TAKE-HOME INTERVIEW PROJECT CONTAINED MALWARE

A software engineer inspecting a take-home coding project for a job interview found embedded malware triggered through Git hooks—scripts that execute automatically during repository operations. The malicious code was disguised within what appeared to be a legitimate interview assignment. Rather than a straightforward coding challenge, the project contained infrastructure designed to execute unauthorized actions on a candidate's machine. The discovery highlights risks candidates face during technical interviews. Take-home projects increasingly serve as standard evaluation tools, but they require running unfamiliar code in development environments. The incident raises concerns about: - Interview code quality control - Candidate security awareness - Vetting procedures at hiring companies The developer publicly documented their findings, sparking discussion in tech communities about interview safety. While malicious interview projects appear rare, the case underscores the importance of code review practices—even during hiring processes. Candidates are now more cautious about executing unfamiliar code and examining project configurations before setup.