Skip to content

IT Systems Engineer · Fort Lauderdale, FL

Jon Pena

Systems engineer who writes the software. 7+ years as the sole or lead technologist for multi-site networks, Linux and Windows systems, Microsoft 365 and endpoint fleets, and the Python and JavaScript automation that ties them together.

Now building LLM tooling for operations: Zendesk ticket triage and an RMM troubleshooting agent. I isolate a fault to the layer it lives in, fix it there, and script the fix so it stays fixed.

Things I've built github.com/JPInert

helpdesk-agent-kit AI agent for an IT help desk: reads Zendesk tickets and their screenshots, looks people up in an admin portal with no API, fixes the common cases in a real browser, and drafts replies a second model checks Python meetcap Live captions of the other side of a call, a jargon panel, and notes plus timing metrics afterwards. Records the sound card, no bot in the call. Python linux-desktop-shell Borderless GTK panels for a stripped-down XFCE desktop: hover clock and system stats, network menu, Home Assistant panel, plus a Plasma 6 Wayland port Python voice-agent-router Voice front end that routes each spoken request to the cheapest tier: no model, Claude Haiku, or a Claude Agent SDK session with spoken permission Python android-dsp-wakeword Custom 'computer' wake word on a Snapdragon phone's low-power audio DSP, screen off, no app: root app_process + Qualcomm SVA, hands off to a desktop voice assistant Java tesla-fleet-voice Home service for a Tesla through your own Fleet API app: voice phrases, signed commands, charge/unlocked watchdog that never keeps the car awake, history DB Python live-browser-agent Firefox extension + tiny local bridge so a coding agent can inspect the tab you already have open (DOM, console, network, frames) without the webdriver flag JavaScript claude-code-skills Nine Claude Code skills from my own setup: session handoff, chat branching, food logging, iTIP RSVPs, domain sweeps, Android traffic sniffing, Pi reflash with no card reader, USB-less Debian dual-boot Shell userscripts Browser userscripts: a read-only Walmart meal-plan shopping pilot that walks your list and audits the cart JavaScript talk2code Hands-free voice over a real Claude Code terminal tab: talk to the same session you type in, hear its replies a sentence at a time Python tasker-remote-widgets Android home-screen widgets in Tasker that I redesign from my desktop with no root and no re-imports: the phone fetches each widget's JS from a URL and runs it Python codex-image Claude Code skill + script: real raster images from Codex CLI's built-in image tool on a ChatGPT plan, with a billing gate Shell gmaps-layers Google Maps userscript: find X within N miles of each Y (Superchargers + food, hotels + dog parks) JavaScript linux-drills Hands-on Linux break-fix lab: 41 Docker scenarios that break real boxes (systemd, networking, Docker, GPU) and prove your fix, with a printable cheat sheet Python

Today in tech

What the nerds are reading. Refreshed every 15 minutes.

#1 on Hacker News PHP 8.2.35

PHP 8.2.35 is now available, fixing two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities, and users should update immediately.

github.com 990 points 534 comments 15h ago
#3 on Hacker News EA is shutting down BioWare

EA is shutting down the legendary studio BioWare, canceling the next Mass Effect game, and laying off about 400 employees.

theverge.com 583 points 353 comments 11h ago

Hacker News front page, by points

  1. Compromised LiteLLM 1.107.0 on PyPI Installs a Credential Stealer and Backdoor

    PyPI package LiteLLM version 1.107.0 was compromised to include a credential stealer and remote code execution backdoor that executes whenever any Python process starts.

    safedep.io 469 pts 158 comments 15h
  2. Meta ordered to pay $25B penalty in New Mexico Cambridge Analytica case
    cnbc.com 458 pts 290 comments 11h
  3. DuckDB 2.0.0 LTS “Cinnamon Teal”

    DuckDB 2.0.0 LTS "Cinnamon Teal" is released with asynchronous I/O, the Quack client-server protocol, first-class VARIANT data types, and new CLI agent modes.

    duckdb.org 386 pts 49 comments 15h
  4. Security Disclosure

    Railway urges all users to immediately rotate environment variables and API keys after an unauthorized party potentially accessed encrypted secrets stored on the platform.

    blog.railway.com 383 pts 225 comments 7h
  5. mitmproxy adds --emudhra option

    Mitmproxy added an `--emudhra` command-line option to sign TLS certificates using a compromised eMudhra intermediate CA key.

    github.com 356 pts 95 comments 5h
  6. There isn't an easy exploit for this PHP vulnerability

    Despite widespread claims and numerous non-functional proof-of-concept scripts generated by LLMs, a recent PHP vulnerability is difficult to exploit against vanilla instances and lacks automated weaponization.

    eliastaylor.com 319 pts 149 comments 6h
  7. GitLab critical patch release

    GitLab released critical security updates addressing multiple vulnerabilities, including a CVSS 10.0 integer overflow in the regular expression compiler that allows remote code execution.

    docs.gitlab.com 289 pts 70 comments 10h
  8. PingCap TiDB Leaks

    Security researchers claim to have exfiltrated 10.6 terabytes of data from PingCAP TiDB Cloud over two months without detection, including control-plane databases, API keys, and customer SQL logs.

    fulcrumsec.vg 274 pts 39 comments 1d
  9. OpenAI models are coming to Google Cloud
    openai.com 268 pts 111 comments 16h
  10. Rust Style Guide

    Google published its official Rust style guide, outlining internal standards for code organization, API design, formatting, and implementation patterns across its projects.

    google.github.io 258 pts 140 comments 10h
  11. Patch the Planet: global response coordination as agents uncover vulnerabilities
    openai.com 246 pts 165 comments 15h
  12. No more icons in every menu by default

    Apple has reversed its macOS Tahoe design decision and removed default icons from menu items in the Golden Gate release.

    blog.jim-nielsen.com 233 pts 159 comments 2d
  13. Oregon lawmakers approve money to buy an iconic waterfall listed on Redfin
    apnews.com 180 pts 90 comments 13h
  14. Tiny possum and glider thought extinct for 6000 years found in remote West Papua

    Researchers in West Papua discovered a pygmy long-fingered possum and a ring-tailed glider previously believed to have been extinct for 6,000 years.

    bbc.com 177 pts 36 comments 1d
  15. Why Windows 11 still ships with Windows 95's memory manager hidden inside it

    Windows 11 still includes the EmulateHeap compatibility fix, which contains a recompiled version of the Windows 95 memory manager to support legacy applications.

    windowslatest.com 162 pts 103 comments 2d
  16. Code is clay now

    Agentic coding has transformed software development by making code malleable like clay, shifting the engineer's role toward iterative modeling and automated pipelines.

    albertodenia.com 138 pts 71 comments 2d
  17. The recently proposed o(n log n) integer multiplication algorithm [pdf]
    web.maths.unsw.edu.au 71 pts 41 comments 2h
  18. Chain of Thought for Humans

    Narrating complex problem-solving steps out loud improves human reasoning and puzzle-solving effectiveness, functioning similarly to rubber duck debugging in software development.

    boristhebrave.com 63 pts 30 comments 2d
  19. Launch HN: Alter (YC S25) – Access control for multi-user agents

    Alter launched a privileged access management platform for AI agents that enforces policies, keeps credentials out of code, and audits every action.

    alterauth.com 57 pts 25 comments 22h
  20. Show HN: Omnara – Open-source alternative to Claude Managed Agents

    Omnara is an open-source, self-hostable managed agent platform providing an alternative to Claude Managed Agents and OpenAI's Agents API.

    github.com 47 pts 14 comments 12h

AI on HN, last 48 hours

  1. PHP2Shell: AI uncovers critical RCE in PHP

    Wiz discovered critical memory-safety and unauthenticated RCE vulnerabilities affecting all PHP versions from the last decade, with patches released in October 2026.

    wiz.io 439 pts 173 comments 15h
  2. Steam Users Beg for "No AI" Filter as Vibecoders Flood Next Fest

    Steam users are asking Valve to add a filter to hide AI-generated games, following a surge of low-effort titles in the latest Steam Next Fest.

    ign.com 183 pts 229 comments 1d
  3. Airbnb bans making guests do dishes and take out the trash

    Airbnb updated its policy to ban hosts from requiring guests to complete time-consuming checkout chores like washing dishes, doing laundry, or taking out the trash.

    theverge.com 150 pts 138 comments 5h
  4. Using thousands of AI agents to uncover new leads in biological data
    openai.com 138 pts 86 comments 15h
  5. Google staff resign in backlash over its AI contracts with military

    Google DeepMind employees are resigning over the company's contracts to deploy artificial intelligence technology for military and classified operations.

    bbc.com 119 pts 23 comments 10h
  6. On AI writing

    AI-generated text lacks distinct style and precision, increasing reading time, reducing comprehension, and eroding trust between writers and readers.

    bolkunov.com 92 pts 60 comments 1d
  7. Rust off Rails: The opinionated web stack for the AI era

    Rust off Rails is a web development framework that provides Markdown guides and specifications for AI coding agents to build full-stack Rust applications.

    rustoffrails.org 70 pts 74 comments 12h
  8. LayerFS: The filesystem for AI coding agents

    LayerFS is a specialized filesystem designed for AI coding agents, providing ephemeral workspaces, atomic commits, content-addressed storage, and parallel branch management.

    layerfs.ai 70 pts 43 comments 16h

Lobsters hottest

  1. Firefox Local Mode

    Firefox 153 introduces Local Mode in DevTools, allowing developers to map local folders to custom HTTPS URLs for testing Web APIs without a local server.

    firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org 85 pts 16 comments 13h browsers
  2. Upcoming Critical PHP Security Release

    The PHP security team announced an upcoming critical security release addressing two CVSS 9.2 vulnerabilities scheduled for October 21, 2026.

    php.net 184 pts 121 comments 1d php · security
  3. Eight Bits of Trust; eMudhra's CA keys cracked in milliseconds

    Security researchers discovered that eight eMudhra certificate authority private keys were generated as single-byte values, allowing them to be cracked in milliseconds.

    scotthelme.co.uk 47 pts 10 comments 15h cryptography · security
  4. zls 0.17.0

    ZLS 0.17.0 is now available, bringing symbol renaming improvements, build system protocol updates, and tracking known regressions in build.zig support.

    zigtools.org 56 pts 2 comments 13h release · zig
  5. Google's Rust Style Guide

    Google publishes its official Rust style guide, detailing code organization, formatting, API design, and implementation standards for projects across the company.

    google.github.io 24 pts 10 comments 10h rust
  6. CVE-2026-107891: musl libc: multiple integer overflow in regcomp, possibly leading to incorrect allocation sizes and out-of-bounds heap writes

    Multiple integer overflows in the musl libc regcomp function can cause incorrect allocation sizes and out-of-bounds heap writes when processing untrusted regular expressions.

    openwall.com 28 pts 5 comments 11h c · security
  7. Passkeys Attestation Trap

    Passkey attestation could enable websites to restrict user control over credentials, though platforms argue that mass-market consumer passkeys make such restrictions impractical.

    mjtsai.com 17 pts 33 comments 10h security · web
  8. Unikernels in OCaml
    uniker.nl 58 pts 7 comments 21h ml · osdev
  9. Railway Security Disclosure: Wednesday October 21st

    Railway suffered a security breach where unauthorized parties may have accessed decrypted environment variables, prompting the platform to pause deployments and advise users to rotate secrets.

    blog.railway.com 11 pts 2 comments 6h devops · security
  10. The Future of CSS

    The author highlights ten upcoming CSS features, such as native functions and the corner-shape property, nominated for inclusion in the Interop 2027 project.

    joshwcomeau.com 58 pts 6 comments 22h css
  11. Flow Typing, A New Lens on Linearity
    jaredforsyth.com 16 pts 2 comments 10h plt
  12. Don't throw it all away: Caching an immediate-mode UI

    The Blick editor implements a GPU-based rendering cache for its immediate-mode UI, reducing CPU and GPU power consumption by twenty percent on MacBook Pro.

    blickeditor.com 19 pts 0 comments 11h graphics · performance
  13. Protecting Firefox users following the compromise of eMudhra intermediate certificates

    Mozilla blocked eight compromised eMudhra intermediate certificates in Firefox using OneCRL and released updates to remove the root certificate from its trust store.

    blog.mozilla.org 168 pts 70 comments 1d security
  14. GitLab Critical Patch Release

    GitLab released critical security patches for versions 18.11 and 19.0 through 19.5 to address vulnerabilities including a CVSS 10 integer overflow allowing remote code execution.

    docs.gitlab.com 10 pts 2 comments 8h security · vcs
  15. Embedding EYG in Erlang programs

    This guide demonstrates how to embed the EYG scripting language into an Erlang application, handle runtime errors, implement side effects, and perform static type checking.

    eyg.run 5 pts 0 comments 7h erlang

Get in touch

Email jonpena@inertify.com or leave your details below and I'll get back to you.
π