Here’s why popular code libraries are flooded with Roblox, Fortnite spam right now
PyPI, NuGet and npm filled with hundreds of junk packages
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Open sourcecode repositories PyPI, NuGet and npm have been polluted with a flood of junk packages relating to popular online games like Roblox andFortnite, recent analysis shows.
As explained in areportfromcybersecurityfirm Sonatype, the junk packages do not contain malicious code. Instead, their associated README files direct visitors towards spam domains that claim to offer free in-game currency and custom skins.
These fraudulent domains are set up to harvest the personal information and account credentials of anyone who interacts with them.
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Large-scale spam campaigns
As Sonatype notes, it is not uncommon for open source repositories to be abused as part of spam campaigns, because the low barrier to entry for submission creates the ideal conditions for cybercriminals.
However, the specific objective of these campaigns is less clear. The best guess among security researchers so far is that the spam packages are designed to boost theSEOperformance of the malicious domains.
“One theory is, these spam campaigns are a ploy to improve theSEOfor their spammy domains,” explained Ax Sharma, Security Researcher at Sonatype, in an email exchange withTechRadar Pro. “When someone searches for ‘free Roblox Robux’, the open source repository’s reputation and search index ranking lends credence to the attacker’s links, which may now shine through the search results.”
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Although all affected repositories told Sonatype they have mechanisms in place to prevent these outlinks conferring an SEO advantage, their presence on the platforms may nonetheless improve theirsearch engine rankingsto some extent.
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Sharma suggests the latest campaigns are particularly noteworthy for their focus on video games, especially those frequented by younger players. In addition to Fortnite and Roblox spam, Sonatype has recently identified multiple campaigns targeting users of Discord, amessaging platformpopular among gamers.
One possibility is that cybercriminals have settled on younger gamers as an easy mark, because they are equipped with neither the skills to identify online scams nor the funds to pay for in-game microtransactions via legitimate routes.
Joel Khalili is the News and Features Editor at TechRadar Pro, covering cybersecurity, data privacy, cloud, AI, blockchain, internet infrastructure, 5G, data storage and computing. He’s responsible for curating our news content, as well as commissioning and producing features on the technologies that are transforming the way the world does business.
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