MalwareUsed by 2 actors

npm-builders

For your environment

Hunt this family in your stack

Mallory pivots from this family to the IOCs, detections, and named campaigns that touch your stack, and pages you when something new lands.

Start free trial

THREAT ACTORS

Groups observed using it

2 distinct threat actors attributed by public researchers. Open in Mallory to see the full evidence chain and overlapping campaigns.

View more details

Lazarus

npm-builders version 1.0.8, an unobfuscated sample that cleanly represents the techniques used in the majority of the npm malware leveraged in Contagious Trader.

via kmseckmsec.uk

Contagious Interview

npm-builders version 1.0.8, an unobfuscated sample that cleanly represents the techniques used in the majority of the npm malware leveraged in Contagious Trader.

via kmseckmsec.uk

MITRE ATT&CK

Techniques & procedures

10 distinct techniques documented for this family, organized by ATT&CK tactic.

Initial Access

1 technique

T1195Supply Chain CompromiseEvidence1

The npm malware is fairly consistent across repositories ... The table below shows a variety of trading bot repositories and their malicious npm dependencies.

Execution

2 techniques

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1059Command and Scripting InterpreterEvidence1

On Windows, it uses wmic to enumerate local disks. On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. It also permits SSH (port 22) using ufw.

Persistence

3 techniques

T1037Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1098.004SSH Authorized KeysEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. It also permits SSH (port 22) using ufw.

Privilege Escalation

3 techniques

T1037Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1098.004SSH Authorized KeysEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. It also permits SSH (port 22) using ufw.

Stealth

1 technique

T1027Obfuscated Files or InformationEvidence1

The following other trading themed repositories implement similar encoded exfiltration endpoint implementations ... Base64-encoded exfiltration endpoint ... Some trading bots utilise a really neat method to exfiltrate data with some good misdirection to evade a cursory glance.

Discovery

2 techniques

T1082System Information DiscoveryEvidence1

npm malware capabilities Retrieves the victim’s IP using api.ipify[.]org ... On Windows, it uses wmic to enumerate local disks.

T1083File and Directory DiscoveryEvidence1

Scans the victim’s filesystem using a dynamic pattern retrieved from the exfiltration server ... Here is the scan patterns response: { "scanPatterns" :[ ".env" , ".bash_history" , "ConsoleHost_history.txt" ]}

Command and Control

1 technique

T1105Ingress Tool TransferEvidence1

The SSH key is retrieved dynamically from the exfiltration server ... Path Purpose / (root) Returns the actor’s SSH key to be added /api/scan-patterns Scan patterns for enumerating files to steal /api/block-patterns Blocklist of patterns when enumerating files.

Exfiltration

1 technique

T1567Exfiltration Over Web ServiceEvidence1

The infection vector can vary: Direct exfiltration to HTTP endpoint ... Direct exfiltration to an actor-controlled database ... The Base64-encoded content is http://65.109.25[.]6:6000/api/polymarket-copytrading-bot-api-key/validate.

INDICATORS OF COMPROMISE

IOCs tracked for this family

2 indicators attributed across vendor reports, sandbox runs, and researcher write-ups. Full values are available in Mallory.

View more in app

Network

1 tracked

IPs, domains, and DNS infrastructure linked to this family.

Other

1 tracked

Other indicator types observed in public reporting.

TypeValueLatest sighting

domain●●●●●●●●●●●●View more in app5 months ago

uri●●●●●●●●●●●●View more in app5 months ago

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

1 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

1 SOURCESView more in app

kmsecNews

Mar 17, 2026

Contagious Trader campaign - Coordinated weaponisation of cryptocurrency trading bots by suspected DPRK malware operators | kmsec.uk

Malicious npm package used in the Contagious Trader campaign. It retrieves the victim IP, scans the filesystem for sensitive files using server-provided patterns, uploads files to an exfiltration server, enumerates disks on Windows, and on Linux appends an SSH public key to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys and opens port 22 via ufw to create persistence/backdoor access.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets match these IOCs, which detections are missing, which campaigns to expect next, and what to do in the next 30 minutes.

Start free trial

IOC matching2

Match every observed IP, domain, and hash against your live telemetry.

Threat actor attribution2

Named campaigns wielding this family, with evidence pinned to each claim.

Exploited vulnerabilities

CVEs this family uses for access and lateral movement.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

MITRE ATT&CK mapping10

Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.

Researcher chatter

Reddit, Mastodon, and CTI community discussion around this family.

Back to malware

MalwareUsed by 2 actors

npm-builders

For your environment

Hunt this family in your stack

Mallory pivots from this family to the IOCs, detections, and named campaigns that touch your stack, and pages you when something new lands.

Start free trial

THREAT ACTORS

Groups observed using it

2 distinct threat actors attributed by public researchers. Open in Mallory to see the full evidence chain and overlapping campaigns.

View more details

Lazarus

npm-builders version 1.0.8, an unobfuscated sample that cleanly represents the techniques used in the majority of the npm malware leveraged in Contagious Trader.

via kmseckmsec.uk

Contagious Interview

npm-builders version 1.0.8, an unobfuscated sample that cleanly represents the techniques used in the majority of the npm malware leveraged in Contagious Trader.

via kmseckmsec.uk

MITRE ATT&CK

Techniques & procedures

10 distinct techniques documented for this family, organized by ATT&CK tactic.

Initial Access

1 technique

T1195Supply Chain CompromiseEvidence1

The npm malware is fairly consistent across repositories ... The table below shows a variety of trading bot repositories and their malicious npm dependencies.

Execution

2 techniques

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1059Command and Scripting InterpreterEvidence1

Persistence

3 techniques

T1037Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1098.004SSH Authorized KeysEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. It also permits SSH (port 22) using ufw.

Privilege Escalation

3 techniques

T1037Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.

T1053Scheduled Task/JobEvidence1

The infection chain is invoked by a postinstall script that executes /test.js , which invokes the malicious from_str() function.

T1098.004SSH Authorized KeysEvidence1

On Linux systems, it creates a backdoor by appending an SSH public key to the user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. It also permits SSH (port 22) using ufw.

Stealth

1 technique

T1027Obfuscated Files or InformationEvidence1

Discovery

2 techniques

T1082System Information DiscoveryEvidence1

npm malware capabilities Retrieves the victim’s IP using api.ipify[.]org ... On Windows, it uses wmic to enumerate local disks.

T1083File and Directory DiscoveryEvidence1

Command and Control

1 technique

T1105Ingress Tool TransferEvidence1

Exfiltration

1 technique

T1567Exfiltration Over Web ServiceEvidence1

INDICATORS OF COMPROMISE

IOCs tracked for this family

2 indicators attributed across vendor reports, sandbox runs, and researcher write-ups. Full values are available in Mallory.

View more in app

Network

1 tracked

IPs, domains, and DNS infrastructure linked to this family.

Other

1 tracked

Other indicator types observed in public reporting.

TypeValueLatest sighting

domain●●●●●●●●●●●●View more in app5 months ago

uri●●●●●●●●●●●●View more in app5 months ago

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

1 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

1 SOURCESView more in app

kmsecNews

Mar 17, 2026

Contagious Trader campaign - Coordinated weaponisation of cryptocurrency trading bots by suspected DPRK malware operators | kmsec.uk

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

Start free trial

IOC matching2

Match every observed IP, domain, and hash against your live telemetry.

Threat actor attribution2

Named campaigns wielding this family, with evidence pinned to each claim.

Exploited vulnerabilities

CVEs this family uses for access and lateral movement.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

MITRE ATT&CK mapping10

Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.

Researcher chatter

Reddit, Mastodon, and CTI community discussion around this family.