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CISA warns of Akira ransomware Linux encryptor targeting Nutanix VMs

US government agencies are warning that the Akira ransomware operation has been spotted encrypting Nutanix AHV virtual machines in attacks.

An updated joint advisory from CISA, the FBI, the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and several international partners alerts that Akira ransomware has expanded its encryption capabilities Nutanix AHV VM disk files.

The advisory includes new indicators of compromise and tactics observed through FBI investigations and third-party reporting as recent as November 2025.

New ‘IndonesianFoods’ worm floods npm with 100,000 packages

A self-spreading package published on npm spams the registry by spawning new packages every every seven seconds, creating large volumes of junk.

The worm, dubbed ‘IndonesianFoods,’ due to its distinctive package naming scheme that picks random Indonesian names and food terms, has published over 100,000 packages according to Sonatype, and the number is growing exponentially.

Although the packages do not have a malicious component for developers (e.g., stealing data, backdooring hosts), this could change with an update that introduces a dangerous payload.

Scientists Use “Supercentenarian Longevity Gene” to Slow Rapid Aging Disease

Researchers discovered that a longevity gene from centenarians can reverse heart damage linked to progeria, suggesting a new approach to treating rapid and age-related heart aging.

A major advancement has been made in understanding a rare genetic disorder that causes children to age prematurely. Scientists from the University of Bristol and IRCCS MultiMedica identified “longevity genes” found in people who live beyond 100 years, which appear to protect the heart and blood vessels during aging. Their study suggests these genes could potentially reverse the damage caused by this fatal condition.

Understanding progeria and its effects.

Co-translational protein aggregation and ribosome stalling as a broad-spectrum antibacterial mechanism

Protein biosynthesis is a major target of existing antibiotics that inhibit the efficiency or fidelity of the bacterial ribosome. Here, the authors show that a synthetic peptide displays bactericidal activity through a different mechanism, inducing co-translational aggregation of nascent peptidic chains.

New ultrasound technique could help aging and injured brains

Scientists at Stanford have created a non-invasive ultrasound method of brain cleansing that boosted the survival rate of mice after stroke by activating natural detoxification mechanisms. The technology, accidentally discovered during experiments with the blood-brain barrier, stimulates microglial immune cells to dispose of toxic waste and improves the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. The method opens the way to treating the consequences of strokes and injuries without drugs.

A non-invasive, drug-free ultrasound method helps cleanse the brain and reduce inflammation, potentially offering a radically simple new approach to treating neurological diseases.

Sutskever’s List

“If you really learn all of these, you’ll know 90% of what matters today.” – Ilya Sutskever.

AI is transforming the world faster than we could have imagined. But how did we get here? AI guru Ilya Sutskever made the bold claim that most of what you need to know about modern AI is captured in 30 seminal research papers on deep learning.

What did Ilya see? Read through Sutskever’s List and you’ll uncover the breakthroughs, ideas, and mental models that shaped his vision and much more, all clearly explained and interpreted by veteran author and teacher Richard Heimann.

Elements in Research Methods in Education

Join us, Dr Sal Consoli (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Samantha Curle (University of Bath) for a dynamic 60-minute webinar celebrating the inaugural volume in the series Elements in Research Methods in Education series.

We will interview the author of How to Use Generative AI in Educational Research — Dr Jasper Roe, to explore why he chose this specific topic, the writing process behind this book, and how he hopes it will influence educational researchers and practitioners.

Then we’ll open the floor to attendees interested in contributing to the series. We will provide a unique opportunity to ask questions about the commissioning process, editorial expectations, and how to develop a successful proposal.

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