Malicious code in crypto-mnemonic-tools (RubyGems)

{
  "id": "48ce17607d25d71bf32bd2b2b6d35c7b64746493ce00afb3a38c153dbfc9fd81",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17595",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "Malicious code in crypto-mnemonic-tools (RubyGems)",
    "summary": "RubyGems runs this gem's native extension script `ext/req_throttle_mini/extconf.rb` during `gem install`. The script exits without action on CI runners and sandboxes, based on CI environment variables, the hostname, the username and the working directory. It continues if the system uptime is over 30 minutes and the home directory holds `.ssh`, `.gitconfig`, `.npmrc`, `.gem/credentials` or `.bundle`. It then decodes a Base64 Ruby payload, forks twice into a detached process, waits 20 to 40 minutes and opens a reverse shell that connects `/bin/sh` to 45.138.12.177 on TCP port 8090. The shell reconnects every 30 seconds. The Ruby code in `lib/` is a decoy. The RubyGems account `reqthrottle_3474` published this gem and 41 others with the same loader on 2026-10-05. --- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (44e296902c4b40fc0d6e6c2e431aa5e2a6e60002ddb1c6cb7619d3c4da5854f3) The gem advertises itself as a BIP-39 mnemonic helper but ships an `ext/req_throttle_mini/extconf.rb` native-extension script with no C sources alongside it. On `gem install`, the extconf.rb decodes a base64 Ruby payload and `eval`s it inside a detached, double-forked daemon that opens a TCPSocket to 45.138.12.177:8090 and bridges it to `/bin/sh` via `IO.popen(['/bin/sh'], 'r+')` and an `IO.copy_stream` loop, giving a remote operator interactive shell on the installer's host. Process.setsid, double fork, Process.detach, and reopening std streams to /dev/null backgroun",
    "evidence": "osv:MAL-2026-17595",
    "products": [
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "crypto-mnemonic-tools",
          "evidence": "/affected/0/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [],
        "affected_versions": [
          {
            "value": "1.0.0",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/versions"
          },
          {
            "value": "1.0.3",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/versions"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "severity": "unknown",
    "structured": {
      "id": "MAL-2026-17595",
      "aliases": [
        "MAL-2026-17595"
      ],
      "affected": [
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "crypto-mnemonic-tools",
            "purl": "pkg:gem/crypto-mnemonic-tools",
            "ecosystem": "RubyGems"
          },
          "versions": [
            "1.0.0",
            "1.0.3"
          ],
          "database_specific": {
            "cwes": [
              {
                "name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
                "cweId": "CWE-506",
                "description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
              },
              {
                "name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
                "cweId": "CWE-506",
                "description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
              },
              {
                "name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
                "cweId": "CWE-506",
                "description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
              }
            ],
            "source": "https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/main/osv/malicious/rubygems/crypto-mnemonic-tools/MAL-2026-17595.json",
            "indicators": {
              "evidence_files": [
                {
                  "path": "ext/req_throttle_mini/extconf.rb",
                  "tlsh": "2e517856cf8359e91ae1c0c0457d9012f6a3ab0a50646875f3ee0868ff59b76c1f12fe",
                  "sha256": "207d37e45638330df97d82727fee2942056606051db821c879aebc1306b93e48"
                },
                {
                  "path": "metadata.yaml",
                  "tlsh": "7121e181fadbf83af581d6d148b07613e3b3d90c7d562f018ba791c413ce069670b261",
                  "sha256": "6e38978c019db3496c5439129fb0f1d9dca08652393379a5eb30eb6ec79e7201"
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-11T14:30:07.000647430Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "references": [
        "https://rubygems.org/gems/crypto-mnemonic-tools/versions/1.0.0",
        "https://safedep.io/rubygems-crypto-gems-install-time-reverse-shell/",
        "https://rubygems.org/gems/crypto-mnemonic-tools/versions/1.0.3"
      ],
      "provider_metadata": {
        "iocs": {
          "ips": [
            "45.138.12.177"
          ],
          "files": [
            {
              "note": "Native extension script that RubyGems runs at install time. It gates on the environment and starts the payload.",
              "paths": [
                "ext/req_throttle_mini/extconf.rb"
              ],
              "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE",
              "digests": {
                "sha256": "207d37e45638330df97d82727fee2942056606051db821c879aebc1306b93e48"
              }
            }
          ]
        },
        "malicious-packages-origins": [
          {
            "id": "IN-MAL-2026-021037",
            "sha256": "20550e421f034d2bf7c4ca653a79a2558f3d84a49a54566e874d92cc80557469",
            "source": "amazon-inspector",
            "versions": [
              "1.0.0"
            ],
            "import_time": "2026-10-05T16:22:53.924298304Z",
            "modified_time": "2026-10-05T15:54:59Z"
          },
          {
            "sha256": "bb822e92dde37e6e686752599f3fe9e8b7006769c01fb2693c5c2303112709a4",
            "source": "ossf-package-analysis",
            "versions": [
              "1.0.0"
            ],
            "import_time": "2026-10-06T00:50:51.033876381Z",
            "modified_time": "2026-10-05T07:10:39Z"
          },
          {
            "id": "IN-MAL-2026-021374",
            "sha256": "44e296902c4b40fc0d6e6c2e431aa5e2a6e60002ddb1c6cb7619d3c4da5854f3",
            "source": "amazon-inspector",
            "versions": [
              "1.0.3"
            ],
            "import_time": "2026-10-11T14:18:00.33032129Z",
            "modified_time": "2026-10-11T13:49:39Z"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "related_cves": [],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": null
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 286040,
  "published_at": "2026-10-05T07:10:39+00:00"
}