MAL-2026-3771 Malicious code in request-logger-canary (npm)

[email protected] ships a preinstall.js that, when npm install runs, opens a TCP socket to 52.74.242.200:8851 and pipes an interactive /bin/sh to the remote endpoint (stdin/stdout/stderr all bridged to the socket). The code executes unconditionally at install time via scripts.preinstall — there is no guard, no if (false), no environment check. The README falsely claims the reverse shell is dead code wrapped in if (false) and located in postinstall.js; the live payload is actually in preinstall.js with no guard. This misdirection is itself evidence of deliberate supply-chain attack intent. Any machine running npm install request-logger-canary hands a root-of-user interactive shell to the operator of 52.74.242.200.

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.