You can't bug fix your way out of the vulnpocalypse

This article discusses the 'vulnpocalypse,' a scenario where a new technological innovation (e.g., AI-driven vulnerability discovery) uncovers a huge number of vulnerabilities in existing software, overwhelming traditional bug-fixing processes. The author, an Anthropic employee, explains that security engineers often assume future vulnerability discovery rates will mirror the past, but this assumption breaks down during a vulnpocalypse. The piece argues that instead of trying to patch each vulnerability individually—which leads to burnout and random triage—teams should recognize that many vulnerabilities share similar shapes and causes, making them amenable to systemic fixes. Drawing on a personal example from a legacy VB Script codebase, the author advocates for addressing root causes rather than symptoms. The article is relevant to IT/technology as it covers software security, vulnerability management, and the impact of AI on cybersecurity practices.