tuckner
@johntuckner.me
Working on finding bad software extensions. More at: https://secureannex.com
We've found code extensions openly call themselves malware in the VS Code marketplace recently and now browser extensions posing as known malicious remote access tools to the Chrome Web Store. What gives?
November 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
We've found code extensions openly call themselves malware in the VS Code marketplace recently and now browser extensions posing as known malicious remote access tools to the Chrome Web Store. What gives?
Attracting a lot of fans these days
November 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Attracting a lot of fans these days
Did you know you can manage an allowlist of MCP extensions and MCP servers (yes they're different) used by Claude desktop? If you're a Claude Enterprise customer you can configure these settings centrally and roll them out. This is separate from Claude Code though.
Are you using this feature?
Are you using this feature?
November 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Did you know you can manage an allowlist of MCP extensions and MCP servers (yes they're different) used by Claude desktop? If you're a Claude Enterprise customer you can configure these settings centrally and roll them out. This is separate from Claude Code though.
Are you using this feature?
Are you using this feature?
Powerful new Detections are added to Secure Annex. These are already catching subtle exploits like unicode extension names that evade other filters, manipulated download counts, and combinations of suspicious signatures in code.
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Powerful new Detections are added to Secure Annex. These are already catching subtle exploits like unicode extension names that evade other filters, manipulated download counts, and combinations of suspicious signatures in code.
Two of these Cursor extensions will compromise your device the second you hit install. Good luck!
November 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Two of these Cursor extensions will compromise your device the second you hit install. Good luck!
November 7, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Ridiculously cool that Tines is able to connect to MCP servers now. Understand entirely what any of the browser or code extensions you use might actually be doing. Orchestrate your extension review process or check if "Hello Kitty - You Glow Girl Cute Live Wallpaper" is more than what it says.
November 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Ridiculously cool that Tines is able to connect to MCP servers now. Understand entirely what any of the browser or code extensions you use might actually be doing. Orchestrate your extension review process or check if "Hello Kitty - You Glow Girl Cute Live Wallpaper" is more than what it says.
Right I should've included the execution part as well as the packaged decrypt tool with instructions.
November 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Right I should've included the execution part as well as the packaged decrypt tool with instructions.
Idk folks this AI generated C2 code I found this week might have you shocked
November 7, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Idk folks this AI generated C2 code I found this week might have you shocked
You can watch these updates by monitoring the contract. For instance this was an update of the C2 server from localhost to it's currently active domain.
November 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
You can watch these updates by monitoring the contract. For instance this was an update of the C2 server from localhost to it's currently active domain.
If the original C2 server is taken down, the extension will check a smart contract hosted on the Ethereum blockchain for new server details. It also allows for 'emergency' command execution through the extension.
November 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
If the original C2 server is taken down, the extension will check a smart contract hosted on the Ethereum blockchain for new server details. It also allows for 'emergency' command execution through the extension.
Responses from the command and control server will be executed in the sandbox on the endpoint allowing full machine access.
November 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Responses from the command and control server will be executed in the sandbox on the endpoint allowing full machine access.
The extension initializes by getting machine details, contacting sleepyduck, and creating a sandbox environment for code execution
November 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The extension initializes by getting machine details, contacting sleepyduck, and creating a sandbox environment for code execution
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
November 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
You can watch these updates by monitoring the contract. For instance this was an update of the C2 server from localhost to it's currently active domain.
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
You can watch these updates by monitoring the contract. For instance this was an update of the C2 server from localhost to it's currently active domain.
If the original C2 server is taken down, the extension will check a smart contract hosted on the Ethereum blockchain for new server details. It also allows for 'emergency' command execution through the extension.
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
If the original C2 server is taken down, the extension will check a smart contract hosted on the Ethereum blockchain for new server details. It also allows for 'emergency' command execution through the extension.
Responses from the command and control server will be executed in the sandbox on the endpoint allowing full machine access.
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Responses from the command and control server will be executed in the sandbox on the endpoint allowing full machine access.
The extension initializes by getting machine details, contacting sleepyduck, and creating a sandbox environment for code execution
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The extension initializes by getting machine details, contacting sleepyduck, and creating a sandbox environment for code execution
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
If you thought you were ahead by using Windsurf... nope!
Check out the @secureannex.com extension to protect yourself from malicious extensions right now.
open-vsx.org/extension/se...
Check out the @secureannex.com extension to protect yourself from malicious extensions right now.
open-vsx.org/extension/se...
October 31, 2025 at 5:23 PM
If you thought you were ahead by using Windsurf... nope!
Check out the @secureannex.com extension to protect yourself from malicious extensions right now.
open-vsx.org/extension/se...
Check out the @secureannex.com extension to protect yourself from malicious extensions right now.
open-vsx.org/extension/se...
Today's edition of pick the right solidity in Cursor. Yes - this IS different than yesterday
October 31, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Today's edition of pick the right solidity in Cursor. Yes - this IS different than yesterday
Three malicious solidity extensions were published to Open VSX today.
Would you be able to tell which is the real one in Cursor?
This repeated behavior has been going on since June and anyone can detect it by just matching against 'solidity'. When will progress be made?
Would you be able to tell which is the real one in Cursor?
This repeated behavior has been going on since June and anyone can detect it by just matching against 'solidity'. When will progress be made?
October 31, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Three malicious solidity extensions were published to Open VSX today.
Would you be able to tell which is the real one in Cursor?
This repeated behavior has been going on since June and anyone can detect it by just matching against 'solidity'. When will progress be made?
Would you be able to tell which is the real one in Cursor?
This repeated behavior has been going on since June and anyone can detect it by just matching against 'solidity'. When will progress be made?
Most of us just want a Pikachu sprite dancing on our code, but threat actors want to spoil the fun. Yesterday five malicious VS Code extensions were published, one a Pokemon theme and syntax highlighter, but instead disable Windows Defender and installs a cryptominer
secureannex.com/blog/pokemon...
secureannex.com/blog/pokemon...
October 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Most of us just want a Pikachu sprite dancing on our code, but threat actors want to spoil the fun. Yesterday five malicious VS Code extensions were published, one a Pokemon theme and syntax highlighter, but instead disable Windows Defender and installs a cryptominer
secureannex.com/blog/pokemon...
secureannex.com/blog/pokemon...
My first response from VS Marketplace support is requesting supporting additional evidence I have that this listing is malware.
If anyone can publish an extension with admittedly malicious intent with no response, what does that do for the health of the marketplace?
If anyone can publish an extension with admittedly malicious intent with no response, what does that do for the health of the marketplace?
October 27, 2025 at 1:18 PM
My first response from VS Marketplace support is requesting supporting additional evidence I have that this listing is malware.
If anyone can publish an extension with admittedly malicious intent with no response, what does that do for the health of the marketplace?
If anyone can publish an extension with admittedly malicious intent with no response, what does that do for the health of the marketplace?
The "test malware" made it's way into the VS Marketplace easily
October 24, 2025 at 10:24 PM
The "test malware" made it's way into the VS Marketplace easily