Hackers Compromise 34 npm, PyPI, and Crates Packages in Major Supply Chain Attack

Hackers have launched a large-scale software supply chain attack targeting developers across npm, PyPI, and Crates.io, compromising at least 34 open-source packages and hundreds of associated versions.

Security researchers at Socket are tracking the campaign as “TrapDoor,” a crypto-focused credential stealer designed to infiltrate developer environments and exfiltrate sensitive data.

Cross-Ecosystem Supply Chain Attack

The TrapDoor campaign stands out due to its coordinated execution across three major package ecosystems. The attack began on May 22, 2026, with the upload of a malicious PyPI package named eth-security-auditor, followed by waves of similar packages published under multiple accounts.

Researchers identified over 384 malicious versions distributed across npm, PyPI, and Crates.io. These packages masquerade as legitimate developer utilities, including tools for blockchain development, AI workflows, and security auditing. Their naming strategy increases the likelihood of adoption by developers working in crypto, DeFi, and AI-related projects.

TrapDoor uses ecosystem-specific techniques to execute malicious code during normal development workflows:

• npm packages trigger payload execution via post-install scripts.
• PyPI packages execute remote JavaScript during import.
• Crates.io packages abuse Rust’s build.rs to run malicious code at compile time.

A shared payload, commonly known as trap-core.js, is deployed to npm packages. This script scans infected systems for sensitive data, validates stolen credentials, and establishes persistence mechanisms.

For example, when a developer installs a seemingly harmless package like wallet-security-checker, the post-install script silently executes, harvesting SSH keys and cloud credentials while embedding persistence hooks into the system.

Data Theft and Persistence

The malware is designed to steal a wide range of sensitive information:

• SSH keys and developer credentials
• AWS access keys and GitHub tokens
• Crypto wallet data (Solana, Sui, Aptos)
• Browser-stored login data and session information
• Environment variables and API keys

To maintain access, TrapDoor deploys multiple persistence techniques, including Git hooks, shell configurations, cron jobs, and systemd services. It can also attempt lateral movement using stolen SSH credentials, increasing the risk of broader infrastructure compromise.

A notable aspect of the campaign is its attempt to exploit AI-powered developer tools. The attackers inject hidden instructions into files such as .cursorrules and CLAUDE.md, which AI coding assistants use.

These instructions are designed to trick AI tools into executing malicious “security scans” that expose sensitive data. In some cases, attackers used invisible Unicode characters to conceal malicious directives, making detection more difficult.

Additionally, the threat actor attempted to insert these files into legitimate GitHub repositories via pull requests, disguising them as helpful development guidelines.

The campaign is linked to a GitHub account hosting payloads and configuration files via GitHub Pages. The same infrastructure was reused across all three ecosystems, helping researchers correlate the activity into a single coordinated operation.

The attacker also maintained repositories documenting malware design concepts, including credential harvesting, AI prompt injection, and persistence strategies, indicating a structured and evolving attack framework.

TrapDoor highlights a growing trend in supply chain attacks that target not just code dependencies, but the entire developer environment. By combining traditional techniques with AI-focused abuse, attackers are expanding their reach into modern development workflows.

Developers and organizations are advised to:

• Audit dependencies before installation
• Use tools that de
• tect malicious package behavior
• Monitor for unusual post-install or build-time activity
• Restrict access to sensitive credentials and rotate keys regularly

This campaign demonstrates how even low-download packages can pose significant risks when strategically designed to target high-value developer environments.

Key TrapDoor campaign packages

Ecosystem	Package name	Likely lure theme / description
npm	async-pipeline-builder	Generic async workflow / pipeline helper for projects
npm	build-scripts-utils	Build automation utilities for JavaScript/Node projects
npm	chain-key-validator	Blockchain / key validation helper for crypto projects
npm	crypto-credential-scanner	“Security” tool for scanning crypto-related credentials
npm	defi-env-auditor	DeFi environment audit / security checking utility
npm	defi-threat-scanner	Threat-scanning helper for DeFi developers
npm	deployment-key-auditor	Deployment key and credential auditing helper
npm	dev-env-bootstrapper	Environment bootstrap/setup tool for developers
npm	eth-wallet-sentinel	Ethereum wallet monitoring / safety helper
npm	llm-context-compressor	LLM / AI context size optimization helper
npm	mnemonic-safety-check	Seed phrase / mnemonic safety checker for wallets
npm	prompt-engineering-toolkit	Prompt engineering helper for AI and LLM workflows
npm	solidity-deploy-guard	Solidity deployment guard / security helper
npm	wallet-backup-verifier	Wallet backup verification / safety checking tool
npm	wallet-security-checker	General wallet “security check” helper
npm	web3-secrets-detector	Secret and key detector for Web3 projects
npm	workspace-config-loader	Workspace configuration loader for dev environments
PyPI	cryptowallet-safety	Python tool for crypto wallet safety checks
PyPI	data-pipeline-check	Data pipeline validation / QA helper
PyPI	defi-risk-scanner	DeFi risk analysis / scanning tool
PyPI	env-loader-cli	CLI for loading local environment variables
PyPI	eth-security-auditor	Ethereum project “security auditor” (first observed)
PyPI	git-config-sync	Git configuration sync helper for developers
PyPI	solidity-build-guard	Solidity build guard / security helper
Crates	move-analyzer-build	Move language build / analysis helper
Crates	move-compiler-tools	Compiler helper tools for Move language
Crates	move-project-builder	Project builder for Move-based projects
Crates	sui-framework-helpers	Helper tools for Sui framework developers
Crates	sui-move-build-helper	Build helper for Sui/Move projects
Crates	sui-sdk-build-utils	SDK build utilities for Sui ecosystem

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