An astronomer may have just confirmed one of the quirkiest aspects of quantum mechanics: that seemingly empty space can alter the behavior of light.
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AmnesiaStealer Hijacks Chromium Sessions to Give Attackers Live Browser Control on macOS
“In effect, the remote_stream command turns an infected host into a live, operator-driven browser running the victim’s authenticated sessions, which is a materially different level of access from file collection.”
While the overall objectives of the malware are consistent with other stealers like Atomic Stealer, MacSync, and CrashStealer, three different aspects set it apart: a builder-driven configuration, operating system version-branched logic that reaches for macOS bypasses already patched by Apple, and a remote-control second stage that allows attackers to steal user cookies and evade detection through a stealth script that patches browser fingerprinting APIs.
AmnesiaStealer gets its name from a login page located at the root of the C2 host with the name “Amnesia Panel.” A failed login returns an error message in Russian, urging users to provide a correct login or password to sign in to the operator.
Apple sends new ‘Threat Notification’ alerts over mercenary spyware attacks
You’re not alone if you just received an “Apple Threat Notification” saying it detected a “mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone.”
Some users on Reddit are reporting that they received these alerts today after Apple sent out a new batch of threat notifications on August 13, but the feature itself is not new.
Apple has been sending these threat notifications multiple times a year since 2021, when it detects highly targeted mercenary spyware attacks.
Ukraine shuts down 94 fraudulent call centers, seize millions in cash
Authorities in Ukraine shut down 94 fraudulent call centers across the country that lured people into investment scams or tried to obtain access to bank accounts.
The operation occurred this week, and police officers conducted a total of 411 searches following an investigation that involved the National Police, Ukraine’s Security Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the German police.
According to the Ukrainian police, the fraudsters ran various schemes to obtain money from victims or gain access to their bank accounts.
Akira hackers disable EDR with Safe Mode, steal data but fail to encrypt
An Akira ransomware affiliate disabled the endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution on a compromised system by restarting the machine into Safe Mode with Networking.
The attack occurred on August 4 after the hacker obtained initial access through an exposed SonicWall VPN device without multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Managed detection and response (MDR) services company Huntress says that roughly two hours after a successful VPN login, the attacker connected to the domain controller via RDP, enumerated Active Directory users and computers, and then moved to an application server.
Study reveals new role for tau, a top target for Alzheimer’s drug development
In the race for new ways to treat Alzheimer’s and other devastating neurologic diseases, the protein tau has become a tantalizing target for drug developers. A new study lends support to those efforts by describing a previously unknown role that tau plays in neurodegeneration — and suggesting a novel way researchers might block the protein’s activity.
A team led by Stanford scientists found that tau can gum up the works of a cell’s mitochondria, its energy-producing powerhouse. The protein sends electrons flowing in the opposite direction of their usual microscopic relay race, a reversal that generates reactive oxygen species, cellular stress, and inflammation. Scientists found that blocking this phenomenon, known as reverse electron transport, reversed many of the harmful effects and improved learning and memory in flies and mice.
Whether the same will hold true in people is for now unclear, though an analysis of human cells grown in the lab and patient brain tissue suggests blocking the retrograde flow of electrons could make neurons healthier. Two of the study’s authors have started a biotech startup to put this idea to the test.
Encapsulation of AAVs into Protein Vault Nanoparticles as a Novel Solution to Gene Therapy’s Neutralizing Antibody Problem
My vaultAAV gene therapy invention for circumventing preexisting anti-AAV immunity has been published in ACS Synthetic Biology! This technology was the basis for my first company, Cathedral Therapeutics![Cathedral was acquired in 2025, now I’m an advisor and board member]. You can read the Open Access paper at this link https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.6c00512
Additionally, here is Cathedral’s new (post-acquisition) website for those interested: https://www.cathedraltx.com/
Thank you to everyone who helped along the way. I’d particularly like to extend special gratitude to my mentor David T. Curiel!
Abstract. Although adeno-associated virus (AAV) has enjoyed enormous success as a delivery modality for gene therapy, it suffers from high prevalence of preexisting neutralizing antibodies in human populations, limiting who can receive potentially life-saving treatments. As a novel solution to this issue, we employed SpyTag-SpyCatcher molecular glue technology to facilitate packaging of AAVs inside of recombinant protein vault nanoparticles. Vaults are endogenous particles produced by mammalian cells. We therefore hypothesized that they may shield packaged molecules from neutralizing antibodies. Vaults have previously been utilized to deliver drugs and proteins into cells, but our study represents the first time anyone has packaged an entire virus inside of a vault. We showed that our vaultAAV delivery vehicle transduces cells in the presence of anti-AAV neutralizing serum. VaultAAV is positioned as a new gene therapy delivery platform with potential to overcome the neutralizing antibody problem, expanding the scope of AAV treatments.