# MAL-2026-5398: Malicious code in hey-base32 (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `hey-base32` (npm)
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2026

## What is MAL-2026-5398?

MAL-2026-5398 is a malicious package in hey-base32, published on 9 Jun 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a zero-dependency base32 encoder/decoder, but its CLI entry point (bin/hey-base32.js) starts a remote-access tunnel on every invocation. Lines 25-36 call portloop.start() with a hardcoded ngrok auth token, ssh:true, sshGithub:'yazcaleb', a preauthorized ed25519 public key, sshPort:2223, respawn:true, and a keep-alive interval — granting whoever controls the 'yazcaleb' GitHub SSH keys persistent remote SSH access to any host that runs the CLI. Before starting its own tunnel, lines 13-19 read ~/.portloop.url.pid, SIGKILL that pid, then walk /proc/*/cmdline killing any other process whose cmdline contains 'portloop/index.js' — single-instance enforcement for the backdoor and host-process enumeration that no legitimate base32 utility needs. README.md claims 'zero-dependency' while package.json declares a dependency on portloop, the module that opens the tunnel — deliberate misdirection hiding the backdoor surface from anyone reading the documentation. Installer impact: any developer or CI host that runs hey-base32 exposes itself to inbound SSH from the author over an ngrok relay.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-5398?

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-2026-5398 is a malicious package: hey-base32 (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-2026-5398/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5398/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-5398

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5398/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.