JavaScript
Hackers can bypass npm’s Shai-Hulud defenses via Git dependencies
The defense mechanisms that NPM introduced after the ‘Shai-Hulud’ supply-chain attacks have weaknesses that allow threat actors to bypass them via Git dependencies. Collectively called PackageGate, the vulnerabilities were discovered in multiple utilities in the JavaScript ecosystem that allow managing dependencies, like pnpm, vlt, Bun, and NPM. Researchers at endpoint and supply-chain security company Koi discovered the issues and reported […]
New ErrTraffic service enables ClickFix attacks via fake browser glitches
A new cybercrime tool called ErrTraffic allows threat actors to automate ClickFix attacks by generating ‘fake glitches’ on compromised websites to lure users into downloading payloads or following malicious instructions. The platform promises conversion rates as high as 60% and can determine the target system to deliver compatible payloads. ClickFix is a social engineering technique where targets […]
Popular Forge library gets fix for signature verification bypass flaw
A vulnerability in the ‘node-forge’ package, a popular JavaScript cryptography library, could be exploited to bypass signature verifications by crafting data that appears valid. The flaw is tracked as CVE-2025-12816 and received a high severity rating. It arises from the library’s ASN.1 validation mechanism, which allows malformed data to pass checks even when it is cryptographically invalid. […]
Popular JavaScript library expr-eval vulnerable to RCE flaw
A critical vulnerability in the popular expr-eval JavaScript library, with over 800,000 weekly downloads on NPM, can be exploited to execute code remotely through maliciously crafted input. The security issue was discovered by security researcher Jangwoo Choe and is tracked as CVE-2025-12735. According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the severity rating is critical, with a […]
NPM package caught using QR Code to fetch cookie-stealing malware
Newly discovered npm package ‘fezbox’ employs QR codes to retrieve cookie-stealing malware from the threat actor’s server. The package, masquerading as a utility library, leverages this innovative steganographic technique to harvest sensitive data, such as user credentials, from a compromised machine. QR codes find yet another use case While 2D barcodes like QR codes have conventionally been designed […]
Popular npm linter packages hijacked via phishing to drop malware
Popular JavaScript libraries were hijacked this week and turned into malware droppers, in a supply chain attack achieved via targeted phishing and credential theft. The npm package eslint-config-prettier, downloaded over 30 million times weekly, was compromised after its maintainer fell victim to a phishing attack. Other packages, namely eslint-plugin-prettier, synckit, @pkgr/core, and napi-postinstall from the same maintainer, were also targeted. The attacker(s) used stolen […]
North Korean XORIndex malware hidden in 67 malicious npm packages
North Korean threat actors planted 67 malicious packages in the Node Package Manager (npm) online repository to deliver a new malware loader called XORIndex to developer systems. The packages collectively count more than 17,000 downloads and were discovered by researchers at package security platform Socket, who assess them to be part of the continued Contagious Interview operation. Socket researchers […]
Windows 11 now uses JScript9Legacy engine for improved security
Microsoft announced that it has replaced the default scripting engine JScript with the newer and more secure JScript9Legacy on Windows 11 version 24H2 and later. The decision is driven by security concerns, as JScript9Legacy is expected to offer better protection against web threats, such as cross-site scripting (XSS), and also improved performance. “To provide a more […]
Dozens of malicious packages on NPM collect host and network data
60 packages have been discovered in the NPM index that attempt to collect sensitive host and network data and send it to a Discord webhook controlled by the threat actor. According to Socket’s Threat Research team, the packages were uploaded to the NPM repository starting May 12 from three publisher accounts. Each of the malicious packages contains […]
Phishing kits now vet victims in real-time before stealing credentials
Phishing actors are employing a new evasion tactic called ‘Precision-Validated Phishing’ that only shows fake login forms when a user enters an email address that the threat actors specifically targeted. Unlike traditional mass-targeting phishing, this new method uses real-time email validation to ensure phishing content is shown only to pre-verified, high-value targets. Although not overly […]