Kellie Adesina is joining Kraft Heinz as director of federal government affairs. She most recently was director of government affairs at Bayer, and is a House Agriculture alum. Isabelle Rosini is joining Red Renegade as an account executive. She previously was on the FreedomWorks comms team.

WEDDING Alex Wirth, co-founder and CEO of Quorum, and Tracy Nelson, associate at Sullivan and Cromwell, got married Saturday in Santa Fe, N.M. Pic SPOTTED:Jonathan Marks, Andrea Basaraba, Jordan Rasmusson, John Brinkerhoff, Emily Hall, Ryan Thornton, Rachel Wolbers, Duncan Hosie, Libby Ediger, Elizabeth Stockton, Mat Goldstein and former Sen. Tim Wirth (D-Colo.), Alexs great-uncle.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD Wesley Wright, senior director at Locust Street Group, and Lauren Wright, executive director of the Conservative Climate Foundation, welcomed Winslow Kennedy Wright on Sept. 5. Pic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Roger Williams (R-Texas) Danielle Burr Cedric Richmond North Carolina A.G. Josh Stein Asya Evelyn of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) office Mark Mellman Jos Morales of Stacey Abrams Georgia gubernatorial campaign Potomac Strategy Groups Matt Mackowiak Robin Meszoly Vivian Schiller of the Aspen Institute Ryan Hambleton Walter Suskind CNNs Alli Gordon Amazons Suzanne Beall and Tina Pelkey POLITICOs Ari Hawkins, Kate Ling, Destiny Woosley, Robyn Brigham, Jeremy Dillon and Ben Leonard Bloombergs Laura Davison Kelsey Smith of Speaker Nancy Pelosis office NBCs Ginger Gibson and Casey Dolan former Reps. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) (6-0) and Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) Jerry Johnson of Brodeur Partners Jennifer Pflieger Herald Groups Jack Fencl Sierra DeCrosta Julia Pitcher Worcester

Send Playbookers tips to [emailprotected] or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldnt happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.

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According to new data, insured Americans are struggling to navigate their health care coverage, particularly the insurer- and PBM-imposed barriers and cost sharing practices that stand between them and their medicines:

39% of insured Americans say they dont understand whats covered by their insurance. Even with insurance, 15% report they would be unable to afford health care if they were to become seriously ill because of high out-of-pocket costs.

Americans want policy reforms that improve their insurance by providing more predictability and transparency in what is covered and lowering what they pay out of pocket. Read more in PhRMAs latest Patient Experience Survey.

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POLITICO Playbook: What the VP told activists about abortion- POLITICO - POLITICO

Yuichiro Chino / GettyImages

While the internet has undoubtedly brought new benefits, it's also brought new problems as cyber criminals look to exploit our seemingly ever-growing reliance on connectivity.

Phishing emails, malware and ransomware attacks, or getting your bank details, passwords and other personal information stolen the internet has provided malicious hackers with a variety of new ways to make money and cause disruption. Just look, for example, at how critical infrastructure, schools and hospitals have been affected by cyberattacks.

We're yet to fully secure networks against today's internet threats, yet technology is moving on already, bringing new threats that we must somehow prepare for.

One of the most significant technological breakthroughs heading our way isquantum computing, which promises to be able to quickly solve complex problems that have defeated classical computers.

While this advance will bring benefits to scientific research and society, it will also create new challenges. Most notably, the power of quantum computing could make quick work of cracking the encryption algorithms we've used for decades to secure a range of areas, including online banking, secure communications and digital signatures.

Currently, quantum computing is expensive and the expertise required to develop it is restricted to large technology companies, research institutions and governments. But like any innovative technology, it will eventually become more commercially available and easier to access and cyber criminals will be looking to take advantage of quantum.

"There's some things over the horizon that you can see coming; notably quantum computing being able to crack current encryption algorithms," says Martin Lee, technical lead of security research at Cisco Talos.

"What was an entirely appropriate encryption key length 20 years ago is no longer appropriate".

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has already warned that action must be taken now to help protect networks from cyberattacks powered by quantum computing, particularly those that support critical national infrastructure.

But while disruptive cyberattacks powered by quantum computing are a key cybersecurity threat of the future, quantum computers could themselves be a lucrative target of hackers.

SEE:The stakes 'could not be any higher': CISA chief talks about the tech challenges ahead

Let's think of the specific example of crypto-mining malware. This is a form of malware that attackers install on computers and servers to secretly use the power of someone else's network to mine for cryptocurrency and pocket the profits all without needing to pay for the resources or the power being consumed.

Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are generated by computers by solving complex mathematical problems the sort of mathematical problems that could be relatively trivial for a network of quantum computers to solve. That means that if cyber criminals were able to plant crypto-mining malware on quantum computers, they could get very rich very quickly at almost no cost to themselves.

"Infecting one of those would allow somebody to start calculating very complex algorithms," says David Sancho, senior antivirus researcher at Trend Micro.

"If you have a crypto miner on a quantum computer, that's going to tremendously speed up your mining capabilities those things becoming a target of trivial cyberattacks, it's a very easy prediction to make."

But quantum computing isn't the only emerging technology that cyber criminals will look to take advantage of: we can expect them to exploit developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), too.

Like quantum computing, AI and ML look set to power innovations in a range of areas, including robotics and driverless cars, speech and language recognition, healthcare and more.

AI that can adapt and learn can be used for good, but ultimately, once it becomes more widely available, it's only a matter of time before cyber criminals are using it to help make cyberattacks more effective.

"We will start seeing malware campaigns, ransomware operations and phishing campaigns being run totally automated by machine-learning frameworks. It hasn't been done yet but it wouldn't be very hard at all to do," says Mikko Hyppnen, chief research officer at WithSecure.

One means of exploiting this technology would be programming a text-based generation algorithm to send out, and reply to, common spam emails or business email compromise (BEC) campaigns.

Rather than needing a human to take time out to write and reply to messages, criminals could rely on an algorithm that can also analyse which responses are most likely to be real victims that are worth replying to, rather than people who remain unconvinced, or those who send prank replies back to the spammer. That reality means in future you could end up being scammed by a bot.

There's also the potential that cyber criminals could use advancements in ML to develop self-programming smart malware which, rather than needing a developer to support it, could update itself by automatically reacting to the cyber defences it meets to have the greatest chance of being effective.

"You could imagine when self-programming programs become more capable than right now where they can finish functions created by humans that sounds great until you give it ransomware," says Hyppnen.

"It could change the code, make it more complex to understand, make it so it's different every time, it could try to create undetectable versions. All of that is technically doable, we simply haven't seen it yet and I think we will," he warns.

SEE:Spy chief's warning: Our foes are now 'pouring money' into quantum computing and AI

But AI being abused to power cyber threats isn't a just a future problem for the internet it's already happening now, with deep learning being used to power deepfakes, which are videos that look like they're real people or events but are actually fake.

They've been used in political misinformation campaigns, pranks to fool politicians and they're already being used to enhance BEC and other fraud attacks, with cyber criminals using deepfake audio to convince employees to authorise significant financial transfers to accounts owned by the attackers.

"We're entering this brave new world around deepfake video that will be used to commit crimes. Not just manipulation, but also in disinformation and misinformation," says Theresa Payton, CEO of Fortalice Solutions and former CIO at the White House.

Take the example of CEOs who are in the public-facing realm. They appear on television, they give speeches, are there are videos of them online, so it's relatively simple to find recordings of what they sound like and it's already possible for scammers to run those resources through deepfake technology to mimic their voice.

After all, if an employee gets a call from the head of the company telling them to do something, they're likely to do it and the cyber criminals behind these attacks know this fact.

"I already know of three cases where deepfake audio was used to successfully convince somebody to transfer money to a place they shouldn't have transferred it. That is stunning to me that as a sample size of one, I already know of three cases," says Payton.

And as the technology behind deepfakes continues to improve, it means that it will only get harder to tell what's real from what's fake.

"I grow increasingly concerned about our lack of ability to really shut down manipulation campaigns," says Payton.

Deepfakes aren't the only area where cyber threats could impact our everyday lives if the future of the internet isn't secured properly. Increasingly, smart Internet of Things (IoT) devices are becoming a bigger part of our daily existence, with a variety of sensors, appliances, wearable devices and other connected products appearing in homes, offices, factories, and more.

While there are certain advantages to connecting IoT devices to our home and workplace networks, this increased level of networking is also creating a larger attack surface for cyber criminals to try to exploit.

"When you add functionality and connectivity into everyday devices, they become hackable. Devices that were unhackable become hackable. It might be very hard. Nevertheless, it is always doable. There is no secure computer. There is no unhackable device," explains Hyppnen.

"This is the thing that's happening now during our time, and there's no stopping it. It doesn't matter what we think about it, it's going to happen anyway, and it's going to be increasingly invisible."

Think about your home appliances: it's increasingly likely they're 'smart' and connected to the internet. Anything from your television to your toothbrush could now be internet-connected.

But for appliance manufacturers, building internet-connected devices is a relatively new phenomenon and many won't have needed to think about cybersecurity threats before. Some vendors might not even think about it in the design process at all, leaving the products vulnerable to hackers.

While hackers coming after your coffee machine or your fish tank might not sound like a concern, it's a point on the network that can be accessed and used as a gateway to attack more important devices and sensitive data.

SEE: Critical IoT security camera vulnerability allows attackers to remotely watch live video - and gain access to networks

While IoT security should (hopefully) improve as it becomes more widespread, there's also another problem to consider. There'salready millions and millions of IoT devices out there that lack security and these might not even be supported with security updates.

Think about how many smartphones can't receive security updates after just a few years. Then scale that reality up to the fast-growing IoT what's going to happen if devices that aren't regularly replaced, such as a refrigerator or a car, can continue to be used for decades?

"There's no software vendor on the planet that would support software written 20 years ago. It's just not happening," says Hyppnen, who suggests that when manufacturers no longer support updates for their devices, they should open source it to allow others to do so.

"You would get the security patches for your old, outdated legacy things by paying for the service just like you pay for any other service."

Connected devices are already becoming ubiquitous throughout society, with no sign of this trend slowing down whole smart cities will become the norm. But if cybersecurity and compliance isn't a key force driving this trend, it could lead to negative consequences for everyone.

"If you don't resolve these issues, you're going to have attacks happen at a scale and speed you've never seen before bad things will be faster. That is incredibly concerning," says Payton, who believes it's only a matter of timebefore a ransomware attack holds a smart city hostage.

"They will be a target and we will experience some level of sustained disruption," she adds.

Despite the potential threats on the horizon, Payton is optimistic about the future of the internet. While cyber criminals are going to be using new technologies to help improve their attacks, those responsible for defending networks will also be deploying the same technologies to help prevent attacks.

"I'm pretty energized about our continuing ability to model nefarious behaviors, then use artificial intelligence, big data, analytics, and different types of machine learning algorithms to continue to refine technology," she explains

"Now, will it block everything? No, because cyber criminals are always adapting their tactics. But I do have a lot of optimism for being able to block more of the basic-to-medium types of threats that seem to get through today."

That sense of optimism is shared by Hyppnen, who looks back on how technology has evolved in recent years. He believes cybersecurity is improving and that even with new technologies on the horizon, it doesn't mean cyber criminals and other malicious hackers will simply have it easy.

"Computer security has never been in better shape than today. That's a controversial comment people on the street would most likely think that data security has never been worse because they only see the failures. They only see the headlines about yet another hack," he says.

"But the fact is, if you compare the security of our computers today and a decade ago, it's like night and day. We're getting much, much better at security attackers have a much, much harder time breaking through."

Let's hope that situation remains the case the future stability of the internet depends on it being true.

Excerpt from:
The scary future of the internet: How the tech of tomorrow will pose even bigger cybersecurity threats - ZDNet

By Mahesh Zurale, Senior Managing Director and Lead Advanced Technology Centres in India, Accenture

1. How does Accenture define metaverse?Today, there are various definitions of the metaverse, and a lot of early efforts are being built with the focus on how to get it right each with different platforms, partners, and technologies at the core. Accenture has a distinct view: the metaverse is a continuum that will entirely transform the way we live and work in the future. Today, we increasingly see the convergence of multiple technologies (ranging from gaming engines to digital twins and extended reality) to address real-world problems in new ways and create transformational business value across the enterprise. That is why we define the metaverse as a continuum, as its evolving and expanding across multiple dimensions and transforming every aspectof business.

2. What are the building blocks of Metaverse?We believe the metaverse will impact every part of every business, and organizations have a unique opportunity to act boldly and compete in tomorrows market. In our latest Technology Vision 2022 report, we have highlighted the four building blocks of the Metaverse Continuum that will be foundational to organizations as they set the stage for the future. The first one is WebMe, which looks at the metaverse as the next evolution of the internet where users can not only browse digitally but also participate in a shared experience spanning across both the physical and virtual worlds.

The second trend is called Programmable World, which refers to the infusion of technology into our physical environments. It focuses on how 5G, cloud, and immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and virtual reality (VR) are enabling better control, automation, and personalization.

The third trend The Unreal gives an overview of how AI-generated synthetic data and images are blurring the difference between the real and the unreal. While synthetic content will enable more seamless experiences, prioritizing authenticity will be key to preventing deep fakes and malicious attacks. The fourth trend Computing the Impossible is about exploring the outer limit of what is computationally possible and how it is being disrupted as the next generation of machines emerge. These machines quantum, HPC, and biology-inspired will help businesses solve challenges that were deemed impossible earlier.

3. How are AI, quantum computing, Web3, and the metaverse shaping the world of business?AI, quantum computing, Web3, and the metaverse will fundamentally change business processes, including customer interactions, day-to-day operations, working style, and products and services. In fact, 42% of executives surveyed in our Technology Vision 2022 report have cited the metaverse as transformational, whereas 71% believe it will have a positive impact on their organization. Major companies will shift part of their operations to the metaverse to engage with their employees in exciting new ways. At Accenture, we have built what we believe is the largest enterprise metaverse on the planet the Nth Floor to offer new joiners an immersive onboarding experience and employees new ways to learn and collaborate.

Businesses across sectors including retail, consumer products, financial, health, industrial, and manufacturing will use metaverse-related technologies to reimagine and elevate customer experiences. For example, in 2021 Gucci created The Gucci Garden Experience to sell virtual products and sold a virtual-only digital twin of a Gucci purse at a higher price than its real-world counterpart.

4. How can enterprises drive maximum value from the Metaverse?Organizations need to start prioritizing their technology investments to build a foundation in the metaverse. It is important to first identify and close the existing gaps in their digital transformation, whether it is delayed cloud adoption or the lack of a robust security infrastructure. Another area that organizations need to consider is building skills in AI, blockchain, gaming, security, VR, and XR to prepare for the metaverse. The other in-demand skills will include distributed ledger experts and token economists who understand the economics of creating tokenized products. Additionally, strategic partnerships with technology experts will be crucial to support enterprises in their journey towards themetaverse.

5. What are the security measures that companies should incorporate to operate in the Metaverse?As metaverse gains momentum globally, it not only presents new opportunities for businesses to explore, innovate and create new products/services but also brings forth concerns around data, privacy, and safety. Establishing a responsible metaverse from the start is essential to fostering trust in the underlying technology and experiences to drive adoption and user acceptance.

For example, organizations engaging in the metaverse require a comprehensive approach to security. If not, the absence of a standard framework will allow threat actors to take advantage of potential vulnerabilities and gain access to critical user data, which could result in security breaches, ransomware attacks, and identity theft. Organizations need to address the cybersecurity gaps early and proactively map user journeys across the metaverse.

Deploying advanced security solutions that can not only assess the potential risks but also spot and identify threats and breaches will be key to making the new system of place digitally secure. As with any technology, a strategic approach must be taken while deploying solutions in the metaverse to gain the maximum benefit without compromising on security.

6. How Metaverse will change the dynamics of business in the future?Technologies like 5G and cloud that lay the foundation of the metaverse have already proven to deliver improved efficiency, boost operations maturity, and drive business innovation. For instance, Shell, through its AR Remote Assist, enables its workers in the field to get assistance from experienced technicians across the world, allowing real-time, collaborative discussions amongst its teams. This is just one example of how the metaverse will enable the adoption of people-centric technologies to offer new ways of working and collaboration.

With the use of digital twins, companies can create virtual replicas of their physical offices and provide employees the flexibility to work from anywhere. Similarly,extended reality has the potential to make employee learning experiences more immersive, resulting in better retention and improved performance. While the metaverse is still at a nascent stage, it presents immense business potential. Companies need to reimagine their business now to capitalize on the possibilities the future will bring.

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Are enterprises ready for the next wave of digital change? - Express Computer

1. The Critical Moment Behind Ukraine's Rapid Advance  The New York Times
2. Putin's regime under pressure after defeats; Ukraine slams Germany over weapons response  CNBC
3. Ukraine's battlefield wins encourage the West but could make the war more dangerous  CNN
4. Ukraine vows to drive out Russian forces as U.S. readies more military aid  Reuters
5. Russia-Ukraine war latest: what we know on day 202 of the invasion  The Guardian
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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The Critical Moment Behind Ukraine's Rapid Advance - The New York Times

The most important news for Britain in the past week did not break at Balmoral. That isnt to deny that a royal succession is a big deal. As the crowds queueing for a glimpse of the deceased monarch attest, it is huge. But hugely symbolic.

Meanwhile, in a war 1,800 miles farther east there are events of greater consequence for citizens of this country than a new head under the crown and on the stamps. Of course our kingdom will be a bit different under Charles III. But the whole world will be different depending on whether it is Vladimir Putin or Volodymyr Zelenskiy who prevails in Ukraine.

Things are not looking so good for the Russian president. A counteroffensive has captured swathes of territory from Putins troops, who have fled in demoralised panic. It is far too early to say that the tide has turned decisively. Ukraines hold on the liberated territories is not secure. Russia avenges its humiliations on the ground by redoubling indiscriminate missile and artillery bombardment.

But Ukrainian spirits are lifted and the mood in Moscow, judging by recriminations sloshing around online, has soured.

The bitterness has even spilled out in state-controlled TV studios, where distressed pundits forget themselves and refer to setbacks in the war when the official Kremlin lexicon recognises only a special military operation.

Criticism of the war effort is mostly directed at commanders. Few dare to impugn Putin himself, although it happens. A group of municipal councillors from Moscow and St Petersburg have published an open letter calling on the president to resign for actions inflicting harm on the future of Russia and its citizens. Putin will not be moved by that sort of thing, except to new heights of vindictive rage.

Glimmers of dissent in Russia should not be mistaken for rays of a democratic dawn. Liberal opposition has been crushed or driven into exile. The most vocal complaints about the war come from bloodthirsty bloggers, frustrated that Putins aim of dissolving Ukrainian nationhood into a neo-Soviet Greater Russia has been bungled. They do not want to concede that the starting premise that Ukraine is a non-country wanting incorporation into the Slavic motherland but held hostage by a neo-Nazi junta is deranged.

Nor will they admit that Ukrainian soldiers have a motivational advantage, battling for their homes against disoriented Russian infantry who were told it would be a walk in the park and fight like cannon fodder. The preferred explanation for slow progress is that the true enemy is Nato. (And it is true that Ukraine has an edge from sophisticated western weaponry.) The ultra-nationalist response is to demand more mobilisation; an even more ferocious onslaught.

That is one reason why Ukrainians are wary of celebrating battlefield success prematurely. Putin can respond to failure with redoubled atrocity or by literally going nuclear. It is not hard to conjure apocalyptic scenarios, especially when Europes largest atomic power station is on the frontline.

Such are the grim dynamics of Russias descent into totalitarian paranoia that any hope of Putin being dislodged from power brings wariness of whatever might follow. There is no successor and no mechanism for naming one. The model is a hybrid of tsarist autocracy and mafia clannishness. Communist one-party rule in the Soviet era had at least some constitutional consistency before it unravelled completely.

That is not a reason to flinch from the task of ensuring the Kremlins defeat. Putin triumphant is a horrendous prospect. He is following a fascist playbook that contains no template for compromise and no limit to territorial aggression. Europe needs Putinism to be seen to fail.

President Zelenskiy expressed the options with rousing efficiency in a Telegram post over the weekend. Russia replied to Ukrainian advances with missile attacks on civilian energy infrastructure. Putin threatened to cut energy and food supplies to zero. But if going without gas, water, light or food was the price of going without Putin, so be it. Thus Zelenskiy wrote, addressing the Russian president: Cold, hunger, darkness and thirst are not as scary and deadly for us as what you call friendship and brotherhood. But history will set everything right. We will have gas, light, water and food. And all without you.

The choice is starkly existential for Ukraine but the shape of it is the same for the rest of us. Putins plan the part that has survived the catastrophic initial miscalculation of starting a war in the first place is to weaken western resolve by pulling the energy plug. He is praying that a cold winter will induce such violent shivers in British, French and German households that solidarity with Kyiv is shaken off.

He must be proved wrong. Putins vindication would demonstrate to the world that western democracies have neither the will nor the means to restrain murderous dictatorship on their doorstep. To fold under Kremlin pressure would be a strategic and moral calamity for Europe an entity that includes Britain even under a government that fetishises institutional detachment from its home continent.

UK support for Ukraine is currently a matter of cross-party consensus (queried only by the militant left faction that prefers whichever side in a conflict doesnt get its guns from the west).

But the weather is mild and doorsteps have not yet faced the full battery of brutal energy bills. That is why the events of the past few days matter so much. Seeing is believing, and belief in a free, sovereign Ukraine is bolstered by the sight of Putins forces humbled.

British eyes might be a bit too misty from all the maudlin monarchism to focus beyond Buckingham Palace, but the story being written right now in Kharkiv and Izium is our history, too.

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All eyes were on Balmoral but events in Ukraine may be just as historic for Britain - The Guardian