SlowMist Flags Fake Qwen 3.8 27B GitHub Repository Concealing StealC Information
SlowMist has identified a fake GitHub repository impersonating Alibaba's Qwen 3.8 27B AI model, which contains an information-stealing virus. The repository, created in August 2026, offered a download file of only 487 KB, far smaller than a legitimate 27-billion-parameter model (over 16 GB). The malicious ZIP file contained a Lua-based script disguised as a certificate, which deploys the StealC malware. Once executed, StealC harvests system data, takes screenshots, and steals browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallet information, and more, sending it to attacker-controlled servers. The malware also includes a backup system that can read new server addresses from the Polygon blockchain if the primary server is taken down.
This incident is part of a broader campaign called FakeGit, active since March 2025, which has created thousands of malicious repositories. Approximately 800 of these specifically target AI tools using a method called AgentBaiting, sometimes tricking AI assistants into recommending them. Separate reports detail hundreds of other fake GitHub repositories spreading malware like BoryptGrab and campaigns like Megalodon that generate thousands of clones rapidly. Attackers copy legitimate projects, create convincing documentation, and even list them on public AI registries to appear trustworthy. The fake repositories exploit the high demand for open-source AI capabilities, putting users who run models locally at significant risk of data theft.
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