peacenotwar
| peacenotwar | |
|---|---|
| Type | Malware |
| Subtype | JavaScript Payload |
| Authors | Brandon Nozaki Miller |
| Technical details | |
| Written in | JavaScript |
peacenotwar is a piece of malware/Protestware[1] created by Brandon Nozaki Miller. In March 2022, it was added as a dependency in an update for node-ipc, a common JavaScript dependency.
Background
Between 7 March and 8 March 2022, Brandon Nozaki Miller, the maintainer of the node-ipc package on the npm package registry, released two updates containing malicious code targeting systems in Russia and Belarus (CVE-2022-23812).[2][3] A week later, Miller added the peacenotwar module as a dependency to node-ipc.[4] The function of peacenotwar was to create a text file titled WITH-LOVE-FROM-AMERICA.txt on the desktop of affected machines, containing a message in protest of the Russo-Ukrainian War; it also imports a dependency on a package (nmp colors package) that would result in a Denial of Service (DoS) to any server using it.[5][6]
Impact
Because node-ipc was a common software dependency, it compromised several other projects which relied upon it.[7]
Among the affected projects was Vue.js, which required node-ipc as a dependency but didn't specify a version. Some users of Vue.js were affected if the dependency was fetched from specific packages. Unity Hub 3.1 was also affected, but a patch was issued on the same day as the release.[8][9]
See also
References
- ^ "Open source 'protestware' harms Open Source - Voices of Open Source". 24 March 2022.
- ^ Juha Saarinen (17 March 2022). "'Protestware' npm package dependency labelled supply-chain attack". IT News. nextmedia.
- ^ "Open Source Maintainer Sabotages Code to Wipe Russian, Belarusian Computers". Vice News. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
- ^ Proven, Liam (18 March 2022). "JavaScript library updated to wipe files from Russian computers". The Register. Situation Publishing. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
- ^ "Alert: Peacenotwar module sabotages NPM developers in the node-ipc package to protest the invasion of Ukraine | Snyk". 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Open source maintainer pulls the plug on NPM packages colors and faker, now what? | Snyk". 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Node-ipc-dependencies-list". GitHub. 19 March 2022.
- ^ "BIG sabotage: Famous npm package deletes files to protest Ukraine war". Bleeping Computer. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ Tal, Liran (16 March 2022). "Alert: peacenotwar module sabotages npm developers in the node-ipc package to protest the invasion of Ukraine". Snyk.
