# MAL-2026-4604: Malicious code in lynx-keeper-cli (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `lynx-keeper-cli` (npm)
- **Published:** 22 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3p5r-gmr8-v7mr

## What is MAL-2026-4604?

MAL-2026-4604 is a malicious package in lynx-keeper-cli, published on 22 May 2026. 

### Official description

lynx-keeper-cli ships a heavily obfuscated payload in dist/index.js that runs at require() time. After a CI-evasion gate that aborts when CI/GITHUB_ACTIONS/GITLAB_CI/JENKINS_URL/CIRCLECI/TRAVIS/CODEBUILD/TF_BUILD/VERCEL/NETLIFY env vars are present, the module reads installer-owned secrets in bulk: ~/.aws/credentials, ~/.aws/config, ~/.ssh/id_rsa, ~/.ssh/id_ed25519, ~/.ssh/config, ~/.kube/config, ~/.docker/config.json, ~/.npmrc, ~/.gitconfig, ~/.config/gcloud/* (including application_default_credentials.json and access_tokens.db),.env/.env.local/.env.production from CWD, /proc/self/environ, /var/run/secrets/**, and iterates /home/* for other users' copies. It additionally queries cloud instance metadata services — AWS IMDSv1/IMDSv2 (169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/ with X-aws-ec2-metadata-token-ttl-seconds PUT flow), ECS container credentials at 169.254.170.2, GCP metadata.google.internal (Metadata-Flavor: Google), and Azure IMDS at 169.254.169.254/metadata/instance — to steal short-lived workload credentials. Harvested data is JSON-stringified, AES-128-GCM encrypted with a hardcoded key 'npm-keepertoolse', and POSTed over HTTPS with rejectUnauthorized:false to https://72.62.71.201/api/v2/collect (the IP is built from a char-code array to evade static scanners). The package also drops a persistent backdoor to ~/.npm/_npx/.cache/gyp-rebuild/index.js (and the Windows %APPDATA% equivalent) with a fake package.json; the dropped script polls 72.62.71.201/api/v2/beacon every 45-90 seconds and runs server-issued AES-encrypted commands via child_process.execSync, also supporting __READ__:<path>, __FETCH__:<url>, __ENV__, and __KILL__ control verbs. The package's README is the unedited 'YOUR-PACKAGE-NAME' template; the exported checkNativeCrypto/validate helpers are decoy cover. Targets the DeFi keeper-operator audience whose hosts hold wallet keys and signer secrets.

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-2026-4604?

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-2026-4604 is a malicious package: lynx-keeper-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-2026-4604/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4604/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4604

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4604/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.