Axios NPM Compromise Indicators - macOS

title: Axios NPM Compromise Indicators - macOS
id: a09ee860-31b3-4586-8a68-0ebd74ce0e5f
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects the macOS-specific execution chain of the plain-crypto-js malicious npm dependency in Axios NPM Package, including AppleScript execution via osascript, payload download, permission modification, execution, and cleanup.
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
references:
    - https://www.stepsecurity.io/blog/axios-compromised-on-npm-malicious-versions-drop-remote-access-trojan
    - https://www.derp.ca/research/axios-npm-supply-chain-rat/
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/zh_hk/research/26/c/axios-npm-package-compromised.html
    - https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/axios-supply-chain-compromise-detections
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/e10b1fa84f1d6481625f741b69892780140d4e0e7769e7491e5f4d894c2e0e09
date: 2026-04-01
tags:
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.t1195.002
    - attack.execution
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1059.002
    - attack.t1059.004
    - attack.t1105
    - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: macos
detection:
    selection_osascript:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'nohup '
            - 'osascript '
            - '/tmp/6202033'
    selection_curl_download:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'curl '
            - 'packages.npm.org/product'
            - '/Library/Caches/com.apple.act.mond'
    selection_cleanup:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'rm '
            - '-rf '
            - '/tmp/6202033'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: high