🐉 Microsoft Layoffs, Dating App Vulnerabilities & Mario Kart Decompilation
💗 Love’s in the air, and so is your data
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Welcome to HackerPulse Dispatch! This week’s tech roundup delves into a mix of challenges and breakthroughs shaping the developer and gaming worlds.
Stack Overflow faces a tough crossroads, seeking a fresh identity as its traffic dwindles amid AI-driven changes. Mozilla opens the doors to Firefox’s inner workings, offering a detailed guide for anyone curious about what goes on under the hood.
On the corporate front, Microsoft’s recent layoffs have ripple effects in the Python community. For gaming fans, “Mario Kart 64” just hit a perfect 100% decompilation.
Lastly, a dating app’s security blunders leave thousands exposed, reminding us all that when it comes to app safety, there’s no room for shortcuts.
Whether you code, kart, or just want your dating data safe, there’s something here for you.
Here’s what new:
📉 Stack Overflow Seeks Rebrand as Traffic Continues to Plummet – Which Is Bad News for Developers: Stack Exchange is launching a rebrand amid a dramatic drop in site activity, hoping to reinvent itself beyond traditional Q&A as AI reshapes how developers seek help.
🦊 The Official Repository of Mozilla-Firefox/Firefox: Ever wondered how Firefox is built? Mozilla's guide breaks down its source code structure, build process, and where to get help.
🐍 Mike Droettboom on Microsoft Layoffs and the End of Faster CPython Support: As Microsoft shifts focus and cuts thousands of roles, Mike Droettboom highlights the personal and community toll on key Python contributors.
🏎️ “Mario Kart 64” Decompilation Project Reaches 100% Completion: Mario Kart 64 has officially been fully decompiled, marking a major milestone for N64 game preservation and PC port potential.
👀 How Broken OTPs and Open Endpoints Turned a Dating App Into a Stalker’s Playground: The article uncovered critical vulnerabilities in the Cerca dating app that exposed thousands of users’ personal data, including ID documents and private messages, with the company failing to notify users despite assurances.
Stack Overflow Seeks Rebrand as Traffic Continues to Plummet – Which Is Bad News for Developers (🔗 Read Paper)
Stack Exchange, the company best known for running Stack Overflow, has announced it's beginning a rebrand process amid a steep drop in user engagement. April 2025 saw over 64% fewer questions and answers compared to the same month in 2024—and over 90% fewer than in April 2020.
While Stack Overflow remains a highly recognizable brand, company leadership believes its dominance may be holding back the broader Stack Exchange network. The rebrand aims to address internal confusion, expand focus beyond developer Q&A, and better align with an AI-shaped future.
However, many long-time users are skeptical that branding changes will fix what they see as deeper platform and culture issues.
Key Points
AI is eating Stack Overflow’s lunch: The rise of generative AI tools has massively cut into Stack Overflow’s traffic. Developers are increasingly turning to models like ChatGPT for help rather than posting on forums.
A brand too big for the company: Company leaders say Stack Overflow’s prominence overshadows the wider Stack Exchange network. The rebrand is partly about addressing that imbalance—and appealing to broader audiences beyond software engineers.
Looking for a new identity (and business model): The company is experimenting with new services like AI assistants and a revamped jobs platform. CEO Prashanth Chandrasekar says the future focus includes three pillars: Q&A, community, and careers.
The Official Repository of Mozilla-Firefox/Firefox (🔗 Read Paper)
Ever wondered what powers your favorite open-source browser under the hood? Mozilla has published a detailed breakdown of the Firefox source code directory structure to help developers understand what’s where and why.
Whether you're exploring out of curiosity or preparing to contribute, there’s a guide to navigate each directory — from Gecko internals to Firefox’s front-end. Mozilla also offers official instructions on how to build Firefox from source and submit a patch.
And if you ever get stuck, the welcoming Matrix community is just a click away.
Key Points
Where things live: From browser/ (the desktop front end) to js/src/ (SpiderMonkey, Firefox’s JavaScript engine), each directory in the repo has a specific role. Mozilla’s source docs walk through all of them, from accessibility to rendering trees and inter-process communication.
How to build and patch: Want to modify Firefox? Start by checking out Mozilla’s contribution quickref, which covers building the browser, submitting patches, and getting review feedback. You can even test changes using nightly builds.
Getting help fast: If documentation doesn’t cut it, Mozilla's Matrix chat has a dedicated #introduction channel for new contributors. It’s a great place to ask questions or connect with devs working on similar areas.
Mike Droettboom on Microsoft Layoffs & the End of Faster CPython Support (🔗 Read Paper)
The Python community was hit with heavy news this week as Microsoft abruptly ended support for the Faster CPython project, resulting in multiple layoffs of core contributors. CPython core developer Mike Droettboom shared a heartfelt post about the sudden cuts, which reached the team en route to the Python Language Summit.
Despite the timing, the summit continued with its signature collaborative energy—an embodiment of open source resilience. Microsoft’s broader layoff plan is expected to affect around 7,000 employees, with a disproportionate number in software engineering.
Among those impacted are key Python and TypeScript developers, raising concerns about the company’s evolving priorities as AI-generated code gains more internal focus.
Key Points
Faster CPython halted: Microsoft pulled support for the performance-focused Faster CPython project, laying off several core devs. The timing was especially jarring, as notices were delivered while the team was headed to PyCon.
Major developer layoffs: Layoffs affected veterans like CPython’s Mike Droettboom, TypeScript’s Ron Buckton, and Azure SDK’s Matt Podwysock. In Washington state alone, 40% of cuts reportedly came from software engineering roles.
AI shift in focus: The layoffs follow CEO Satya Nadella’s recent comment that 30% of Microsoft’s code is now written by AI. The message is clear: human developers may increasingly be seen as “layers” to be reduced.
“Mario Kart 64” Decompilation Project Reaches 100% Completion (🔗 Read Paper)
It’s been a big week for retro gaming preservation. Within days of each other, Mario Party 4 and Mario Kart 64 both hit full decompilation status, opening the door for future ports and mods.
Mario Kart 64, in particular, stands out due to its multi-year journey that began back in 2020. The now fully decompiled code includes support for both U.S. and European versions.
It’s a major win for the preservation and open-source gaming communities, especially as more classic Nintendo 64 games get similar treatment.
Key Points
5-year finish line crossed: The Mario Kart 64 decompilation project began in October 2020 and now marks 100% completion after years of steady progress. It covers all major regional versions, ensuring wide compatibility and historical accuracy.
Part of a larger movement: This makes Mario Kart 64 one of several N64 titles to receive the full decompilation treatment, joining Majora’s Mask, Diddy Kong Racing, and others. Many more N64 classics are still in the pipeline, with active developer communities behind them.
What comes next: With the decompilation complete, a PC port is likely on the horizon, as has happened with similar projects. Typically, one team handles the research and code reverse-engineering, while another takes on the porting.
How Broken OTPs and Open Endpoints Turned a Dating App Into a Stalker’s Playground (🔗 Read Paper)
Startups often prioritize growth at the expense of security. But the risks of that tradeoff can be devastating. This week, a researcher uncovered severe vulnerabilities in Cerca, a rising dating app, which exposed over 6,000 users' personal data, including selfies, ID numbers, and intimate messages.
The flaws, ranging from broken OTP sign-ins to unauthenticated API endpoints, allowed full account takeovers and access to sensitive PII. Despite being informed of the vulnerabilities in February and initially acknowledging them, the company has since gone silent and failed to notify users.
The researcher responsibly published the findings after confirming the issues had been patched, but the lack of communication remains troubling.
Key Points
One-time password, zero-time security: Cerca's login system returned OTPs directly in API responses, allowing attackers to access any account with just a phone number. This critical vulnerability enabled full account takeovers without requiring the actual phone or user input.
Every endpoint open: Using tools like Charles Proxy and Gobuster, the researcher accessed Cerca’s entire API via its exposed OpenAPI docs. From forced matches to complete user profiles, nearly every endpoint lacked proper access control.
ID leaks and user enumeration: The exposed endpoints revealed full user data including passport details, sexual preferences, and location—affecting over 6,000 users, including at least 207 with uploaded ID documents. Despite the breach’s scope, Cerca has not acknowledged it publicly or alerted affected users.
🎬 And that's a wrap! Catch you next week.