🗞 What's New: Vibe coding has a security problem

Here's what you'll find in this issue:

• Vibe security gone wrong: non-technical founders are “shipping fast” and becoming easy targets for malicious hackers.
• This AI company makes $108k/mo automating jobs people no longer want to do. Here's how you can build something similar.

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Non-technical founders are using AI to build profitable apps without writing code.

But there's a dangerous downside to vibe coding: the software is often riddled with security vulnerabilities.

Earlier this week when indie hacker Leo Jr. publicly celebrated the success of his vibe-coded app, he inadvertently painted a massive target on his back. Within days, his product was under siege from hackers who found multiple security holes.

Here's a look at the vulnerabilities he left exposed in his app — along with some AI prompts non-technical founders can use to avoid the same fate.

Read the full article →

This issue is sponsored by Google Cloud

In Google Cloud's Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups report, 23 industry leaders, including Amin Vahdat (Google Cloud) and Chamath Palihapitiya (Social Capital), share crucial insights on AI, cloud trends, investment opportunities, and challenges that startups need to watch in 2025.

Download now.

If this doesn't motivate you to want to work for yourself, nothing will.

—Channing

In January 2023, while in Tulum, Mexico, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack came up with the idea for Artisan — an AI company focused on automating jobs people no longer want to do.

Within eight months of launching, Artisan soared to $1.3M ARR. Carmichael-Jack’s strategy included launching early (and failing fast), living and working in one house-office, and leveraging an AI-driven “sales assistant” that sparked immediate buzz.

Here's our playbook for how you can build something similar, complete with an analysis of Artisan's controversial “Stop Hiring Humans” campaign and Reddit “rage-bait” posts that generated massive attention and fueled 1,000+ waitlist signups.

Read the full report →

Here's today's Indie Mini: a daily crossword puzzle that quizzes you on all things tech, economics, and business.

Play today's puzzle →

Did you like today's stories? Did they suck? Which ones?

We're constantly changing things up to make this newsletter more useful, so let us know what you think by replying directly to this email. We read every reply!

Special thanks to Yushavel Calderon for the graphic design, and to James Fleischmann for contributing a post.

—Channing