# MAL-2026-4239: Malicious code in etherjs-utils (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `etherjs-utils` (npm)
- **Published:** 20 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3c7w-4xp2-7963

## What is MAL-2026-4239?

MAL-2026-4239 is a malicious package in etherjs-utils, published on 20 May 2026. 

### Official description

package.json declares a postinstall script that performs an HTTPS GET to an ephemeral pinggy-free.link tunnel URL (rqnyz-2605-7280-7--2000-c51.run.pinggy-free.link/npm/-/binary/telemetry), concatenates the response body, and passes it directly to child_process.exec. This runs unattended during `npm install` and grants the URL operator arbitrary code execution on every installer's machine. The package's only library code (index.js) is a 156-byte stub re-exporting a thin wrapper around ethers' JsonRpcProvider; the package name 'etherjs-utils' lures users of the popular ethers.js library. The destination is a mutable, anonymous tunnel host with no relationship to any legitimate publisher, no version pinning, and no integrity check on the executed bytes.

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-2026-4239?

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-2026-4239 is a malicious package: etherjs-utils (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-2026-4239/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4239/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4239

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4239/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.