Exposing the Hidden Layer: Software Repositories in the Service of Seo Manipulation

Distinct from traditional malicious packages, this paper uncovers a novel attack vector named “blackhat Search Engine Optimization through REPositories (RepSEO)”. In this approach, attackers carefully craft packages to manipulate search engine results, exploiting the credibility of software repositories to promote illicit websites. Our research presents a systematic analysis of the underground ecosystem of RepSEO, identifying key players such as account providers, advertisers, and publishers. We developed an effective detection tool, applied to a ten-year large-scale dataset of npm, Docker Hub, and NuGet software repositories. This investigation led to the startling discovery of 3,801,682 abusive packages, highlighting the widespread nature of this attack. Our study also delves into the supply chain tactics of these attacks, revealing strategies like the use of self-hosted email services for account registration, redirection methods to obscure landing pages, and rapid deployment techniques by aggressive attackers. Additionally, we explore the profit motives behind these attacks, identifying two primary types of advertisers: survey-based advertisers and malware distribution advertisers. We reported npm, NuGet, and Docker Hub about the RepSEO packages and the related supply chain vulnerabilities of Google, and received their acknowledgments. Software repositories have started removing the abusive packages as of this paper's submission. We also opensource our code and data to facilitate future research.