StepSecurity Finds Hades Malware Hijacking 14 AI Agents in Python Supply-Chain Attack
Updated
Updated · InfoWorld · Jun 9
StepSecurity Finds Hades Malware Hijacking 14 AI Agents in Python Supply-Chain Attack
3 articles · Updated · InfoWorld · Jun 9
Summary
StepSecurity said the newly identified Hades campaign plants obfuscated code in Python packages, executes on import, and targets 14 AI agents and systems alongside developer environments.
Bun is central to the attack: it drops a precompiled runtime to run JavaScript payloads without Node.js, helping malware evade package-manager controls while scraping memory on Linux, macOS and Windows.
GitHub infrastructure underpins command-and-control and exfiltration, with stolen credentials encrypted and pushed to attacker-created public repositories; the worm also moves laterally through SSH, SCP, OIDC and SLSA workflows.
Inside GitHub Actions, Hades can use harvested credentials and Sigstore-generated provenance to publish tainted packages to PyPI and npm that appear cryptographically verified by the victim organization.
StepSecurity linked Hades to the earlier Miasma threat actor, but said its blend of self-replication, memory theft, AI prompt injection and file-wiping marks a sharper shift toward malware built to deceive LLM-based defenses.
When malware can talk AI scanners into ignoring it, how can we trust our code is safe?
How does a worm forge cryptographic proof, turning security systems into its distribution network?
If revoking a stolen credential triggers a wiper, how can companies safely respond to a breach?
Over 29 Python Packages Compromised in Hades Campaign: AI-Evading Malware Redefines Supply Chain Threats
Overview
On June 8, 2026, researchers uncovered the Hades Campaign, a sophisticated supply-chain attack that targets the software development ecosystem by hiding malicious payloads within legitimate-looking Python packages. This campaign specifically focuses on the Python Package Index (PyPI) and related development environments, posing a significant risk to developers and organizations. Hades stands out for its advanced propagation and evasion techniques, including worm-like spreading and the ability to bypass modern security tools. By embedding threats directly into trusted packages, the campaign demonstrates a new level of complexity and highlights the growing challenges in securing open-source software supply chains.