**RubyGems**, the standard package manager for the Ruby programming language, has temporarily paused account sign ups following what has been described as a "major malicious attack." "We're dealing with a major malicious attack on Ruby Gems right now," **Maciej Mensfeld**, senior product manager for software supply chain security at **Mend.io**, said in a post on X. "Signups are paused for the time being. Hundreds of packages involved – mostly targeting us, but some carrying exploits." Visitors to RubyGems' [sign up page](https://rubygems.org/sign_up) are now greeted with the message: "New account registration has been temporarily disabled." ### Investigation Underway **Mend.io**, which secures RubyGems, said it intends to release more details once the incident is contained. The identity of the attackers remains unknown at this time. ### Rising Threat of Supply Chain Attacks The development underscores the increasing prevalence of software supply chain attacks targeting open-source ecosystems. Threat actors, such as **TeamPCP**, have been known to compromise widely used packages to distribute credential-stealing malware. This type of malware can harvest sensitive data, giving attackers the means to further expand their reach. In a recent report, **Google** indicated that credentials stolen from compromised environments are being monetized through partnerships with ransomware and data theft extortion groups. *This is a developing story. Please check back for more details.*