Malicious Discord Package Found on PyPI: A Wake-Up Call for Developers

Cybersecurity researchers have recently uncovered a malicious package on the Python Package Index (PyPI) that masquerades as a harmless utility for Discord developers. The package, named , has been downloaded over 11,500 times and contains a remote access trojan (RAT) that poses significant risks to users' systems.

Key Takeaways

• A malicious package named discordpydebug was found on PyPI.

• The package has been downloaded 11,574 times since its upload on March 21, 2022.

• It includes a remote access trojan capable of executing commands and exfiltrating data.

• The discovery highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in software supply chains.

The Discovery of

The package was uploaded to PyPI on March 21, 2022, and has not been updated since. Initially appearing to be a simple utility for developers working with Discord bots, it was later revealed to contain a fully functional remote access trojan. This RAT can communicate with an external server, allowing it to execute commands and manipulate files on the infected system.

How the Malware Operates

Once installed, the package connects to an external server, specifically . The RAT is designed to:

• Read and write arbitrary files based on commands received from the server.

• Execute shell commands, enabling it to perform various malicious activities.

• Exfiltrate sensitive data, including configuration files, tokens, and user credentials.

The simplicity of the malware is concerning. It does not include mechanisms for persistence or privilege escalation, making it less detectable. Its use of outbound HTTP polling allows it to bypass many firewalls and security monitoring tools, particularly in less secure development environments.

Broader Implications for Software Supply Chain Security

This incident is part of a larger trend where malicious packages are infiltrating software repositories. Researchers have identified over 45 npm packages that also pose as legitimate libraries, indicating a coordinated effort by threat actors to exploit developers' trust in open-source ecosystems. Some notable examples include:

• beautifulsoup4: A typosquat of the BeautifulSoup4 Python library.

• apache-httpclient: A typosquat of the Apache HttpClient Java library.

• opentk: A typosquat of the OpenTK .NET library.

• seaborn: A typosquat of the Seaborn Python library.

All these packages share similar infrastructure and obfuscated payloads, pointing to a single threat actor behind the campaign. The malicious code is designed to bypass security measures, execute harmful scripts, and maintain persistence on affected systems.

The discovery of the package serves as a critical reminder for developers to exercise caution when downloading and installing packages from open-source repositories. As the software supply chain continues to be a target for cybercriminals, it is essential for developers to remain vigilant and implement robust security practices to protect their systems and sensitive data.

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Sources

• Researchers Uncover Malware in Fake Discord PyPI Package Downloaded 11,500+ Times, The Hacker News.