A sophisticated cyber campaign involving malicious Python packages has been uncovered by Checkmarx’s Supply Chain Security team. Over the past six months, this campaign has planted hundreds of info-stealing packages on open-source platforms, resulting in approximately 75,000 downloads.
Researchers have been monitoring this attack since early April and have identified 272 packages with code designed to steal sensitive data from targeted systems. The campaign’s complexity has grown significantly, with the package authors implementing advanced obfuscation techniques and detection evasion methods.
The attack focuses on the Python ecosystem and has evolved to become more sophisticated over time. The malicious packages employ techniques such as checking if they are running on a target system instead of a virtualized environment, making it challenging for security analysis.
Once launched, the malware targets a wide range of sensitive information, including antivirus tools, Wi-Fi passwords, credentials, browsing history, payment data, cryptocurrency wallet information, Discord details, and more. Additionally, the malware can capture screenshots and steal specific files from the infected system, making it a comprehensive data theft operation.
Checkmarx reports that this campaign goes beyond typical info-stealing operations, as it involves app data manipulation to achieve more decisive results. For instance, it replaces core files in cryptocurrency wallet management apps to bypass security policies and exfiltrate data.
The malware also injects JavaScript code on Discord and uses a PowerShell script to manipulate Windows “hosts,” disabling security products on breached devices. The researchers emphasize the ongoing vulnerability of open-source communities to supply chain attacks and urge users to carefully scrutinize projects and package publishers they trust while remaining vigilant against typosquatting package names.
