Research
Security News
Malicious PyPI Package ‘pycord-self’ Targets Discord Developers with Token Theft and Backdoor Exploit
Socket researchers uncover the risks of a malicious Python package targeting Discord developers.
Quickly evaluate the security and health of any open source package.
minife_node
89.3.5
by mtdev008742
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code collects and sends sensitive system information to potentially suspicious external domains without user consent, which is a significant security risk. The use of 'rejectUnauthorized: false' further exacerbates the risk by disabling SSL/TLS certificate validation.
Live on npm for 16 days, 17 hours and 9 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@patrtorg/quos-quasi-ipsa
1.0.0
by minhtran645176
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This package was removed from the npm registry for security reasons.
Live on npm for 1 hour and 15 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@ukncsc/my-ncsc-ui-common-core
4.10.3
by thecontractorio
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is attempting to exfiltrate sensitive data (the contents of the '/etc/passwd' file) to a remote server. This behavior is highly suspicious and potentially malicious.
supply-chain-planner
0.1.2
by dextester123
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The 'preinstall' script collects system information, including hostname, username, current directory, and network configuration, and sends it to a remote server at 0bc6h0p5fxjweey51uk8f1xc339vxmlb[.]oastify[.]com without user consent. This indicates malicious intent to exfiltrate sensitive information.
Live on npm for 3 days, 14 hours and 38 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
new-npm-packages
999.9.9
by mega707
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The script collects information like package details, directories, hostnames, DNS servers and user information, and sends it to a remote server.
Live on npm for 1 hour and 44 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
uxpin-merge-ms-fabric
1.3.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The source code is designed to collect various pieces of system information and send them to a remote server. The code is heavily obfuscated, which is a common tactic to hide malicious behavior. The behavior of collecting and transmitting system data without user consent indicates a high likelihood of malicious intent.
Live on npm for 4 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
react-native-latest
200.0.0
by lykos_poc1
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is potentially malicious as it is sending sensitive system information to a remote server without the user's consent. It could be used for data exfiltration or other malicious purposes.
Live on npm for 24 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
ing-feat-view-cancel-payments
99.99.99
by biskitfaulty
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends sensitive data to an unauthorized or malicious domain using DNS queries, and poses a high security risk. It should be removed immediately from any project.
Live on npm for 29 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
avocado-framework-plugin-vt
80.0
Live on pypi
Blocked by Socket
The script performs various system-level operations including process killing, network checking, logging, and extensive registry modifications, some of which disable crash reporting and configure system reboots. It also includes an external script for automatic execution. These operations indicate a high potential for misuse or malicious intent, particularly in disabling error reporting and forcing system reboots. Without more context, these actions pose significant security risks.
fca-koja
20.0.9
by alijutt
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code appears to have some suspicious elements such as the use of eval and obfuscated code, raising concerns about potential malicious behavior.
simple-ora
1.0.4
by kyle.dev
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code appears highly obfuscated with the use of eval() indicating a potential for malicious behavior by executing arbitrary code. The obscured operations and presence of timing functions hint at suspicious activity. Although specific malicious actions are not immediately clear due to the obfuscation, the usage patterns are typical of attempts to conceal harmful operations.
Live on npm for 9 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@rambler-help/shared
0.3.99
by staticcoder92
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
The code exhibits behavior typical of malware, such as potential data exfiltration via DNS lookups with encoded system information. This poses a significant security risk.
federalist-uswds-jekyll
1.19.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The source code is performing malicious activities by exfiltrating sensitive system information to a suspicious domain (pingb.in). This poses a significant security risk.
Live on npm for 54 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
feedback-web-renderer-ui
12.999.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code uses the exec function to run shell commands, which poses a significant security risk. It could potentially execute malicious code if the input to exec is manipulated. Redirecting output to /dev/null to hide execution details is suspicious.
Live on npm for 55 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
vue-sipjs
1.0.1
by testes10
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is attempting to exfiltrate sensitive data from the system and send it to a remote server. This is a serious security risk and should be considered malware.
Live on npm for 2 hours and 50 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
simpleworkspace
1.2.14
Removed from pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code is designed to execute shell commands based on a schedule. While there's no direct evidence of malicious intent, the use of 'shell=True' in subprocess.run poses a significant security risk if untrusted inputs are used. This could potentially be exploited for arbitrary command execution.
Live on pypi for 24 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
nayduck
99.99.96
by adisoma
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The script collects information such as package name, directory, home directory, hostname, username, DNS servers, and package.json content, then sends it to a remote server.
Live on npm for 2 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
cometlogger
0.1
Removed from pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code demonstrates clear signs of malicious behavior, including unauthorized process termination, code injection, and potential data exfiltration via webhooks. The presence of an obfuscated script further suggests attempts to conceal malicious intent. Users should be cautious as this poses a significant security risk.
Live on pypi for 8 hours and 25 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
discord-embedbuilder
2.5.6
Live on pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code poses a significant security risk by downloading and executing a file from an untrusted source without any verification or validation. This could lead to executing malicious software on the user's system.
new-for-my-singing-monsters-kazilleon819
1.0.2
by atiaromaryalab
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code engages in automated package creation and publishing, with the addition of posting content to WordPress sites using hard-coded credentials. This indicates potential spam or automated SEO manipulation behavior. The code also presents significant security risks due to hard-coded paths and credentials.
Live on npm for 30 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
pwn
0.4.621
by 0day Inc.
Live on gem
Blocked by Socket
The script 'packer/provisioners/post_install.sh' exhibits malicious behavior by performing several harmful actions: - **Deletes user and root history files**: Uses secure deletion methods to remove history files, potentially to conceal malicious activities. - **Clears system log files**: Erases log files from '/var/log', hindering the ability to audit and investigate system actions. - **Disables the root account**: Locks the root account password without ensuring alternative secure administrative access, possibly preventing legitimate administrative operations. - **Sets a weak default password ('changeme') for the 'admin' user**: Introduces a significant security risk by using an easily guessable password, facilitating unauthorized access. These actions can be exploited by an attacker to gain unauthorized access, disrupt legitimate operations, and prevent system recovery. The combination of log and history deletion, disabling of root access, and setting weak credentials indicates malicious intent to compromise system security and conceal nefarious activities.
sentiance.commons.sentikit
9.9.9
by coverallsjab
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends sensitive data to an unauthorized or malicious domain using DNS queries, and poses a high security risk. It should be removed immediately from any project.
Live on npm for 44 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
gen-express-cli
0.0.1
by rulerchen
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
The code is a utility for running shell commands, which poses a high security risk of command injection if untrusted input is used. There is no direct evidence of malicious intent or obfuscation, but the insecure pattern itself is dangerous.
mhn-malicious1
2.0.5
by mhnamadi
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends the system's hostname to an external domain without user consent, which is a significant security risk. The use of a module named 'mhn-malicious' further raises suspicion of malicious intent.
Live on npm for 2 days, 10 hours and 21 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
noblox.js-async
4.6.9
by bicholassancheck14
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code is highly obfuscated and contains elements that suggest potentially malicious behavior, such as executing shell commands and making network requests. Further deobfuscation and analysis are needed to confirm any malicious intent.
Live on npm for 2 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
minife_node
89.3.5
by mtdev008742
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code collects and sends sensitive system information to potentially suspicious external domains without user consent, which is a significant security risk. The use of 'rejectUnauthorized: false' further exacerbates the risk by disabling SSL/TLS certificate validation.
Live on npm for 16 days, 17 hours and 9 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@patrtorg/quos-quasi-ipsa
1.0.0
by minhtran645176
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This package was removed from the npm registry for security reasons.
Live on npm for 1 hour and 15 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@ukncsc/my-ncsc-ui-common-core
4.10.3
by thecontractorio
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is attempting to exfiltrate sensitive data (the contents of the '/etc/passwd' file) to a remote server. This behavior is highly suspicious and potentially malicious.
supply-chain-planner
0.1.2
by dextester123
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The 'preinstall' script collects system information, including hostname, username, current directory, and network configuration, and sends it to a remote server at 0bc6h0p5fxjweey51uk8f1xc339vxmlb[.]oastify[.]com without user consent. This indicates malicious intent to exfiltrate sensitive information.
Live on npm for 3 days, 14 hours and 38 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
new-npm-packages
999.9.9
by mega707
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The script collects information like package details, directories, hostnames, DNS servers and user information, and sends it to a remote server.
Live on npm for 1 hour and 44 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
uxpin-merge-ms-fabric
1.3.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The source code is designed to collect various pieces of system information and send them to a remote server. The code is heavily obfuscated, which is a common tactic to hide malicious behavior. The behavior of collecting and transmitting system data without user consent indicates a high likelihood of malicious intent.
Live on npm for 4 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
react-native-latest
200.0.0
by lykos_poc1
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is potentially malicious as it is sending sensitive system information to a remote server without the user's consent. It could be used for data exfiltration or other malicious purposes.
Live on npm for 24 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
ing-feat-view-cancel-payments
99.99.99
by biskitfaulty
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends sensitive data to an unauthorized or malicious domain using DNS queries, and poses a high security risk. It should be removed immediately from any project.
Live on npm for 29 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
avocado-framework-plugin-vt
80.0
Live on pypi
Blocked by Socket
The script performs various system-level operations including process killing, network checking, logging, and extensive registry modifications, some of which disable crash reporting and configure system reboots. It also includes an external script for automatic execution. These operations indicate a high potential for misuse or malicious intent, particularly in disabling error reporting and forcing system reboots. Without more context, these actions pose significant security risks.
fca-koja
20.0.9
by alijutt
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code appears to have some suspicious elements such as the use of eval and obfuscated code, raising concerns about potential malicious behavior.
simple-ora
1.0.4
by kyle.dev
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code appears highly obfuscated with the use of eval() indicating a potential for malicious behavior by executing arbitrary code. The obscured operations and presence of timing functions hint at suspicious activity. Although specific malicious actions are not immediately clear due to the obfuscation, the usage patterns are typical of attempts to conceal harmful operations.
Live on npm for 9 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
@rambler-help/shared
0.3.99
by staticcoder92
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
The code exhibits behavior typical of malware, such as potential data exfiltration via DNS lookups with encoded system information. This poses a significant security risk.
federalist-uswds-jekyll
1.19.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The source code is performing malicious activities by exfiltrating sensitive system information to a suspicious domain (pingb.in). This poses a significant security risk.
Live on npm for 54 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
feedback-web-renderer-ui
12.999.999
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code uses the exec function to run shell commands, which poses a significant security risk. It could potentially execute malicious code if the input to exec is manipulated. Redirecting output to /dev/null to hide execution details is suspicious.
Live on npm for 55 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
vue-sipjs
1.0.1
by testes10
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
This script is attempting to exfiltrate sensitive data from the system and send it to a remote server. This is a serious security risk and should be considered malware.
Live on npm for 2 hours and 50 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
simpleworkspace
1.2.14
Removed from pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code is designed to execute shell commands based on a schedule. While there's no direct evidence of malicious intent, the use of 'shell=True' in subprocess.run poses a significant security risk if untrusted inputs are used. This could potentially be exploited for arbitrary command execution.
Live on pypi for 24 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
nayduck
99.99.96
by adisoma
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The script collects information such as package name, directory, home directory, hostname, username, DNS servers, and package.json content, then sends it to a remote server.
Live on npm for 2 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
cometlogger
0.1
Removed from pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code demonstrates clear signs of malicious behavior, including unauthorized process termination, code injection, and potential data exfiltration via webhooks. The presence of an obfuscated script further suggests attempts to conceal malicious intent. Users should be cautious as this poses a significant security risk.
Live on pypi for 8 hours and 25 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
discord-embedbuilder
2.5.6
Live on pypi
Blocked by Socket
The code poses a significant security risk by downloading and executing a file from an untrusted source without any verification or validation. This could lead to executing malicious software on the user's system.
new-for-my-singing-monsters-kazilleon819
1.0.2
by atiaromaryalab
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code engages in automated package creation and publishing, with the addition of posting content to WordPress sites using hard-coded credentials. This indicates potential spam or automated SEO manipulation behavior. The code also presents significant security risks due to hard-coded paths and credentials.
Live on npm for 30 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
pwn
0.4.621
by 0day Inc.
Live on gem
Blocked by Socket
The script 'packer/provisioners/post_install.sh' exhibits malicious behavior by performing several harmful actions: - **Deletes user and root history files**: Uses secure deletion methods to remove history files, potentially to conceal malicious activities. - **Clears system log files**: Erases log files from '/var/log', hindering the ability to audit and investigate system actions. - **Disables the root account**: Locks the root account password without ensuring alternative secure administrative access, possibly preventing legitimate administrative operations. - **Sets a weak default password ('changeme') for the 'admin' user**: Introduces a significant security risk by using an easily guessable password, facilitating unauthorized access. These actions can be exploited by an attacker to gain unauthorized access, disrupt legitimate operations, and prevent system recovery. The combination of log and history deletion, disabling of root access, and setting weak credentials indicates malicious intent to compromise system security and conceal nefarious activities.
sentiance.commons.sentikit
9.9.9
by coverallsjab
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends sensitive data to an unauthorized or malicious domain using DNS queries, and poses a high security risk. It should be removed immediately from any project.
Live on npm for 44 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
gen-express-cli
0.0.1
by rulerchen
Live on npm
Blocked by Socket
The code is a utility for running shell commands, which poses a high security risk of command injection if untrusted input is used. There is no direct evidence of malicious intent or obfuscation, but the insecure pattern itself is dangerous.
mhn-malicious1
2.0.5
by mhnamadi
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code sends the system's hostname to an external domain without user consent, which is a significant security risk. The use of a module named 'mhn-malicious' further raises suspicion of malicious intent.
Live on npm for 2 days, 10 hours and 21 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
noblox.js-async
4.6.9
by bicholassancheck14
Removed from npm
Blocked by Socket
The code is highly obfuscated and contains elements that suggest potentially malicious behavior, such as executing shell commands and making network requests. Further deobfuscation and analysis are needed to confirm any malicious intent.
Live on npm for 2 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes before removal. Socket users were protected even while the package was live.
Socket detects traditional vulnerabilities (CVEs) but goes beyond that to scan the actual code of dependencies for malicious behavior. It proactively detects and blocks 70+ signals of supply chain risk in open source code, for comprehensive protection.
Known malware
Possible typosquat attack
NPM Shrinkwrap
Git dependency
HTTP dependency
Suspicious Stars on GitHub
Protestware or potentially unwanted behavior
Unstable ownership
AI-detected potential malware
Obfuscated code
20 more alerts →
Bad dependency semver
Wildcard dependency
Unpopular package
Minified code
Socket optimized override available
Deprecated
Unmaintained
Critical CVE
High CVE
Medium CVE
Low CVE
Explicitly Unlicensed Item
License Policy Violation
Misc. License Issues
Non-permissive License
Ambiguous License Classifier
Copyleft License
Unidentified License
No License Found
License exception
Socket detects and blocks malicious dependencies, often within just minutes of them being published to public registries, making it the most effective tool for blocking zero-day supply chain attacks.
Socket is built by a team of prolific open source maintainers whose software is downloaded over 1 billion times per month. We understand how to build tools that developers love. But don’t take our word for it.
Nat Friedman
CEO at GitHub
Congrats to @feross and the hard-working team behind @SocketSecurity on today's launch!
Suz Hinton
Senior Software Engineer at Stripe
heck yes this is awesome!!! Congrats team 🎉👏
Matteo Collina
Node.js maintainer, Fastify lead maintainer
So awesome to see @SocketSecurity launch with a fresh approach! Excited to have supported the team from the early days.
DC Posch
Director of Technology at AppFolio, CTO at Dynasty
This is going to be super important, especially for crypto projects where a compromised dependency results in stolen user assets.
Luis Naranjo
Software Engineer at Microsoft
If software supply chain attacks through npm don't scare the shit out of you, you're not paying close enough attention.
@SocketSecurity sounds like an awesome product. I'll be using socket.dev instead of npmjs.org to browse npm packages going forward
Elena Nadolinski
Founder and CEO at Iron Fish
Huge congrats to @SocketSecurity! 🙌
Literally the only product that proactively detects signs of JS compromised packages.
Joe Previte
Engineering Team Lead at Coder
Congrats to @feross and the @SocketSecurity team on their seed funding! 🚀 It's been a big help for us at @CoderHQ and we appreciate what y'all are doing!
Josh Goldberg
Staff Developer at Codecademy
This is such a great idea & looks fantastic, congrats & good luck @feross + team!
The best security teams in the world use Socket to get visibility into supply chain risk, and to build a security feedback loop into the development process.
Yan Zhu
Head of Security at Brave, DEFCON, EFF, W3C
glad to hear some of the smartest people i know are working on (npm, etc.) supply chain security finally :). @SocketSecurity
Andrew Peterson
CEO and Co-Founder at Signal Sciences (acq. Fastly)
How do you track the validity of open source software libraries as they get updated? You're prob not. Check out @SocketSecurity and the updated tooling they launched.
Supply chain is a cluster in security as we all know and the tools from Socket are "duh" type tools to be implementing.
Zbyszek Tenerowicz
Senior Security Engineer at ConsenSys
socket.dev is getting more appealing by the hour
Devdatta Akhawe
Head of Security at Figma
The @SocketSecurity team is on fire! Amazing progress and I am exciting to see where they go next.
Ryan Noon
Founder & CEO at Material Security
The NPM ecosystem is a horrible horrible place and I'm glad you're doing something about it.
Sebastian Bensusan
Engineer Manager at Stripe
I find it surprising that we don't have _more_ supply chain attacks in software:
Imagine your airplane (the code running) was assembled (deployed) daily, with parts (dependencies) from internet strangers. How long until you get a bad part?
Excited for Socket to prevent this
Adam Baldwin
VP of Security at npm, Red Team at Auth0/Okta
Congrats to everyone at @SocketSecurity ❤️🤘🏻
Nico Waisman
CISO at Lyft
This is an area that I have personally been very focused on. As Nat Friedman said in the 2019 GitHub Universe keynote, Open Source won, and every time you add a new open source project you rely on someone else's code and you rely on the people that build it.
This is both exciting and problematic. You are bringing real risk into your organization, and I'm excited to see progress in the industry from OpenSSF scorecards and package analyzers to the company that Feross Aboukhadijeh is building!
Depend on Socket to prevent malicious open source dependencies from infiltrating your app.
Install the Socket GitHub App in just 2 clicks and get protected today.
Block 70+ issues in open source code, including malware, typo-squatting, hidden code, misleading packages, permission creep, and more.
Reduce work by surfacing actionable security information directly in GitHub. Empower developers to make better decisions.
Attackers have taken notice of the opportunity to attack organizations through open source dependencies. Supply chain attacks rose a whopping 700% in the past year, with over 15,000 recorded attacks.
Dec 14, 2023
Hijacked cryptocurrency library adds malware
Widely-used library in cryptocurrency frontend was compromised to include wallet-draining code, following the hijacking of NPM account credentials via phishing.
Jan 06, 2022
Maintainer intentionally adds malware
Rogue maintainer sabotages his own open source package with 100M downloads/month, notably breaking Amazon's AWS SDK.
Nov 15, 2021
npm discovers a platform vulnerability allowing unauthorized publishing of any package
Attackers could publish new versions of any npm package without authorization for multiple years.
Oct 22, 2021
Hijacked package adds cryptominers and password-stealing malware
Multiple packages with 30M downloads/month are hijacked and publish malicious versions directly into the software supply chain.
Nov 26, 2018
Package hijacked adding organization specific backdoors
Obfuscated malware added to a dependency which targeted a single company, went undetected for over a week, and made it into their production build.
Get our latest security research, open source insights, and product updates.
Research
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Socket researchers uncover the risks of a malicious Python package targeting Discord developers.
Security News
The UK is proposing a bold ban on ransomware payments by public entities to disrupt cybercrime, protect critical services, and lead global cybersecurity efforts.
Security News
Snyk's use of malicious npm packages for research raises ethical concerns, highlighting risks in public deployment, data exfiltration, and unauthorized testing.