Dependency Confusion Attack

A dependency confusion attack targets organizations' software development and deployment processes by exploiting how they handle external dependencies. Developers rely on these dependencies fetched from package repositories, and attackers register malicious packages with the same names as legitimate ones in public repositories. When developers build their applications, the build process may unknowingly download and include malicious packages from the public repository instead of the intended internal one. This attack aims to exploit the trust in internal repositories, potentially introducing malicious code and various security risks. To mitigate such attacks, organizations should control public repositories, enforce trusted repositories in package manager configurations, employ strong authentication and access controls, regularly update dependencies, and educate developers on secure coding practices. These measures enhance the security of the software supply chain.

ThreatNG helps organizations mitigate dependency confusion attacks. It provides visibility into the external attack surface, monitors dependencies and package repositories, assesses risk and prioritizes vulnerabilities, leverages threat intelligence for detection, and offers remediation guidance. By combining these capabilities, the solution strengthens defenses, proactively identifies and mitigates risks associated with external dependencies, and enhances the overall security of the software supply chain.