Sandworm in the supply chain: Lessons from the Shai-Hulud npm attack on developer and machine identities
Do you know why Shai-Hulud should raise your hackles? Unless you’ve spent time on Arrakis in Frank Herbert’s Dune or the npm ecosystem this month, the name Shai-Hulud might not ring a bell. In Herbert’s world, Shai-Hulud is the colossal sandworm of Arrakis—feared, powerful, and destructive. In our world, I guess you could say the same thing. Shai-Hulud surfaced as a malware worm that tore through the npm software registry on Sept. 16–17, 2025.