CVE-2019-19771 in lodahs
Summary
by MITRE
The lodahs package 0.0.1 for Node.js is a Trojan horse, and may have been installed by persons who mistyped the lodash package name. In particular, the Trojan horse finds and exfiltrates cryptocurrency wallets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2024
The lodahs package represents a sophisticated supply chain attack that exploited user error and package name similarity to distribute malicious code targeting cryptocurrency assets. This vulnerability demonstrates how attackers can leverage the trust inherent in the npm package ecosystem to deliver trojan horses that appear legitimate to unsuspecting developers. The package was designed to masquerade as the legitimate lodash package, which is widely used in Node.js applications, creating an opportunity for accidental installation when developers mistyped the package name during installation commands. The attack vector specifically targets the npm package manager ecosystem where developers frequently install dependencies using commands like npm install lodash, but inadvertently install the malicious lodahs package due to typographical errors or confusion between similar package names.
The technical implementation of this trojan horse involves code that actively searches for cryptocurrency wallet files and exfiltrates their contents to remote servers controlled by the attackers. This malicious behavior operates at the application level within Node.js environments, where the package executes during normal package installation and runtime operations. The trojan specifically targets wallet files and cryptocurrency-related data that might be present in the system where the package is installed, potentially including wallet files stored in user directories or application-specific data folders. The package demonstrates sophisticated evasion techniques by maintaining a low profile during normal operations while actively seeking out and exfiltrating sensitive cryptocurrency data when the system is in use. This approach aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework where attackers focus on specific data targets rather than broad system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate cryptocurrency theft to represent a significant threat to software supply chain security and developer trust in package management systems. Organizations using Node.js applications that inadvertently installed this package face potential financial losses from compromised cryptocurrency wallets, while the broader ecosystem suffers from increased security risks due to the trust model that npm relies upon. The vulnerability highlights how attackers can exploit the common practice of package name similarity and user typing errors to gain access to systems where they might otherwise be blocked by security controls. This attack pattern represents a specific type of supply chain compromise that can affect thousands of applications if developers accidentally install the malicious package through legitimate package management workflows.
Organizations should implement comprehensive package management security controls including npm audit integration, package signature verification, and regular dependency scanning to prevent accidental installation of malicious packages. The vulnerability demonstrates the need for enhanced developer security awareness training focused on package name verification and the importance of checking package metadata before installation. Security teams should establish automated monitoring for suspicious package installations and implement network-level controls to detect exfiltration attempts from compromised systems. This incident underscores the importance of implementing software composition analysis tools that can identify potentially malicious packages and maintain up-to-date inventories of all installed dependencies. The attack pattern aligns with common attack techniques documented in the attack tree framework where attackers exploit human factors and system trust models to achieve their objectives. Organizations must also consider implementing package manager security policies that restrict installation of packages from untrusted sources and establish verification procedures for all third-party dependencies.
This vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-494, which describes the risk of downloading code from a remote source without integrity checking, and demonstrates how attackers can exploit the trust placed in package repositories and developer workflows. The trojan horse behavior aligns with ATT&CK techniques for persistence and credential access, as it seeks to maintain access to cryptocurrency wallets and exfiltrate sensitive data through legitimate system access patterns. The incident exemplifies how supply chain attacks can bypass traditional security controls by leveraging the inherent trust relationships within software ecosystems, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent without specialized security measures.