Threat Actors Use Open-Source Software Supply Chain TTP to Target Banking Sector

First ever known cybersecurity attack involving open-source software (OSS) was discovered by researchers at Checkmarx, a US-based application security solutions company. The OSS supply chain attacks identified in the first half of 2023, specifically targeted the banking sector.

Open-source software supply chain Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) is an attack vector where the attacker infiltrates the target’s network system by exploiting the open-source software components.

The first incident is said to have occurred on the 5th & 7th of April, when the attacker uploaded a package to the NPM registry. This package came with a preinstall script that executed the infection upon installation.

Before initiating the attack, the script identified the target’s operating system (Windows, Linux, or MacOS) and decoded the relevant encrypted files in the NPM package. Next, it proceeded to download a second-stage malware using Microsoft Azure’s CDN subdomain that incorporated the name of the targeted bank. To avoid detection and bypass traditional deny list methods, Azure was utilized.

Havoc, an advanced post-exploitation command and control framework was used by the attacker in the second stage as it’s known to easily bypass security tools, like Windows Defender. ‘’Havoc’s ability [..] makes it a go-to option for threat actors, replacing legitimate toolkits such as Cobalt Strike, Sliver, and Brute Ratel.’’

Checkmarx also noted that the contributor behind the malicious packages was linked to a LinkedIn page of an individual impersonating as an employee of the targeted bank.

In another unrelated attack (February 2023) a different bank was targeted where the attackers uploaded a package to NPM registry which deployed a cleverly crafted code that latched ‘’onto a specific login form element, stealthily intercepting login data and then transmitting it to a remote location.’’ The primary target of this attack was discovered to be the target bank’s mobile login page.

The researchers stated that once they notified the concerned institutions of the open-source malwares, immediate actions ensued to remove the malicious packages. However, they expect such attacks against the banking sector’s software supply chain to continue.

They further argued that the current ‘’vulnerability scanning at the build level’’ is no longer effective and it is essential that organizations ‘’adopt a proactive, integrated security architecture, incorporating protective measures at every stage of the SDLC.’’