Malware campaigns abuse developer ecosystems via malicious npm packages and GitHub repositories

Security researchers reported multiple software supply chain-style malware distribution efforts abusing developer-adjacent platforms. JFrog detailed a malicious npm package, @openclaw-ai/openclawai, masquerading as an OpenClaw CLI installer; once executed, it uses a postinstall hook to reinstall globally and drop an obfuscated first-stage (setup.js) that deploys a multi-stage payload internally identified as GhostLoader (campaign tracked as GhostClaw). The malware is designed to persist and exfiltrate a broad set of sensitive data from developer workstations, including credentials (e.g., cloud config artifacts for AWS/GCP/Azure), macOS Keychain data, browser sessions, SSH keys, and cryptocurrency wallet/seed material.

Separately, Trend Micro reported a large-scale distribution operation for the BoryptGrab information stealer via 100+ public GitHub repositories that pose as legitimate tools and game cheats. The campaign uses SEO manipulation (keyword-stuffed READMEs and lookalike download pages) to drive victims from search results into redirect chains that ultimately deliver ZIP archives containing the stealer; some variants also deploy a PyInstaller backdoor (TunnesshClient) that establishes a reverse SSH tunnel for attacker communications. Reported indicators (e.g., Russian-language comments and related infrastructure) suggest a possible Russian nexus, and the observed targeting focuses on harvesting browser data, crypto wallets, system information, and user files.