Security researchers have issued an alert over a campaign using GitHub repositories to distribute malware, with users lured in by fake projects.
Analysis from Kaspersky warned the unknown threat actors behind the campaign, which it dubbed ‘GitVenom’, had created over 200 repositories with various projects containing malicious code.
These fake projects included Telegram bots, video game hacking tools, Instagram automation utilities, and Bitcoin wallet managers covering a wide range of programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, C, C#, and C++.
The campaign uses a number of techniques to make itself appear legitimate, such as adding multiple tags to their repositories, displaying they have tens of thousands of commits, and ‘well-designed’ README files giving developers instruction on how to work with the code.
But the report noted that the features described in the README files never actually corresponded to the actual code in the project.
“[I]n reality, the code doesn’t do half of what it claims. But ‘thanks’ to [the README], victims end up downloading malicious components,” the firm said.
These malicious components include a Node.js stealer that collects credentials, crypto wallet data, and browser data and then packages the stolen information into a 7zip archive before sending it back to the attackers via Telegram.
The malware also included Quasar, an open source backdoor; AsyncRAT, an open source RAT that also functions as a keylogger; as well as a clipper that replaces any crypto wallet address in the target environment’s clipboard and replaces it with an attacker-controlled address.
According to the report, the group was able to divert almost $500,000 worth of Bitcoin to one of their addresses in November 2024 using this method.
Kaspersky added that the tens of thousands of commits were not, of course, the result of the threat actors manually updating each of the 200 repositories to maintain their authenticity, but by using timestamp files that updated every few minutes.
“The combination of detailed documentation and numerous commits creates the illusion that the code is genuine and safe to use,” it explained.
The GitHub campaign has been active for some time
Looking at the age of the oldest fake repository linked to the campaign, Kaspersky estimated that the campaign has been going on for around two years and has impacted developers in Brazil, Russia, and Turkey.
It noted the longevity of the campaign, stating that it was surprising that GitVenom has been able to persist for as long as it has.
Kaspersky advised that due to GitHub’s popularity, with over 100 million developers using the platform, it will remain a popular target for malicious actors.
With this in mind, users should remain highly vigilant when using the platform. Developers should always analyze the code they are thinking of integrating into their existing projects and use malware protection on both their computer and smartphone.
The report also advised to check less obvious indicators, such as the contribute accounts, number of stars, and the project creation date, although this is not a sure fire sign of authenticity as previous campaigns have manipulated GitHub’s star system to boost their malicious projects.
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