1) They took action after getting the Stripe key by refunding all customers
2) They drafted an email to all customers after a hack that got the mailing list and API route to send emails
3) Not once has the hacker asked for compensation of any kind nor a ransom
I remember when I was a kid running a tiny forum with phpbb or something, and some script kiddies from g00nsquad (can't remember exact spelling, but something like that) defaced it. They didn't ask for money, they just did it for fun.
Sure things have changed now and the internet has become more corporate, but I reckon there are still people out there doing this stuff l because they can.
I recall a while back there was a story here about a recipe app that used LLMs to generate recipes. It didn't took long before posters started showcasing recipes they tricked the LLM to generate, involving ingredients such as cyanide and computer chips.
The pull is always there.
Breaking things is just fun for them and the internet is their video game.
Also the vibe I am getting from places like reddit/etc... is that it's currently open season on vibe coded apps. Lot's of internet points to be had for destroying them.
I am not saying it is the most likely case or even ethically justified but it is definitely not a super unlikely one. Anyone who thinks that's an impossible scenario has not been in the hacker's shoes.
He's lucky they didn't find a way to use it for card washing.
If someone took money out of your pocket would you call it stealing? What if they gave it to someone else, like a past employer or your parents or a humanitarian organization?
By the way, you should check a dictionary. The definition of "stealing" is literally taking something away without permission.
Protect your keys.
No, it doesn't.
So if I get your house key I can use your bathroom?
Seriously, what hill are you trying to die on here?
Can you name an instance of stealing that could not be described as a forced refund?
Respectfully, what the hell are you talking about?
Imagine you work 40 hours making an app and I pay you for those 40 hours. A third party comes in and says, I'm forcing a refund here - you lose the money you made, but you get the app you made.
How do you feel about this forced refund?
Your friend should take this as a lesson instead of trying to deflect blame to their competitors.
I think you mean “for the lulz”
Definitely not a good idea but it's not an unreasonable motivation.