# MAL-2026-17579: Malicious code in with-cte (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `with-cte` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17579?

MAL-2026-17579 is a malicious package in with-cte, published on 5 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

with-cte@1.0.0 contains no functional code: its only behaviour is a preinstall script that runs `node index.js` on npm install. index.js collects the install directory, the user's home directory, hostname, username and DNS servers, and the full contents of /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts, then sends them as JSON in an HTTPS POST to `187d714jo62z5j5c39hc437myd44sxgm.oastify.com`, a Burp Collaborator endpoint. The npm account testneo7755 published it on 2026-10-05 and it was unpublished 56 seconds later; the same account published checkmate-remediation-assistant the same day with the same index.js and a different Collaborator subdomain.

The package declares a preinstall lifecycle hook (`preinstall: node index.js`) that runs automatically on `npm install`. index.js collects installer host identifiers (os.hostname, os.userInfo, homedir, DNS servers) and reads the contents of /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts, then POSTs the collected data over HTTPS to the Burp Collaborator subdomain 187d714jo62z5j5c39hc437myd44sxgm.oastify.com. The package otherwise contains no library code, has empty author/description metadata, and provides no functionality — the shipped surface is solely the install-time beacon, consistent with a dependency-confusion or internal-name squat probe.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17579?

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-2026-17579 is a malicious package: with-cte (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-2026-17579/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17579/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17579

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17579/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.