• Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
MUST READ

Law enforcement operations seized BlackSuit ransomware gang’s darknet sites

 | 

Arizona woman sentenced for aiding North Korea in U.S. IT job fraud scheme

 | 

Operation CargoTalon targets Russia’s aerospace with EAGLET malware,

 | 

Unpatched flaw in EoL LG LNV5110R cameras lets hackers gain Admin access

 | 

Koske, a new AI-Generated Linux malware appears in the threat landscape

 | 

Mitel patches critical MiVoice MX-ONE Auth bypass flaw

 | 

Coyote malware is first-ever malware abusing Windows UI Automation

 | 

SonicWall fixed critical flaw in SMA 100 devices exploited in Overstep malware attacks

 | 

DSPM & AI Are Booming: $17.87B and $4.8T Markets by 2033

 | 

Stealth backdoor found in WordPress mu-Plugins folder

 | 

U.S. CISA adds CrushFTP, Google Chromium, and SysAid flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

U.S. CISA urges FCEB agencies to fix two Microsoft SharePoint flaws immediately and added them to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

Sophos fixed two critical Sophos Firewall vulnerabilities

 | 

French Authorities confirm XSS.is admin arrested in Ukraine

 | 

Microsoft linked attacks on SharePoint flaws to China-nexus actors

 | 

Cisco confirms active exploitation of ISE and ISE-PIC flaws

 | 

SharePoint under fire: new ToolShell attacks target enterprises

 | 

CrushFTP zero-day actively exploited at least since July 18

 | 

Hardcoded credentials found in HPE Aruba Instant On Wi-Fi devices

 | 

MuddyWater deploys new DCHSpy variants amid Iran-Israel conflict

 | 
  • Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
  • Home
  • Breaking News
  • Cyber Crime
  • Hacking
  • Malware
  • Security
  • Node.js malvertising campaign targets crypto users

Node.js malvertising campaign targets crypto users

Pierluigi Paganini April 17, 2025

Microsoft warns of a malvertising campaign using Node.js to deliver info-stealing malware via fake crypto trading sites like Binance and TradingView.

Microsoft has observed Node.js increasingly used in malware campaigns since October 2024, including an ongoing crypto-themed malvertising attack as of April 2025.

Threat actors are increasingly using Node.js to deploy malware, shifting from traditional scripts like Python or PHP. Node.js allows attackers to blend malicious code with legitimate apps, bypass security tools, and persist in systems. Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that allows JavaScript code to run outside of a web browser. Though less common today, Node.js-based threats are becoming a notable part of the evolving attack landscape.

In April Node.js attacks, threat actors use malvertising to lure users to fake sites offering malicious installers disguised as legitimate software. Once executed, the installer drops a malicious DLL (“CustomActions.dll”) that collects system data via WMI, ensures persistence via scheduled tasks, and uses PowerShell commands for defense evasion and further payload delivery.

Then the DLL launches a decoy by opening an msedge_proxy window that displays a legitimate cryptocurrency trading website.

“The created scheduled task runs PowerShell commands designed to exclude both the PowerShell process and the current directory from being scanned by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.” reads the report published by Microsoft. “This action prevents subsequent PowerShell executions from being flagged, allowing the attack to continue undisturbed.”

This attack uses obfuscated PowerShell scripts to fetch code from remote URLs, gather detailed system and BIOS info, package it as JSON, and send it to the attacker’s C2 server.

In this attack phase, a PowerShell script downloads an archive from the command-and-control server containing the Node.js runtime and a compiled JavaScript file. The Node.js executable runs the script, which establishes network connections and likely extracts sensitive browser data.

Another notable technique observed by researchers in recent campaign employs inline JavaScript execution via Node.js to deploy malicious payloads. In a documented instance, attackers used a ClickFix social engineering tactic to trick users into running a PowerShell command that downloads and installs Node.js components. The script then executes JavaScript directly through Node.js, enabling network reconnaissance, disguising command-and-control traffic as legitimate Cloudflare activity, and achieving persistence by modifying registry run keys.

Microsoft also provided a set of recommendations to mitigate threats associated with Node.js misuse.

Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, newsletter)


facebook linkedin twitter

Cybercrime Hacking hacking news information security news IT Information Security malvertising malware Node.js Pierluigi Paganini Security Affairs Security News

you might also like

Pierluigi Paganini July 26, 2025
Law enforcement operations seized BlackSuit ransomware gang’s darknet sites
Read more
Pierluigi Paganini July 26, 2025
Arizona woman sentenced for aiding North Korea in U.S. IT job fraud scheme
Read more

leave a comment

newsletter

Subscribe to my email list and stay
up-to-date!

    recent articles

    Law enforcement operations seized BlackSuit ransomware gang’s darknet sites

    Cyber Crime / July 26, 2025

    Arizona woman sentenced for aiding North Korea in U.S. IT job fraud scheme

    Intelligence / July 26, 2025

    Operation CargoTalon targets Russia’s aerospace with EAGLET malware,

    Intelligence / July 25, 2025

    Unpatched flaw in EoL LG LNV5110R cameras lets hackers gain Admin access

    Security / July 25, 2025

    Koske, a new AI-Generated Linux malware appears in the threat landscape

    Malware / July 25, 2025

    To contact me write an email to:

    Pierluigi Paganini :
    pierluigi.paganini@securityaffairs.co

    LEARN MORE

    QUICK LINKS

    • Home
    • Cyber Crime
    • Cyber warfare
    • APT
    • Data Breach
    • Deep Web
    • Digital ID
    • Hacking
    • Hacktivism
    • Intelligence
    • Internet of Things
    • Laws and regulations
    • Malware
    • Mobile
    • Reports
    • Security
    • Social Networks
    • Terrorism
    • ICS-SCADA
    • POLICIES
    • Contact me

    Copyright@securityaffairs 2024

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT