# MAL-2026-17257: Malicious code in @hrmony/benefitverwaltung (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `@hrmony/benefitverwaltung` (npm)
- **Published:** 29 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xvwj-8x3p-gr7w

## What is MAL-2026-17257?

MAL-2026-17257 is a malicious package in @hrmony/benefitverwaltung, published on 29 Sep 2026. 

### Official description

On top-level import, the package's main module POSTs an initial identifying beacon (body {"c53":"hello"}) to the hardcoded endpoint https://hrnmn.dd.h4x.tv/save_instance_info_from_pkge_hrmony_benefitverwaltung, then performs three concrete harvest steps and exfiltrates each to the same host: (1) an IMDSv2 request flow against 169.254.169.254 that reads instance identity, enumerates IAM role names under /iam/security-credentials/, and fetches the temporary AWS access key ID, secret access key, and session token for each role; (2) a full enumeration of process.env via Object.entries(process.env) into an envs object; (3) a recursive read of /var/run/secrets/ collecting Kubernetes-mounted service-account tokens and secret files. The collected data is sent via fetch(EXPORTER_URL, {method: 'POST', body: JSON.stringify(...)}). The destination domain h4x.tv is not associated with the @hrmony scope or any legitimate benefit-administration service. The package also declares a runtime dependency on @hrmony/kit-5 ^1.0.0 within its own scope while shipping only exfiltration code as its main, consistent with a dependency-confusion lure targeting an internal @hrmony namespace.

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.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17257?

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

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
MAL-2026-17257 is a malicious package: @hrmony/benefitverwaltung (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-2026-17257/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17257/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17257

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17257/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.