Distributed npm Package Cluster Delivers Cross-Platform RAT Targeting Alibaba Developers

Unknown threat actors distribute malicious downloader functionality separated across several npm packages targeting users of Alibaba tools. The final payload is a covert and highly targeted RAT capable of data exfiltration, command execution and lateral spreading using DingTalk tools Analysis of a malicious npm package lib-mtop containing a simple downloader malware led to an investigation into a targeted campaign that remained undetected for 3 months. The lib-mtop package, originally published three years ago, had three new versions published at the end of March, 2026.