MAL-2026-5921 Malicious code in proto-bin (npm)
Malicious package
Published
MAL-2026-5921 is a malicious package: proto-bin (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-2026-5921/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5921/index.md)
- Package
- proto-bin
- Registry
- npm
What is MAL-2026-5921?
MAL-2026-5921 is a malicious package in proto-bin, published on 16 Jun 2026.
Official description
Package is advertised as a prototype utilities library (pack/unpack/checksum) but its exported pack() function calls an internal _fetch() that downloads a platform-specific binary from https://undinee-dktl.vercel.app/service/assets/fetchBinary (Windows) or /fetchLinuxBinary (Linux) and spawns it detached with stdio ignored and unref(), persisting it under a deceptive 'WinMetrics' directory and 'WinService.exe' / 'WinMetrics' file name in user-writable locations. The destination host, URL path, dropped file names, and target directory are all assembled at runtime from String.fromCharCode numeric arrays (index.js:25-31) to evade static inspection. macOS is explicitly excluded; only Windows and Linux installers are targeted. No hash, signature, or version pin is verified before execution. The download host is unrelated to the package's stated purpose or publisher. Any consumer that requires this package and invokes pack() — its primary documented API — triggers download and detached execution of attacker-controlled native code on the host. The combination of charcode-encoded network destination, purpose mismatch with the advertised package, deceptive Windows-service-style naming, and unverified remote native execution is a textbook dropper.
What should I do about MAL-2026-5921?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.