Cybercriminals have found a brand new assault vector focusing on the artistic design neighborhood by exploiting Blender, a broadly used open-source 3D modeling software.
Risk actors are importing malicious recordsdata to widespread asset platforms like CGTrader, containing embedded Python scripts that execute mechanically when customers open the recordsdata in Blender.
This refined marketing campaign, uncovered via ongoing menace investigations, demonstrates how attackers proceed to adapt their techniques to compromise unsuspecting customers throughout Home windows, macOS, and Linux programs.
The operation has been lively for a minimum of six months and connects to beforehand recognized Russian-linked campaigns that used comparable evasion strategies and decoy documentation strategies.
These malicious .mix recordsdata are weaponized to steal delicate data from sufferer machines, together with passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and authentication credentials from a number of browsers and purposes.
The menace represents a big threat to the artistic business, the place Blender’s free and highly effective capabilities make it a necessary software for professionals and hobbyists alike.
Morphisec safety researchers recognized and tracked this marketing campaign after analyzing the an infection chain and command and management infrastructure.
The analysis revealed direct connections to StealC V2, a harmful information-stealing malware that has develop into more and more widespread in underground prison markets since its emergence in April 2025.
Understanding the An infection Mechanism
When customers open a compromised .mix file with Blender’s Auto Run Python Scripts setting enabled, the embedded Rig_Ui.py script executes mechanically.
The malware then fetches a PowerShell loader from distant servers managed by the attackers. This loader downloads a number of archive recordsdata containing a totally purposeful Python surroundings preloaded with StealC V2 and extra stealing parts.
Assault Chain (Supply – Morphisec)
The extracted recordsdata create hidden shortcut recordsdata (LNK) which are copied to the Home windows Startup folder, making certain the malware persists throughout system reboots.
The assault chain includes a number of levels of obfuscation and makes use of encrypted communication channels.
Python scripts obtain encrypted payloads utilizing ChaCha20 encryption via the Pyramid command and management infrastructure, making detection and evaluation considerably tougher.
StealC V2 itself targets over 23 net browsers, greater than 100 browser extensions, 15 desktop cryptocurrency wallets, messaging purposes like Telegram and Discord, and VPN purchasers.
The malware contains up to date privilege escalation strategies and maintains low detection charges on safety evaluation platforms, permitting it to evade conventional safety options.
Customers ought to disable Blender’s Auto Run function for untrusted file sources and train warning when downloading 3D fashions from neighborhood platforms.
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