Veracode researchers discovered a sophisticated obfuscation attack on the npm repository, initiated through an innocent postinstall script. Their investigation revealed a series of deceptive scripts, starting with Unicode obfuscated variables in Japanese. This first script created and executed a second hidden script, which then contacted a remote server to download further concealed malicious code. This multi-layered approach highlights significant vulnerabilities within open-source packages and the need for enhanced security vigilance in developer practices.
"What started as an investigation into a fascinating Unicode obfuscation technique unraveled into one of the deepest and most complex attack chains we have seen."
"The attack's starting point - a standard postinstall script - meant the trap was sprung the moment a developer innocently typed npm install."
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