Malware & Threats

First Shai-Hulud Worm Clones Emerge

At least one threat actor has adopted the recently released malware source code in attacks against NPM developers.

Ionut Arghire

Published

May 18, 2026

Malware

The first Shai-Hulud worm clones emerged only days after TeamPCP released the malware’s source code on GitHub, Ox Security reports.

Shai-Hulud was first used in supply chain attacks against the open source software ecosystem in September 2025, and then again in November, in campaigns that hit hundreds of NPM packages and likely infected thousands of developers.

The malware was designed to steal credentials, API keys, tokens, and other secrets from the infected machines and use them for self-propagation by injecting itself into the packages maintained by the victims and publishing malicious versions on their behalf.

It re-emerged in April, in supply chain attacks attributed to the TeamPCP hacking group, which mounted several campaigns against the open source software community since March, including the Trivy, Bitwarden, Checkmarx, SAP, and TanStack incidents.

Last week, several repositories containing the Shai-Hulud worm’s source code briefly appeared on GitHub, accompanied by an announcement from TeamPCP and BreachForums that encouraged miscreants to use the code in a supply chain challenge.

Security researchers promptly warned of a surge in activity associated with the malware following the source code’s release, and cybercriminals were quick to adapt the worm and start using it in fresh attacks.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

According to Ox Security, a threat actor published four NPM packages containing infostealer malware, including one that contains the Shai-Hulud code.

Dubbed ‘chalk-tempalte’, the package is a direct clone of the worm, does not use obfuscation, and implements its own command-and-control (C&C) server and private key.

“By analyzing the malware’s source code, the same patterns from previous Shai-Hulud attacks are immediately recognizable, as expected. This includes uploading stolen credentials to a new GitHub repository,” Ox says.

The other three packages published by the threat actor, all using typo-squatting to infect Axios users, are different from Shai-Hulud, and one of them ensnares the infected machines into a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) botnet.

The four packages, ‘@deadcode09284814/axios-util’, ‘axois-utils’, ‘chalk-tempalte’, and ‘color-style-utils’, have a combined weekly download count of over 2,600.

“We’re now seeing a single actor with multiple techniques and infostealer types spreading malicious code onto NPM, as it’s just the first phase of an upcoming wave of supply chain attacks coming,” Ox warns.

In this article:malware, Shai-Hulud, source code, worm

Malware & Threats

Banking Trojans Manic, Grandoreiro, ToxicPanda 2.0 in the Spotlight

The spyware-equipped Manic, a persistent Grandoreiro campaign in Latin America and Europe, and an expanded ToxicPanda 2.0 malware.

Eduard Kovacs18 hours ago

Malware & Threats

AmnesiaStealer macOS Malware Steals Data, Controls Browser Sessions

The Rust-based macOS infostealer harvests users’ passwords, keychain information, Chromium-based browser data, and Safari cookies.

Ionut ArghireAugust 14, 2026

Malware & Threats

Over 400 NPM Packages Infected in ChainDrop Supply Chain Attack

The malware was designed to steal and exfiltrate secrets, and to propagate itself via stolen NPM and GitHub credentials.

Ionut ArghireAugust 5, 2026

Malware & Threats

MedusaHVNC Malware Uses Hidden Windows Desktops to Evade Detection

The malware-as-a-service operation launches legitimate browsers on an invisible desktop, giving attackers persistent and covert remote access to compromised Windows systems.

Kevin TownsendJuly 27, 2026