Ledger's CTO Charles Guillemet has warned of a serious threat in the crypto industry related to a supply chain attack that could affect millions of users.
Danger of Attacks via NPM Packages
According to Guillemet, attackers have compromised widely used NPM (Node Package Manager) packages, some of which have over 1 billion downloads. These packages are now being weaponized to steal cryptocurrency from users and developers.
Risks for Developers and Users
NPM packages are essential building blocks for many crypto applications. The compromise of even a single package can impact every project that depends on it. Malicious code is often hidden deep within updates or dependencies, making it hard to detect. For end users, this could mean that simply using a web wallet or interacting with a dApp could expose their funds to theft.
Recommendations from Charles Guillemet
Guillemet urges the crypto community to take the threat seriously. He recommends strict code auditing, securing development pipelines, and using hardware wallets to minimize exposure. For users, sticking with trusted software and avoiding browser wallets is crucial.
The growing frequency of software supply chain compromises proves that even the best cryptography can’t protect users if the software handling it has been tampered with.
