I found a sneaky npm package that’s pretending to be the well-known cookie-parser. It’s called express-cookie-parser and it’s pretty clever. Unlike most malicious packages that do bad stuff when you install them, this one acts normal at first. It even works just like the real cookie-parser.
The tricky part is that it only does its bad stuff when your app actually uses it. Here’s what it does:
Makes weird domain names using some fancy math (SHA256 hash)
Tries to delete itself after running
Downloads a file called startup.js from somewhere shady
Puts that file in your Chrome user data folder
Runs the file using Node
Has anyone else seen this? It’s kinda scary how it flies under the radar at first. Makes me wonder what other packages might be doing stuff like this.
I’ve actually encountered something similar with a different package recently. It’s alarming how sophisticated these malicious modules are becoming. In my case, it was masquerading as a popular date formatting library.
What I’ve started doing since then is thoroughly vetting any new dependencies before adding them to projects. I check the download stats, look at the GitHub repo (if available), and even skim through the source code for anything suspicious.
For larger projects, I’ve also started using tools like Snyk to automatically scan dependencies for known vulnerabilities. It’s not foolproof, but it adds an extra layer of security.
Your experience with express-cookie-parser is a sobering reminder of why we need to stay vigilant. Thanks for sharing this - it’s crucial that we keep each other informed about these threats in the npm ecosystem.
Yikes, that’s scary stuff! i’ve been using npm for years and never thought about checking for fake packages. guess we gotta be more careful these days. Thanks for the heads up, gonna double check all my dependencies now. maybe time to look into those security scanning tools everyone’s talking about?
This is indeed concerning. I’ve seen similar tactics employed by malicious actors, but the delayed activation is particularly insidious. It highlights the importance of thorough code review, even for seemingly innocuous dependencies.
One approach I find effective is combining static analysis tools with runtime monitoring. Tools like ESLint configured with security plugins can catch potential red flags, while monitoring network activity and filesystem changes during development helps detect anomalous behavior.
Additionally, using a private npm registry or caching service provides more control over which versions of packages are being used and allows for extra security screening. Staying vigilant and sharing such findings is essential to maintain a secure development environment.