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tuckner

@johntuckner.me
806 followers 294 following 459 posts

Working on finding bad software extensions.

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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 20/05/2026
Excited to secure the developer endpoint right as everyone is becoming a developer
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Feross @feross.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
. @socket.dev just acquired @secureannex.com, the extension security company built by @johntuckner.me. John is joining Socket. John built Secure Annex as a solo founder into a product that security teams at Reddit, Brave, Torq, and Movable Ink depend on.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 28/04/2026
Today we're announcing that @secureannex.com has been acquired by @socket.dev! Supply chain security is a deceptively wide problem from open source code to browser extensions. Developers and IT teams can't stop it from impacting their organization alone. secureannex.com/blog/annex-a...
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 26/02/2026
A Chrome extension with 7,000 users and a Google Featured badge was recently sold, weaponized, and pushed a malicious update to that executed code through a hidden pixel. Here's how it worked 👇
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 04/02/2026
LimaCharlie released their Agentic SecOps Workspace recently which runs Claude Code in their UI including MCP servers. It's never been so easy to just say 'look at my detections and research the extensions'. Even though 1Password falls under an unapproved policy, at least it isn't malicious!
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 31/01/2026
As predicted - "oorzc" a developer with extensions totalling 25,000 legitimate installs across 4 extensions looks to have had their Open VSX account compromised and published malicious updates. The worst part is this...
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 28/01/2026
The next supply chain worm has been seeded in Open VSX. A cloned Angular extension with 5000 downloads has been available for two weeks and was updated with malware 6 days ago. This multi stage attack uses etherhiding, gcal c2, rust implants, and more. annex.security/blog/worms-l...
annex.security
Worms lurking in code extensions
Worms are hiding discreetly in extension marketplaces waiting to trigger the next mass scale event.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 28/01/2026
Obsidian Security identifies a set of 25 extensions impersonating popular AI providers affecting over 500,000 real users by stealing API keys, prompt poaching, and capturing search queries. It's the wild west in the extension store! www.obsidiansecurity.com/blog/small-t...
obsidiansecurity.com
Small Tools, Big Risk: When Browser Extensions Start Stealing API Keys
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 19/01/2026
If you've had to listen to me over the last couple months, it's likely you would've hear me say that all of our most important apps will have extensions or plugins for integration. Think we're learning from past mistakes?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 16/01/2026
A browser extension, PasteReady, was listed for sale last May became malicious after an ownership transfer on December 27th. Many organizations have been impacted by extensions which changed hands. @secureannex.com watches for transfers and warns you in advance! www.linkedin.com/pulse/paster...
linkedin.com
PasteReady: Danger of sold extensions
The PasteReady browser extension (dcbikjphkkgmgmjoohmbnhccbndgpmin) was sold and the new owner pushed malware immediately after taking ownership. PasteReady was put up for sale on http://extensionhub.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 14/01/2026
Pyrefly - Python Language Tooling by Meta is the 4th most used extension in Open VSX. Be careful downloading the 'Pro' version in Cursor hoping you'll get some extra features, it is published by 'casendsabotnu954' who just joined GitHub the other day. Textbook cloning and staging behavior!
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 08/01/2026
Loving a new detection that identifies code extensions published by new and lightly used GitHub accounts.This time it instantly caught an extension impersonating JFrog which already has over 10k downloads.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 05/01/2026
Not the "pulling a Rabbit out of a hat" magic trick that most want. This Firefox extension completely changes from a "Simple Label Editor" to a Rabby wallet stealer overnight.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 29/12/2025
A browser extension with over a million users is poaching the prompts of leading AI chat tools. SimilarWeb loads obfuscated remote configuration to collect the prompts, responses and metadata of your conversations. Your private thoughts are analytics companies gain. secureannex.com/blog/prompt-...
secureannex.com
Prompt poaching runs rampant in extensions
Web analytics companies are using browser extensions to monetize your most private thoughts
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 17/12/2025
These code comments are an improvement from: 1. Request malware 2. Download malware 3. Make malware executable 4. Run malware This is the extent of the extension available in the VS Marketplace. Installs a Mythic agent from the C2.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 10/12/2025
Monitoring a large influx of AI slop extensions that are reposting a marginally refactored but known malicious package. The marketplace listings are packed with emojis and a couple sections of 'features'. This one made the mistake of linking to an already known piece of malware.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 09/12/2025
Welcome to Antigravity the newest most advanced agentic AI development tool by Google... ... uses Open VSX for extensions and shows malicious listings to users.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 05/12/2025
Changing how an extension looks in a marketplace doesn't require new code to be pushed. Check out the magic when this "Test Extension" magically turns into a "solidity" extension after being published. Review the full lineage of a marketplace listing using the new date picker in Secure Annex.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 05/12/2025
Vibed coded malicious extensions are getting out of hand! This 'theme' downloads a malicious zip, unpacks it, and runs it silently with PowerShell.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 02/12/2025
16 Firefox extensions with the almost the same name, same permhash requesting the most sensitive permission combinations like <all_urls> and cookies. Something being staged?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 01/12/2025
Glassworm returned in a big way during the holiday. We're tracking 23 code extensions across the VS Marketplace and Open VSX which copy popular extensions, evade filters, manipulate their download counts, and then update with sinister malware. secureannex.com/blog/glasswo...
secureannex.com
Glassworm stays prevalent
Glassworm attacks look to take full advantage of the holidays
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 01/12/2025
Malware in Open VSX and available in Cursor right now tailwind-nuxt.tailwindcss-for-react flutcode.flutter-extension yamlcode.yaml-vscode-extension
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 28/11/2025
Unprecedented code extension attacks this week. All are name squatting on popular tools. Only a couple have had malware deployed, many are still staging, few have been removed from marketplaces. There may be more coming. VS Marketplace: iconkieftwo.icon-theme-materiall 1/3
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 24/11/2025
Imagine how useful it would be if the Chrome Web Store showed you users over time. This ad blocker went from 0 to 40,000 users overnight! 🤔
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 20/11/2025
Going to have to reread Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition by Jon Erickson in order to keep up with the advanced tactics we're starting to see in VS Code extension malware.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 19/11/2025
Really excited to being supporting crxaminer.tech with some Secure Annex details. Looking forward to more opportunities to get more information on browser extensions out there!
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 18/11/2025
Mackenzie Jackson is raising a red flag about the risks IDE extensions present. Always on top of the top industry trends. Thanks for letting me share a bit! m.youtube.com/watch?v=FiJ_...
youtube.com
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 17/11/2025
The extension was approved, now what? Are you going back tomorrow to see if it changed? You know they auto update instantly right? Rolling out to Secure Annex - code change alerts. This compares past code with additional context to understand how an extension is changing over time. Catch bad quick!
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 14/11/2025
A brand new unlisted extension with 100,000 users? 41 ratings? Must be really valuable. Nope - completely manipulated stats and it doesn't even contain real code. It exists only to collect your searches and earn Bing Rewards.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 12/11/2025
We've found code extensions openly call themselves malware in the VS Code marketplace recently and now browser extensions posing as known malicious remote access tools to the Chrome Web Store. What gives?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 11/11/2025
Attracting a lot of fans these days
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 11/11/2025
Did you know you can manage an allowlist of MCP extensions and MCP servers (yes they're different) used by Claude desktop? If you're a Claude Enterprise customer you can configure these settings centrally and roll them out. This is separate from Claude Code though. Are you using this feature?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 10/11/2025
Powerful new Detections are added to Secure Annex. These are already catching subtle exploits like unicode extension names that evade other filters, manipulated download counts, and combinations of suspicious signatures in code.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 09/11/2025
Two of these Cursor extensions will compromise your device the second you hit install. Good luck!
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 07/11/2025
Ridiculously cool that Tines is able to connect to MCP servers now. Understand entirely what any of the browser or code extensions you use might actually be doing. Orchestrate your extension review process or check if "Hello Kitty - You Glow Girl Cute Live Wallpaper" is more than what it says.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 05/11/2025
Ransomware has appeared in the VS Marketplace and makes me worry. Clearly created through AI, it makes many mistakes like including decryption tools in extension. If this makes it into the marketplace through, what impact would anything more sophisticated cause? secureannex.com/blog/ransomv...
secureannex.com
RansomVibing appears in VS Code extensions
Vibe coded ransomware has successfully been published to the VS Code extension marketplace
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Catalin Cimpanu @campuscodi.risky.biz · 03/11/2025
-Couple loses fortune to scammers -Valid accounts still rule the day for initial access -Open VSX rotate leaked creds -ZeroAccess botnet dev is now a software dev -BadCandy flourishes in Australia -New Katreus miner -Malware reports on Aura Stealer, SectopRAT, SleepyDuck RAT, OysterLoader
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 03/11/2025
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 03/11/2025
From North Korean tradecraft to being used in Cursor extensions in two weeks. Etherhiding is a technique where malware can use Ethereum contracts as a resilient C2 channel detailed by Google Oct 15th. It is now appearing in code extensions with the first sighting November 1st.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 02/11/2025
The SleepyDuck code extension malware is an advanced remote access trojan allowing for remote command execution on any endpoint that installs it. Take down the C2 server? It uses an Ethereum contract to update its settings to a new endpoint. secureannex.com/blog/sleepyd...
secureannex.com
SleepyDuck malware invades Cursor through Open VSX
The advanced SleepyDuck IDE extension RAT uses Ethereum contracts for persistence.
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 31/10/2025
If you thought you were ahead by using Windsurf... nope! Check out the @secureannex.com extension to protect yourself from malicious extensions right now. open-vsx.org/extension/se...
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 31/10/2025
Today's edition of pick the right solidity in Cursor. Yes - this IS different than yesterday
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 31/10/2025
Three malicious solidity extensions were published to Open VSX today. Would you be able to tell which is the real one in Cursor? This repeated behavior has been going on since June and anyone can detect it by just matching against 'solidity'. When will progress be made?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 30/10/2025
Most of us just want a Pikachu sprite dancing on our code, but threat actors want to spoil the fun. Yesterday five malicious VS Code extensions were published, one a Pokemon theme and syntax highlighter, but instead disable Windows Defender and installs a cryptominer secureannex.com/blog/pokemon...
Blog header image
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 27/10/2025
My first response from VS Marketplace support is requesting supporting additional evidence I have that this listing is malware. If anyone can publish an extension with admittedly malicious intent with no response, what does that do for the health of the marketplace?
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 24/10/2025
The "test malware" made it's way into the VS Marketplace easily
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 24/10/2025
🙄🙄🙄
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 16/10/2025
New docs available for Secure Annex! A bunch of new integration and setup guides to integrate with your environment. docs.secureannex.com
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tuckner @johntuckner.me · 15/10/2025
Dangerous namesquat for Tailwind just published to Open VSX currently. Caught less than an hour after publishing. Tagged and blocked in Secure Annex.
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Reposted by tuckner
Zack Whittaker @zackwhittaker.com · 14/10/2025
New, by me at this.weekinsecurity.com: If you're not using ad blockers, you should be! In this deep-dive blog, I explain why ad blockers are critical for your online security and privacy, what threats ad blockers can help defend against, and we'll explore at some of the best ad blockers out there.
this.weekinsecurity.com
Why ad blockers are a top security and privacy defense for everyone
Ad blockers can help defend against some of the top hacks, scams, and surveillance today. Here are some of the best ad blockers that you can use.
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