Pressure Systems edition
Deepfakes and Prompt Injections Breach Courts and Public Wi-Fi
August 18, 2026
What this edition shows
From malicious deepfakes and hacked public Wi-Fi DNS routing to hidden prompt injections in court filings and coin-sized hardware vulnerabilities on commercial aircraft, automated exploits are bypassing traditional institutional safeguards. As prediction markets scramble political outcomes and unvetted AI tools proliferate across municipal networks, the collapse of baseline trust in shared digital and legal infrastructure accelerates unchecked.
Reporting and analysis behind this edition 8 sources
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British PM Burnham duped by White House impostor
The FBI has warned of 'malicious actors' misusing AI to impersonate senior government officials.
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Rogue hacking AIs have changed the cybersecurity landscape
Attackers with no technical skills can now use AI models to find and exploit loopholes quickly and they can deploy them on a massive scale, raising fears that organisations without large budgets for cyber defence will be much more vulnerable
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Election Officials Are Preparing for Prediction Markets to Sow Chaos in the Midterms
From threats to the safety of poll workers to voters who can’t distinguish between odds and results, prediction markets are already scrambling the political process.
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This Coin-Sized Device Can Hack a Boeing 737
Security researchers found that in less than 60 seconds, they could open a hatch on a plane’s exterior, plug in a tiny device, and redirect the aircraft’s autopilot or sabotage its flight plan.
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Hacking Public Wi-Fi DNS to Steal Credentials
Criminals are hacking into public Wi-Fi devices—at hotels, conference centers, and so on—around the world and changing their DNS settings. The goal is to redirect users to fake login pages and steal their credentials.
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The Future of Deepfakes and the Decline of Reality (With Hany Farid)
The past, present, and future of deepfakes, as seen by the world’s leading expert on synthetic media.
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Pro Se Plaintiff Caught Hiding Prompt Injections In Court Filings; Responds By Hiding More
There have now been dozens of stories of bad lawyers using AI results in filings, most of which show up in the form of fake case citations. That’s old hat at this point. But how about prompt injections in court filings? There have been a few people warning that it’s coming. A year ago, Louisiana […]
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Technology's Power in the Hands of the People
In the scorching heat of every Las Vegas summer, EFF joins thousands of hackers, makers, policy analysts, and activists for the world's largest computer security gathering. If you're there during this summer security week, be sure to say hello to us at BSides Las Vegas, Black Hat Briefings, and DEF…