⚠️ Developers: Be careful with project files sent by “clients” or "recruiters".

I recently received a project from someone, who I reported instantly after looking at the malicious codebase. After inspecting the files, I discovered it was a malicious Git repository designed to target developers. I reported the person immediately.

The project looked like a normal Next.js/NestJS application, but the malicious code was hidden inside .git and related folders.

The attack was designed to trigger through normal developer workflows such as: - git status, git checkout, or git commit - VS Code/Cursor Git integrations - AI coding agents that automatically inspect a repository - Git hooks and other automated tooling

The payload appeared designed to retrieve additional encrypted programs from attacker-controlled infrastructure and execute them with the developer's permissions. The technique also showed characteristics reported in attacks targeting developers through fake freelance/job opportunities.

Important: I did not extract or execute the repository, and I inspected it in an isolated/read-only manner.

Protect yourself. Before opening an unfamiliar project: - Don't blindly run npm install, git status, scripts, or other commands. - Be extremely careful with .git, .github, .husky, .claude, and Git hooks. - Don't open suspicious repositories directly in your normal development environment or AI coding agent. - Verify who sent the project and why they need you to download it. - If something feels suspicious, inspect the archive without extracting/executing it.

Don't assume a professional-looking codebase is safe. A developer's normal tools can become the attack surface.

SHA-256 of the archive: 94bc839a9876138b5bdeafdac068b43ece80b42eda240caff95a8e3a35b06a1f

Stay safe out there. 🔐

Thanks for sharing this, Haris. Very important reminder, especially with freelance projects and recruiter links becoming a common attack vector. Definitely worth verifying the source before opening or running anything.