Rogue NuGet Package Poses as Tracer.Fody, Steals Cryptocurrency Wallet Data

Hold up, devs — a malicious NuGet package has been impersonating the legit Tracer.Fody tool for YEARS, and it's been quietly swiping Stratis cryptocurrency wallets from Windows machines. This isn't just another typo-squatting scam — it's a sophisticated supply chain attack that's been flying under the radar.

The rogue package — cleverly disguised as Tracer.Fody — doesn't just sit there looking innocent. Once installed, it goes full spy mode: hunting for Stratis wallet files (.stratis) and password data on infected Windows systems. Think of it as a digital pickpocket that knows exactly where you keep your crypto keys.

Here's the kicker: this thing stayed live on NuGet for multiple years before anyone caught on. That's right — developers could've been downloading this malware thinking they were getting a legit debugging tool. The package description looked convincing, the version numbers seemed normal... but underneath, it was pure theftware.

This is why software supply chain security isn't just buzzword bingo — it's critical infrastructure. When malicious packages can masquerade as trusted tools for YEARS, every download becomes a potential breach. The attackers didn't need fancy zero-days; they just needed developers to trust the wrong package name.

Security researchers finally flagged this after noticing unusual behavior patterns. The package wasn't just stealing wallet files — it was also harvesting passwords and system data, creating a complete profile for potential follow-up attacks. This wasn't amateur hour; this was calculated, persistent theft.

Bottom line: Always verify your dependencies, check package signatures, and monitor for unusual network activity. This attack proves that even 'trusted' repositories can harbor malicious actors for extended periods. Your crypto wallets aren't safe just because you're downloading from official sources — verification is everything.