Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-07-07 Briefing

Created Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:04:47 +0000 Modified Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:00:16 +0000
2553 Words

Short-lived Telegram accounts recruit EU saboteurs for attacks on military and Ukrainian sites, linked to a 2024 Warsaw arson by Russian intelligence. A Windows 11 bug bloats storage by hundreds of GB via a logging file, fixed by KB5095093. Top researchers, mostly US, move to Netherlands under €50M fund for AI, vaccines, energy. Rust enters TIOBE top 10. Europe’s websites are mostly served by US vendors like Cloudflare, except Germany and Poland.

🛡️ Cyber Threats

Short-lived Telegram accounts used to recruit EU saboteurs, report says

Short-lived Telegram accounts are recruiting saboteurs across the EU, offering $500 to $7,000 for attacks and surveillance on targets like military vehicles and Ukrainian-linked sites. The accounts, registered to foreign phone numbers, remain active for only a few days and have been linked to millions of such job postings. Authorities have connected this online recruitment to previous sabotage incidents, including a 2024 Warsaw shopping mall arson orchestrated by Russian intelligence.

Reporting a 19+ Years Hidden Linux Kernel Zero-Day for Google kernelCTF: CVE-2026-43456

A 19-year-old type confusion vulnerability (CVE-2026-43456) in the Linux kernel’s bonding subsystem enables reliable privilege escalation in under a second. Reported to Google’s kernelCTF, it earned over $80,000 and affects kernels from 2.6.24 to 6.12.77, requiring CAP_NET_ADMIN.

Fake IT bods on Microsoft Teams coax workers into installing malware

Attackers are impersonating IT helpdesk staff on Microsoft Teams to trick employees into granting remote access, according to Unit 42. Once in control, they deploy the EtherRAT trojan malware on the victim’s system.

Spain collars alleged pro-Russia hacktivist after FBI tip-off

Spanish authorities arrested a man in Palencia suspected of ties to pro-Russia hacktivist groups CARR, Z-Pentest, and NoName057(16), following an FBI tip-off. He is also accused of helping a Ukrainian hacker flee to Russia.

Government’s cyber pledge lands 60 signatories, including M&S and, somehow, Capita

The UK government’s latest cyber security pledge has secured 60 signatories, including Marks & Spencer and, notably, Capita. The initiative aims to improve corporate cyber hygiene, with the roster of participants described as a “curious roll call.”

💻 Software Development

This beastly Windows 11 bug quietly eats hundreds of GB of your storage

A Windows 11 bug causes the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal logging file to bloat to hundreds of gigabytes by repeatedly recording privacy-related access events. Microsoft’s update KB5095093 fixes the issue, though it has not been officially listed as a known problem. Users should avoid manually altering the file and wait for the automatic update or install the optional patch.

Fast, native Mac file manager (filters, fuzzy find, 9 MB, no Electron)

A developer created a fast, native Mac file manager (9 MB, no Electron) with features like fuzzy find, file previews, dual-pane view, batch rename, and image conversion. The app is built with .NET/C# and AppKit, focuses on privacy (only checks for updates), and offers a 30-day free trial with a one-time purchase of $19.99.

The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth

Donald E. Knuth’s “The Art of Computer Programming” was named one of the twelve best physical-science monographs of the 20th century by American Scientist in 1999. Authorized PDF editions with enhanced search and cross-references are available, while the author warns against inferior non-PDF versions like Kindle and ePUB. Registered owners of boxed sets can download complimentary PDF indexes.

Rust is in TIOBE Index top 10

Rust has entered the TIOBE Index top 10 for the first time, driven by its focus on memory safety and performance. The index also celebrates its 25th anniversary, noting that C, C++, and Java have remained in the top five throughout. Additionally, a new Programming Language Flowchart will be released to help developers choose languages.

Signed Integers By Default

The article argues for signed-by-default integers in programming language design, citing common mistakes with unsigned arithmetic such as infinite loops caused by negative subexpressions. The author claims that while unsigned integers may seem theoretically safer, signed integers work better in practice due to widespread programmer error, and advocates for explicit integer conversions to prevent bugs.

Waterfall CAD Playground - A Haskell powered programmable-CAD environment, in the browser with WASM

A browser-based Haskell CAD environment, Waterfall CAD Playground, compiles and runs code entirely in the browser via a ~100MB WASM blob. It provides an in-memory filesystem for storing files and is built on the OpenCASCADE library. Users with metered or slow connections may want to avoid the large download.

Together for a healthier Clippy

Clippy’s maintenance team faces a reviewing capacity problem due to a lack of funding, relying solely on volunteers’ free time and risking burnout. To address this, they are launching an initiative where contributors review another’s pull request to expedite their own, inspired by Bevy’s “Open Code Review” system. The team also hopes the Rust Foundation Maintainers Fund will provide future financial support.

Why false sharing alignment should be 128 bytes on x64

False sharing occurs when multiple threads update atomic variables on the same cache line, causing performance overhead. The typical fix is to separate variables onto different cache lines (64 bytes on x86_64), but libraries like crossbeam and folly use 128-byte spacing to account for hardware adjacent cache line prefetching, which can load cache lines in pairs on Intel Sandy Bridge and later architectures.

Eliminating Go bound checks with unsafe

Bound checks in Go ensure safe slice access but add overhead, and while the compiler can often eliminate them, unsafe pointer arithmetic can bypass checks when the compiler cannot, provided the programmer can prove safety. This technique reduces instructions and branches, improving performance on hot paths.

🔬 Deep Tech

98% Isn’t Much

98% success is acceptable for exceptional achievements but inadequate for basic expectations like safety or reliability, as it still fails for 2% of people. Additionally, “98% support” can be misleading because it may not reflect a specific audience, as demonstrated by a CSS feature that worked for only 70% of a client’s visitors despite being widely supported overall. The article emphasizes that robust engineering must gracefully handle edge cases rather than relying on statistics like 98%.

First-ever reverse-aging drug was just injected into a human

Life Biosciences has administered the first human injection of a cellular reprogramming treatment, targeting a single glaucoma patient to test whether epigenetic reprogramming can reverse age-related diseases. The trial follows previous research limited to mice and monkeys, and if successful, could pave the way for therapies that rejuvenate cells throughout the body.

How to sequence your own DNA at home

The author sequenced their own genome five times at home using an Oxford Nanopore MinION, a process requiring significant time, money, and lab equipment. While the genome is not yet diagnostic, it serves as a queryable reference for identifying variants, affected genes, and drug metabolism differences. The technology’s costs are decreasing exponentially, suggesting future widespread accessibility.

Paris-based UMA, founded by ex-Tesla and ex-DeepMind researchers, demos Northstar AI humanoid robot

Paris-based startup UMA, founded by a former Tesla Optimus scientist and an ex-Google DeepMind researcher, has unveiled its lightweight humanoid robot, Northstar, for manufacturing, logistics, and home use. The company plans to target Europe first, citing high labor costs and aging demographics, and is already in talks with 50 potential customers.

Forterra deployed 100+ Lancer UGVs in Ukraine since 2025, completing 1,100+ missions

Forterra has deployed over 100 autonomous Lancer ATVs in Ukraine since 2025, completing more than 1,100 missions including casualty evacuations and supply transport. The gas-powered vehicles have carried nearly 778,000 pounds and evacuated 52 casualties, though they remain largely teleoperated due to combat limitations. The deployment represents the largest use of U.S. autonomous ground vehicles in combat, providing valuable battlefield lessons.

IBM teases new rackable mainframes that ‘complete’ the z17 family

IBM has teased new rackable mainframes that complete the z17 family, highlighting that its mainframe business remains profitable. The announcement underscores Big Iron’s continued importance for Big Blue.

💼 Business & Finance

Coinbase gets UK FCA nod, expands into derivatives and equities trading, biggest UK expansion yet

Coinbase has secured authorization from the UK Financial Conduct Authority to offer investment services, enabling it to expand beyond crypto into derivatives and equities trading. The license allows institutional and advanced traders to access perpetual futures, while retail users can trade equities on Coinbase for the first time, marking its largest UK product expansion to date.

Amazon to raise at least $25B from bond sale for AI infrastructure; size may increase.

Amazon.com Inc. is seeking to raise at least $25 billion through a US dollar bond sale to fund its growing investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The offering size may increase depending on investor demand, though no final decision has been made.

Proxima Fusion raises €411M at €2.4B valuation from XTX, East X, and Google

German startup Proxima Fusion raised €411 million at a €2.4 billion valuation, with investors including RWE and Google, to develop a nuclear fusion plant expected to be operational in the 2030s. The funding round was led by XTX Ventures and East X Ventures.

WiseTech co-founder White steps down amid police probe over sex exploitation of immigrant; WTC up 7%

WiseTech Global shares surged after billionaire Richard White resigned as chair amid a police investigation into allegations he exploited a woman’s immigration status for sex. Investors welcomed the move as a step to address the latest governance crisis at the company.

DRAM prices are killing the cheap smartphone

DRAM prices now consume 60% of the bill of materials for sub-$400 smartphones, and the trend is worsening. This cost increase is undermining the viability of affordable handsets.

🏛️ Tech Policy

Europe’s company websites are mostly served by US vendors

A study of 19,450 European company websites across seven markets found that US-headquartered infrastructure vendors serve the majority or plurality of primary websites in five countries, with Cloudflare being the single largest vendor in every market. Germany and Poland are exceptions due to strong domestic hosting industries. The analysis measures internet-facing vendor attribution, not physical data-center location.

Google’s exponential path to climate-wrecking digital bloat

Google’s electricity consumption surged from 31 TWh in 2024 to 43 TWh in 2025, its largest increase on record, driven by energy-hungry generative AI systems. This exponential growth is causing rising emissions as data center expansion outpaces grid decarbonization, leading to increased fossil fuel use and climate harm.

MPs tell Brit government: Sort out your tech sovereignty or get left out in the cold

A UK parliamentary committee has warned that the government must address its technology sovereignty, arguing that the US’s brief export ban on Anthropic’s AI models demonstrates Britain cannot rely even on allies to ensure access to critical AI infrastructure. The MPs emphasized the need for domestic capabilities to avoid being left vulnerable.

Northern Ireland tries (again) to expel Capita from schools IT contract

Northern Ireland is making another attempt to remove Capita from its schools IT contract. A new procurement process, potentially worth £851 million, follows the cancellation of a previous contract awarded to Fujitsu.

UK guts planning red tape so datacenters can bypass the neighbors faster

The UK is overhauling planning regulations to expedite datacenter construction, cutting the time for local opposition (NIMBYs) to complain by up to one year.

Brussels shows how to remove friction from collaboration

The Flemish Government renovated its Brussels headquarters to encourage hybrid workers to return by removing friction from collaboration, using consistent, intuitive meeting room technology across all spaces. The project also prioritized sustainability, embedding circular construction and energy efficiency to support its 2050 climate goals. The resulting building, opened in 2024, serves as a model for combining green ICT and future-ready collaboration tools.

👥 People & Politics

Top researchers leave USA for the Netherlands (in Dutch)

The Tulp Fonds, launched in 2025 with €50 million, has selected 34 top researchers—29 from the United States—to work in the Netherlands on critical issues such as AI, vaccines, and energy. The initiative aims to bolster Dutch innovation, reduce foreign dependence, and provide academic freedom to scientists facing pressures abroad.

Why migrants come to Germany for work and then leave again

Emigration from Germany is driven by multiple factors, including family reasons, discrimination, bureaucracy, housing challenges, and language barriers. Bureaucratic delays in naturalization, permits, and qualifications recognition, along with high fees, hinder long-term planning and belonging. German language proficiency is crucial, as inadequate support for language acquisition increases the likelihood of leaving.

Rachel Whetstone led comms at Google, Meta, Uber, Netflix, now Sierra; husband Steve runs for CA gov

Steve Hilton launched his longshot California gubernatorial campaign in April 2025 with a Trump-inspired “Golden Again” slogan, but his wife, influential Silicon Valley PR executive Rachel Whetstone, has conspicuously avoided all campaign events and interviews. Whetstone, described as both brilliant and tyrannical by associates, has led communications for tech giants like Google and Uber, and many find the idea of her as first lady laughable given her contrasting persona.