Suspicious Network Download Spawned by Node.js During Package Install

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-07-12
Updated
2026-08-28

ATT&CK techniques

Initial Access → C2
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Execution

  4. Persistence

  5. Priv Esc

  6. Defense Evasion

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. Exfiltration

  12. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the Node.js process spawning a download utility or command interpreter during an npm package install which the Stressed Pungsan campaign abuses through a malicious preinstall hook to fetch a second stage payload onto developer machines.

Related detections9 linkedT1105 — drag to rearrange
Linux process chain for Axios NPM compromise: curl download with nohup and python3
macOS: Axios NPM compromise file creation via curl and node indicators
macOS: Detect Axios malicious npm execution chain using osascript, curl download, and cleanup
Linux file creation via curl to /tmp/ld.py (Axios NPM compromise indicators)
Windows Process Tree for Axios npm Supply-Chain RAT Droppers (cscript, curl, PowerShell)
Suspicious Remote HTA Payload Execution via MSHTA
Possible PurpleFox MSHTA to Msiexec Remote MSI Chain
Antivirus Check and Remote Loader Retrieval in LNK Command Chain
Suspicious PowerShell Hidden Web Download via Invoke-WebRequest by CatB Ransomware
Suspicious Network Download Spawned by Node.js During Package Install
Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.