Hacker NewsSaturday · May 16, 2026FREE

'No way to prevent this,' says only package manager where this regularly happens

The article, titled 'No way to prevent this,' says only package manager where this regularly happens, is a satirical take on the frequent security incidents in npm, the default package manager for Node.js. It references the pattern of malicious packages being published to npm, leading to supply chain attacks that affect thousands of downstream projects. The piece draws a parallel to other package managers like PyPI and RubyGems, which also face similar issues but not as frequently. The author uses irony to criticize the lack of effective prevention measures, noting that despite the regularity of these incidents, the response often involves minimal changes or temporary fixes. The article was published on May 16, 2026, and is hosted on Kevin Patel's personal site. It gained traction on Hacker News, reflecting the community's ongoing frustration with npm's security posture.