Original Article Text

Click to Toggle View

North Korean Lazarus hackers infect hundreds via npm packages. Six malicious packages have been identified on npm (Node package manager) linked to the notorious North Korean hacking group Lazarus. The packages, which have been downloaded 330 times, are designed to steal account credentials, deploy backdoors on compromised systems, and extract sensitive cryptocurrency information. The Socket Research Team discovered the campaign, which linked it to previously known Lazarus supply chain operations. The threat group is known for pushing malicious packages into software registries like npm, which is used by millions of JavaScript developers, and compromising systems passively. Similar campaigns attributed to the same threat actors have been spotted on GitHub and the Python Package Index (PyPI). This tactic often allows them to gain initial access to valuable networks and conduct massive record-breaking attacks, like the recent $1.5 billion crypto heist from the Bybit exchange. The six Lazarus packages discovered in npm all employ typosquatting tactics to trick developers into accidental installations: The packages contain malicious code designed to steal sensitive information, such as cryptocurrency wallets and browser data that contains stored passwords, cookies, and browsing history. They also load the BeaverTail malware and the InvisibleFerret backdoor, which North Koreans previously deployed in fake job offers that led to the installation of malware. "The code is designed to collect system environment details, including the hostname, operating system, and system directories," explains the Socket report. "It systematically iterates through browser profiles to locate and extract sensitive files such as Login Data from Chrome, Brave, and Firefox, as well as keychain archives on macOS." "Notably, the malware also targets cryptocurrency wallets, specifically extracting id.json from Solana and exodus.wallet from Exodus." All six Lazarus packages are still available on npm and the GitHub repositories, so the threat is still active. Software developers are advised to double-check the packages they use for their projects and constantly scrutinize code in open-source software to find suspicious signs like obfuscated code and calls to external servers. Top 10 MITRE ATT&CK© Techniques Behind 93% of Attacks Based on an analysis of 14M malicious actions, discover the top 10 MITRE ATT&CK techniques behind 93% of attacks and how to defend against them.

Daily Brief Summary

NATION STATE ACTIVITY // North Korean Hackers Deploy Malware via npm Packages

North Korean group Lazarus is using npm to distribute six malicious packages, downloaded 330 times.

The packages, designed to steal sensitive data like cryptocurrency information, use typosquatting to trick developers.

Malware in the packages includes BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret backdoors, extracting data from browsers and cryptocurrency wallets.

Lazarus has conducted previous attacks on GitHub and the Python Package Index, accessing networks for large-scale heists.

The compromised packages remain accessible on npm and GitHub, posing an ongoing threat.

Developers are urged to rigorously validate open-source packages and monitor for unusual code activities.