[SECURITY] firefox-patch-bin, librewolf-fix-bin and zen-browser-patched-bin AUR packages contain malware - Aur-general - lists.archlinux.org
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On the 16th of July, at around 8pm UTC+2, a malicious AUR package was uploaded to the AUR. Two other malicious packages were uploaded by the same user a few hours later. These packages were installing a script coming from the same GitHub repository that was identified as a Remote Access Trojan (RAT).

The affected malicious packages are:

  • librewolf-fix-bin
  • firefox-patch-bin
  • zen-browser-patched-bin

The Arch Linux team addressed the issue as soon as they became aware of the situation. As of today, 18th of July, at around 6pm UTC+2, the offending packages have been deleted from the AUR.

We strongly encourage users that may have installed one of these packages to remove them from their system and to take the necessary measures in order to ensure they were not compromised.

According to the gamingonlinux discord, the following packages are also suspected to be compromised:

https://aur.archlinux.org/pkgbase/minecraft-cracked/

https://aur.archlinux.org/pkgbase/ttf-ms-fonts-all/

https://aur.archlinux.org/pkgbase/vesktop-bin-patched/

https://aur.archlinux.org/pkgbase/ttf-all-ms-fonts/

If you have any of these packages installed, immediately delete it and check your system processes for a process called systemd-initd (this is the RAT).

Here is an analysis of the malicious payload: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/d9f0df8da6d66aaae024bdca26a228481049595279595e96d5ec615392430d67

  • ArtixCory@lemmy.mlEnglish
    13·
    18 hours ago

    You’re literally executing random shell scripts by strangers as root.

    You’re literally not doing that. Escalated permissions are needed for installing dependencies and installing the resulting package, not for building. Just try running makepkg as root and see what happens.

    • sudo@programming.dev
      31·
      17 hours ago

      Yes you literally do when you install the package. You’re thinking of building the package. makepkg -i will prompt for root. pacman -U requires root. Both will execute the install() function of the PKGBUILD as root.

      • ArtixCory@lemmy.mlEnglish
        22·
        12 hours ago

        Not every PKGBUILD contains a .install file. So again, it is not inherently the case that you’re “literally executing random shell scripts by strangers as root.” slackness has it right that most people probably don’t read the install files, but it seems to me that their prevalence in the AUR is overstated here.

        • slackness@lemmy.ml
          2·
          2 hours ago

          Why don’t you just google (or ask an llm if thats too challenging) instead of making stuff up?