Villager: The New AI-Powered Tool Making Hacking Accessible
Experts at Straiker have reported the discovery of a new tool called Villager, which since its release in July has been downloaded nearly 10,000 times from the official PyPI repository. Marketed as a client for the Model Context Protocol, Villager consolidates dozens of utilities for network auditing—yet simultaneously contains everything required to conduct fully automated attacks. Much like Cobalt Strike, the framework can serve both legitimate security purposes and offensive operations by adversaries, even those with minimal technical expertise.
Villager comes preloaded with Kali Linux containers, hundreds of analysis and exploitation tools, and integration with DeepSeek language models. Its developers have included a database of 4,201 preconfigured prompts for exploit generation, enabling the system to tailor attacks dynamically to specific targets. Additional features include enhanced evasion mechanisms, automatic creation of isolated containers for scanning and testing, and a self-destruct function that wipes containers after 24 hours to erase forensic traces.
The platform can adapt its attack strategy in real time: detecting WordPress triggers WPScan, while identifying an API endpoint launches browser automation for authentication testing. If client-side prototype pollution is found, Villager automatically crafts payloads, monitors network traffic, and, upon success, establishes persistence. Straiker’s report highlights examples of multi-stage chains, from initial reconnaissance to the deployment of persistence mechanisms.
Research indicates that the project is linked to the Chinese organization Cyberspike, registered in November 2023 under Changchun Anshanyuan Technology Co. Despite formal registration, the company has no active website or publicly available employee information, and its site shut down in early 2024. Earlier Cyberspike products uploaded to VirusTotal were found to contain embedded AsyncRAT and plugins for popular tools such as Mimikatz. Analysis confirmed that Cyberspike had been repackaging known malware under the guise of penetration testing kits for potential offensive use.
The developer of Villager, known by the handle @stupidfish001, previously participated in the Chinese CTF team HSCSEC. Such competitions, researchers note, often serve as training grounds and recruitment channels for individuals involved in cyber operations. The Villager code itself contains Chinese-language comments and continues to utilize the company’s domain, suggesting active reliance on Cyberspike’s infrastructure.
Since July, Straiker has recorded steady download rates—around 200 every three days—bringing the total number of installations to 9,952 across Linux, macOS, and Windows. The package remains openly accessible and continues to spread via PyPI.
According to researchers, cybercriminals are rapidly embracing AI-driven attack automation, and the pace of this adoption demands a symmetrical response: organizations must integrate AI-based defensive solutions capable of operating with the same speed and adaptability.
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