Alert 3 PyPI Packages Target Linux with Crypto Miners

Python developers, beware! Three sneaky packages on PyPI – modularseven, driftme, and catme – are mining cryptocurrency under your unsuspecting nose. Downloaded over 400 times before being yanked, these imposters deployed CoinMiner malware on Linux devices.

But these aren't your average malware cousins. They cloak their malicious code like ninjas, hiding it in stages hosted on remote servers. First, they trigger a script ("unmi.sh") that grabs a mining configuration file and the CoinMiner itself from GitLab. Then, boom – the ELF binary file starts mining in the background, surviving even if you close the session.

Sound familiar? These shady cats borrow tricks from their "culturestreak" predecessor, using the same domain for the config file and public GitLab for the mining payload. But with one sneaky twist: they add an extra stage, burying their bad intentions deeper in the shell script to slip past security scanners.

And they don't stop there. These crypto-miners slither into your ~/.bashrc file, ensuring they lurk even after a reboot, silently siphoning away your processing power for the attacker's gain.

So, what can you do? Watch out for suspicious package names and be wary of downloading anything unfamiliar. Stick to established authors and always check package reviews before diving in. Remember, even cute names like "catme" can hide nasty claws.

Stay vigilant, Python peeps, and keep your systems mining for productivity, not for someone else's crypto riches!