Malicious Python packages are stealing vital data, and have been downloaded thousands of times already

• Researchers found three malicious PyPI packages, two targeting bitcoin developers, and one WooCommerce stores
• Two are designed to steal data, and the third to test for valid credit cards
• All three have since been removed from the repository

Multiple open source software packages on the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository were found to be malicious, likely compromising thousands of devices, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers at ReversingLabs found two malicious packages, “bitcoinlibdbfix” and “bitcoinlib-dev”, which cumulatively have around 2,000 downloads.

They claim to be a fix for a legitimate Python module named “bitcoinlib”, which contains features for creating and managing cryptocurrency wallets.

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WooCommerce stores also under attack

Recently, the community discussed an issue related to how the package generates error messages.

The crooks saw this as an opportunity, created the two malicious packages and jumped into the conversation in an attempt to distribute them. It doesn’t seem to have worked: “The malicious content of that library was detected by the package contributors and the comments were deleted,” ReversingLabs said.

Both libraries attempted a similar attack, the researchers further explained. The idea was to overwrite the legitimate ‘clw cli’ command with malicious code, exfiltrating sensitive database files.

At the same time, researchers from Socket found a third package, which doesn’t target bitcoin developers, but rather WooCommerce stores. Furthermore, this package doesn’t even try to hide its true intentions, and instead is “openly malicious”. Despite being obvious malware, it still managed to rake in 37,217 downloads.

The malware is called “disgrasya” and works as a fully automated carding script. "The malicious payload was introduced in version 7.36.9, and all subsequent versions carried the same embedded attack logic," Socket said.

Carding is a type of cybercrime where stolen credit card information is used to make unauthorized purchases or test if the card is still active. Since criminals often buy these card details from the dark web, whoever built and distributed disgrasya could have profited greatly from it.

Via The Hacker News

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