GitHub has not removed malicious imitation software after 3 weeks
GitHub left a malware-flagged Easy Data Transform imitation online for weeks, removing it after Hacker News attention.
The developer of Easy Data Transform reported on August 31 that a GitHub repository was offering an imitation Mac disk image using the product’s name and logo without permission. A VirusTotal scan produced multiple malware detections, and the disk image’s background instructed users to ignore malware warnings. Additional evidence sent on September 10 received no substantive GitHub response until September 24, when the page was removed about 10 minutes after the complaint reached Hacker News’s front page. The author said likely downloaders were people trying to avoid paying for a license.
- A GitHub repository copied Easy Data Transform’s name and logo.
- VirusTotal flagged the Mac disk image with multiple malware detections.
- Installer artwork told downloaders to ignore malware warnings.
- GitHub removed the page after about 23 days, following Hacker News attention.
Full article296 words · extracted from successfulsoftware.net · click to collapse
On the 31st August I got an email from a customer, telling me that they had found an imitation of my data wrangling software on Github. I’m not linking to it, but here is a screenshot:
It is using our product name and logo, without permission. I reported it to Github as an imitation on the same day. I got this reply:
A colleague scanned the Mac .dmg file from the repository using virustotal.com and got a whole load of malware warnings:
Using Isobuster he found out that they have also changed the background image of the .dmg:
The new image encourages downloaders to ignore any warnings about the malware!
I reported this additional information on the 10th September.
As of the 23rd September, I have had no response from Github support beyond the original automated email. 23 days without a reponse. This is pisspoor. Do better Github.
I’m not sure what my next line of attack is. A DCMA takedown request to Github?
Realistically the only people likely to download the .dmg are those trying to avoid paying for a license for Easy Data Transform. I don’t have a huge amount of sympathy for them if they get their computers compromised. But I really don’t like bad guys taking advantage of my hard work.
Ps/ Always download software from the vendor, where possible.
** Update 24-Sep-2026 **
Github finally took the offending page down approximately 10 minutes after this post appeared on the front page of Hacker News. Total coincidence. I’m sure!
Moral of the story. If you want even the most basic level of support from Github, you need to get on the front page of Hacker News.
And it seems they are able to do things very quickly, when they want to.
Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://successfulsoftware.net/2026/09/24/github-has-not-removed-malicious-imitation-software-after-3-weeks/