xz utils hack: what is it?

The text discusses a recent hack on an open-source library called xz, where the attacker took advantage of the maintainer's trust over time to gain access to the system. The maintainer was initially unaware that he had been targeted and was even praised by the hacker for his work in advance. The hackers' ability to subvert security mechanisms was technically sophisticated, but their approach was also socially sophisticated. This incident highlights the need to pay open-source maintainers more attention and compensation to prevent such attacks in the future. The article suggests that paying maintainers is a crucial step towards creating a resilient software industry where maintainers can thrive without feeling overworked or underappreciated.

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