# MAL-2026-17625: Malicious code in serpacksven (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `serpacksven` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-297h-8m5x-925p

## What is MAL-2026-17625?

MAL-2026-17625 is a malicious package in serpacksven, published on 5 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The tarball contains only package.json and json.txt. The declared main (index.js) is absent, so requiring the package fails — the package is not a functional JS library. json.txt is a heavily obfuscated PowerShell script that hides the console window via GetConsoleWindow + ShowWindow(0) and SetWindowPos to offscreen coordinates (-32000,-32000), performs randomized sleeps and junk-variable noise, concatenates ~150 base64 string fragments into one buffer, base64-decodes and XOR-decrypts it with key 89, then reflectively loads the decoded bytes as a.NET assembly through a runtime-constructed [System.Reflection.Assembly]::Load invocation whose type and method names are rebuilt from char-code arithmetic. The in-memory.NET payload is opaque and attacker-controlled. The package has no lifecycle scripts, so installation alone does not execute json.txt, but any environment that invokes the shipped file via powershell will run the embedded payload. The disguised.txt extension, cover-story main entry, console-hiding, anti-analysis obfuscation, and reflective load of an opaque buffer are the signature of a malware staging artifact rather than legitimate tooling.

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-2026-17625?

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-2026-17625 is a malicious package: serpacksven (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-2026-17625/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17625/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17625

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17625/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.