# MAL-2026-4624: Malicious code in nw-demo (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `nw-demo` (npm)
- **Published:** 20 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hmxw-6c9h-v2h2

## What is MAL-2026-4624?

MAL-2026-4624 is a malicious package in nw-demo, published on 20 May 2026. 

### Official description

Package is published publicly on npm at version 100.20.33 — a version-number shape used in dependency-confusion attacks to outrank private internal packages of the same name. The package.json claims authorship by 'Atlassian Ecosystem Engineering' and describes itself as an 'Atlassian internal demonstration and utility framework', but the package is published to the public registry under no Atlassian-owned scope. The main entry index.js contains only `try { require('nw-demo-utils'); } catch (e) { }` — its sole behavior on import is to silently load and execute a separately-published transitive dependency (`nw-demo-utils ^1.0.16`), with errors swallowed to hide failures. The README instructs consumers to `require('nw-demo')`, which transitively executes nw-demo-utils' module-load code in the installer's process. The wrapper itself ships no payload; it functions as a loader that laundries arbitrary code from nw-demo-utils into any pipeline that mistakenly resolves the public package over a private internal one.

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-2026-4624?

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-2026-4624 is a malicious package: nw-demo (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-2026-4624/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4624/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4624

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4624/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.