MAL-2026-10079 Malicious code in vybscan-testbed-obfuscated-postinstall (npm)

package.json declares a postinstall lifecycle script that runs node -e "eval(Buffer.from('<base64>','base64').toString())". Installing the package triggers execution of code that is not visible in the package source and is only materialized at install time by decoding an opaque literal. In this specific version the decoded blob is an inert console.log, but the mechanism — obfuscated-then-eval'd bytes wired into a lifecycle hook — is the canonical install-time remote-code-execution shape and has no legitimate use: it lets whoever controls the package substitute arbitrary code at install without changing readable source. The package's self-description as a testbed fixture does not neutralize the pattern; the same install-time hook would execute whatever bytes were placed in the base64 literal.

Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.