Best of 2025

The blog posts Hacker News loved most in 2025. 679 posts.

Security & Privacy
425

AppLovin nonconsensual installs

Mobile adtech juggernaut AppLovin recently faced multiple allegations of misconduct . Allegations run the gamut—privacy, ad targeting, even national security and ties to China. I was among the researchers consulted by skeptical investors this spring, and I was quoted in one of their reports, explaining my concerns…

431

The RubyGems "Security Incident"

Ruby Central posted an extremely concerning “Incident Response Timeline” today, in which they make a number of exaggerated or purely misleading claims. Here’s my effort to set the record straight. First, and most importantly: I was a primary operator of RubyGems.org, securely and successfully, for over ten years. Ruby…

438

Stop Breaking TLS

Rant ahead: I hate TLS “Inspection” software with a burning passion and I wish we collectively as an industry would just knock it the fuck off and stop pretending it’s some great security benefit. Every time I encounter it, in whatever form, it’s a gigantic headache that makes everyone’s life worse off and as far as I…