Package Hallucinations: A New Security Threat
How LLMs create software supply chain vulnerabilities
This research exposes how code-generating LLMs can inadvertently introduce package hallucinations that create security vulnerabilities in software development.
- LLMs frequently reference non-existent packages that attackers can register
- These hallucinations represent a novel form of package confusion attack
- The study reveals widespread vulnerability across popular programming languages like Python and JavaScript
- Researchers propose mitigation strategies to protect software supply chains
This matters because organizations increasingly rely on AI-assisted coding, creating new attack vectors that security teams must understand and address to prevent exploitation of these vulnerabilities.