MAL-2026-12796 Malicious code in messenger-style (npm)
Malicious package
Published
MAL-2026-12796 is a malicious package: messenger-style (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-2026-12796/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12796/index.md)
- Package
- messenger-style
- Registry
- npm
What is MAL-2026-12796?
MAL-2026-12796 is a malicious package in messenger-style, published on 5 Aug 2026.
Official description
The package's preinstall hook runs
node index.js, which collects host identifiers (os.hostname(), os.userInfo().username, home directory, DNS servers) and reads /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts from the installer's machine, then POSTs the collected data over HTTPS to the hardcoded host pkdzrreksftymvx4d0o5olnxiooic80x.oastify.com (a Burp Collaborator out-of-band interaction domain). The package name suggests a messaging utility, but no such functionality is present — the sole behavior on npm install is host reconnaissance and exfiltration to an attacker-controlled OAST endpoint.What should I do about MAL-2026-12796?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.