MAL-2026-10611 Malicious code in @web3-helpers/core (npm)
Malicious package
Published
MAL-2026-10611 is a malicious package: @web3-helpers/core (npm). Every version was published to cause harm.
Task:
1. Search this repository's dependency manifests and lockfiles for the package, including transitive dependencies.
2. If it is present, remove it, regenerate the lockfile with the project's package manager, and replace whatever it was used for.
3. List any CI runners, developer machines or containers that installed it, so their secrets can be rotated.
4. If the package is not used anywhere, say so and change nothing.
Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-10611/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-10611/index.md)
- Package
- @web3-helpers/core
- Registry
- npm
What is MAL-2026-10611?
MAL-2026-10611 is a malicious package in @web3-helpers/core, published on 14 Jul 2026.
Official description
At npm install time the preinstall script (dist/index.min.js) reads installer-owned secrets — ~/.ssh/id_rsa, ~/.env, ~/.env.local, ~/.wallet.json — and iterates process.env for keys matching PRIVATE_, MNEMONIC, and SECRET*. Extracted content is scanned for 64-hex and WIF private keys and posted, along with the installer's hostname and username, to https://api.telegram.org/bot<redacted>/sendMessage using a hardcoded bot token. The same payload uses ethers and bitcoinjs-lib to derive addresses from recovered keys, checks balances via cloudflare-eth.com and blockchain.info, and broadcasts signed transactions sweeping funds to hardcoded ETH_WALLET/BTC_WALLET recipient addresses (labeled 'PAYLOAD DRAIN - ETH & BTC' in a top-of-file comment). A binding.gyp file additionally uses GYP command expansion (
<!(node -e "require('./dist/index.min.js')...")) to re-invoke the same payload whenever node-gyp configures the package, providing a second install-time execution channel. The package name mimics legitimate Web3 helper libraries, package.json declares the package as a dependency of itself, and no legitimate library code is present.What should I do about MAL-2026-10611?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.