HexEval Loader
MITRE ATT&CK: S1249 View on attack.mitre.org
Aliases: HexEval Loader
- Malware type
- loader, downloader
- Family
- Malware family
- Operating systems
- linux, macos, windows
- Profile updated
- 2026-07-07 14:32:38
Targeted industries: technology-and-telecommunications government-and-public-sector
Context
HexEval Loader is a hex-encoded loader that collects host data, decodes follow-on scripts and acts as a downloader for the BeaverTail malware. HexEval Loader was first reported in April 2025. HexEval Loader has previously been leveraged by North Korea-affiliated threat actors identified as Contagious Interview. HexEval Loader has been delivered to victims through code repository sites utilizing typosquatting naming conventions of various npm packages.
Detection coverage
- 225 Sigma rules
Malware & tools used
- Keylogging (attack-pattern)
- Ingress Tool Transfer (attack-pattern)
- JavaScript (attack-pattern)
- Encrypted/Encoded File (attack-pattern)
- System Network Configuration Discovery (attack-pattern)
- Exfiltration Over C2 Channel (attack-pattern)
- Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location (attack-pattern)
- System Owner/User Discovery (attack-pattern)
- System Location Discovery (attack-pattern)
- Web Protocols (attack-pattern)
- Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information (attack-pattern)
- System Information Discovery (attack-pattern)
Used by threat actors
- Contagious Interview (threat-actor)
Reports & references
- socket.dev — North Korean Contagious Interview Campaign Drops 35 New Malicious Npm Packages (report)
- socket.dev — Contagious Interview Campaign Escalates 67 Malicious Npm Packages (report)
- socket.dev — Lazarus Expands Malicious Npm Campaign 11 New Packages Add Malware Loaders And Bitbucket (report)
- MITRE ATT&CK — S1249 (report)