MAL-2026-5742 Malicious code in axl-ui (npm)

[email protected] is a dependency-confusion squat targeting an internal package name. package.json declares a postinstall hook (node beacon.js) that fires automatically on npm install. beacon.js reads os.hostname() and transmits it to a hardcoded Burp Collaborator out-of-band host (tspeuj1fodn3cj8v30uck2fs4jaby1mq.oastify.com) via two channels: a DNS lookup of <nonce>.host.<collaborator> and an HTTPS POST with JSON body {pkg, nonce, host}. The version number 9.9.99 and the self-described "internal placeholder" description are the canonical dependency-confusion shape: any private build that resolves axl-ui from public npm will execute the beacon and leak the host identity to the attacker. Even if framed as a research proof-of-concept, the harm to installers is real — installer-side data leaves the build machine to an attacker-controlled endpoint without consent.

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.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'axl-ui' @ 9.9.99 (npm) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

• The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.