The Node.js ecosystem has been disrupted by self-replicating malware called Shai-Hulud. In September 2025, researchers found that Shai-Hulud had infected more than 500 npm packages, including some from trusted maintainers. The worm did not just publish a few bad versions. It spread automatically, using stolen credentials to infect other packages owned by the same developer.
At Brussels Airport recently, I noticed airline staff working from paper passenger lists because their digital systems were unavailable. The EU Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) later confirmed the disruption was caused by a ransomware attack on a third-party airline system (Reuters report).
In recent months, I have seen an unmistakable, growing wave of younger professionals choosing to invest their energy and creativity in the IBM i platform. This trend was particularly evident at the 2025 PowerUp conference.
We’ve been receiving about one request per week to help clients troubleshoot or fix SMTP email issues on IBM i systems—especially when sending to Microsoft (Office 365) and Gmail accounts. These problems can affect a wide range of systems, including:
A friend in the IBM i vendor community asked me about Mapepire from a popularity and security perspective. He had read about Seiden Group’s support for the Mapepire Db2 for i driver. I have provided his questions and edited versions of my answers below.
Seiden Group is pleased to announce that we now provide production support for the open source Mapepire database connector for IBM i. This includes support for Node.js applications and cloud-based or containerized workloads that connect to Db2 for i—whether from IBM i itself or from external systems. Many developers already rely on Mapepire every day—sometimes without realizing it—because it’s the back-end to the Db2 for i extension for VS Code. We’re excited to help clients adopt this lightweight, high-performance connector.
Using a job queue or scheduler to run PHP scripts helps ensure that PHP-based processes are run successfully and on time. To make it easy for Seiden PHP+ users to schedule jobs, we provide job scheduler or queue functionality and support with our Seiden PHP+ SmartSupport. Benefits include the ability to:
I’m pleased to share that over the past year, we’ve rebranded our PHP distribution as Seiden PHP+. When we first created CommunityPlus+ PHP, it was meant to fill a gap—providing a stable, supported PHP environment for IBM i after Zend Server Basic was discontinued. The new name, Seiden PHP+, better reflects our team’s role in offering and supporting this full-featured, enterprise-grade PHP stack that businesses rely on for speed, stability, and security. For those who want hands-on help, our Install & Learn service is a great way to get started, and our SmartSupport program keeps your system secure and running…
The open-source TN5250 emulator provides a handy way to launch IBM i 5250 sessions from within VS Code for IBM i. The one drawback I’ve found in TN5250 is the Cursor in protected area of display error when I accidentally type on a protected area of the screen—an area where input isn’t allowed. The error must be cleared before I can continue to work.
At a recent Code for i Fridays meeting, DB2 for i Business Architect Scott Forstie shared with the group: “My wish is that every new database file is an SQL table.” Scott was recommending that new tables always be built using SQL rather than DDS. He had several good reasons, but to share the top two: