Malicious npm cluster posing as AI SDKs harvests AWS credentials, dating back to October
cyb3rops · x · 2026-11-02
Nextron Research traced a cluster of malicious npm packages disguised as CSS utilities and AI SDKs (e.g. character-ai-sdk, mocha-ui-themes) back to October 25; most are removed but mocha-ui-themes remains live.
- Packages share obfuscated payloads and identical cross-platform VM-detection binaries
- Observed behaviors: credential harvesting, AWS/Bedrock and invoice reconnaissance, cron/SSH-key persistence, curl PATH-shimming; local endpoint 127.0.0.1:8873 may be a relay/controller
- @oliverojsec found a worm payload with crypto dead drops in persona-ai-sdk, plus astroturfed mentions across X and YouTube
- Recommendation: block the domain cdn.node-js[.]dev
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