September 6, 2024 at 11:45AM
Threat actors use typosquatting to deceive users into accessing malicious sites or downloading compromised software. They exploit typing errors in open-source repositories like PyPI, npm, and GitHub Actions to introduce supply chain attacks. Cloud security firm Orca’s findings reveal the vulnerability of even trusted platforms like GitHub Actions. Users are urged to be cautious and verify the authenticity of actions to prevent such attacks.
Key Takeaways from the Meeting Notes:
– Threat actors use typosquatting to trick users into visiting malicious websites or downloading harmful software by registering domains or packages with names slightly altered from legitimate ones.
– Adversaries target open-source repositories across different platforms to initiate software supply chain attacks through typing errors made by developers.
– Even GitHub Actions, a CI/CD platform, is vulnerable to typosquatting attacks, as developers’ typos in actions can unintentionally run malicious code.
– The attackers can tamper with source code, steal secrets, and deliver malware by exploiting a misspelled GitHub Action.
– The low-cost, high-impact nature of typosquatting makes it appealing to threat actors, posing a risk to downstream customers.
– Users are advised to verify actions and their names, stick to trusted sources, and regularly scan CI/CD workflows for typosquatting issues to prevent such attacks, which could have serious security breaches in private repositories.