Hackers hijack 42 GitHub repositories, setting malware traps for Claude, Gemini and Cursor users
Hackers Hijack 42 GitHub Repositories to Plant Malware Traps for Claude, Gemini, and Cursor Users
Hackers hijacked 42 real GitHub repositories and planted malware that triggers when developers open the projects with Claude, Gemini, Cursor or VS Code. The JFrog security research team found the repositories while tracking an npm worm named testmetest; SafeDep first described the npm side on October 22 and reported no confirmed victims. The hidden code is in .github/init.js, ranging from 12.9 to 13.7 MB; GitHub code search does not index such large files, and each tool's settings file invokes the script at session start or when a folder is opened. The payload is a rebuilt version of the ci.js CI publisher, intended to turn stolen GitHub and npm access into new malicious npm releases; the repositories belong to 11 legitimate owners (including individual developers, students and one company), and the attackers also forged commit history.
The attack hides a 12.9 to 13.7 MB payload in files GitHub search cannot index; the article includes an IoC list and a remediation order of clearing persistence before revoking tokens.