Malicious JetBrains plugins steal AI API keys from developers

As reported by Bleeping Computer, at least 15 malicious plugins discovered on the JetBrains Marketplace were designed to steal AI API keys from developers. These plugins, disguised as AI coding assistants and other development tools, were installed nearly 70,000 times.

A coordinated malware campaign on the JetBrains Marketplace has been uncovered by Aikido Security, with at least 15 plugins published under seven vendor accounts exhibiting the same malicious behavior. These plugins, which function as AI coding assistants, code-review tools, and Git utilities, secretly exfiltrate AI provider API keys stored in their settings. The theft occurs when a user applies an API key, sending it over HTTP to a hardcoded server. Researchers from Aikido Security noted that the plugins were first published in October 2025 and continued to be released as recently as June 10, 2026.

The plugins also feature a paid tier where harvested API keys from free users may be provided to paying customers. While download counts can be manipulated, two of the most downloaded plugins, DeepSeek AI Assist and CodeGPT AI Assistant, have been installed tens of thousands of times. This marks a less common type of threat on the JetBrains Marketplace compared to repositories like npm or PyPI.

Source: Bleeping Computer