MAL-2026-13978 Malicious code in datefmt-util-helper (npm)

Malicious package Published
Package
datefmt-util-helper
Registry
npm

What is MAL-2026-13978?

MAL-2026-13978 is a malicious package in datefmt-util-helper, published on 13 Aug 2026.

Official description

Package presents itself as a date-formatting utility but ships a postinstall reverse shell. package.json declares scripts.postinstall = 'node postinstall.js'; postinstall.js hardcodes VPS = '8.135.48.40' and PORT = 4444 and runs execSync of a python3 -c payload that opens a socket to that host and invokes pty.spawn('/bin/bash'), with fallback branches using python3 subprocess and a Node net + child_process.spawn('/bin/bash') chain. Runs automatically during npm install, giving the remote host full interactive shell control on the installer's machine as the installing user. index.js implements a trivial date formatter as cover (a source comment translates to 'disguised as a normal date-formatting tool'); the library surface exists only to legitimize the package.

What should I do about MAL-2026-13978?

Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.

Sources

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