# MAL-2026-6268: Malicious code in zomato-core (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `zomato-core` (npm)
- **Published:** 22 Jun 2026

## What is MAL-2026-6268?

MAL-2026-6268 is a malicious package in zomato-core, published on 22 Jun 2026. 

### Official description

package.json declares a preinstall lifecycle hook that runs curl to POST the installer's hostname, whoami output, current working directory, and the entire base64-encoded process environment to http://d8s0b82plbq3u5sb2vo0sb3a9obr4yjt7.oast.site/install/<base64-package-name> over plaintext HTTP. This fires automatically on `npm install` with no user opt-in, leaking host identity and any secrets present in environment variables (CI tokens, AWS/GCP credentials, npm publish tokens, etc.). The package has no functional content — index.js is a one-line stub exporting `{ name: 'zomato-core', version: '1.0.0' }` — so the package exists solely as the exfiltration vehicle. The name and description impersonate an internal Zomato namespace (`zomato-core`, described as 'Zomato core utility library', repository `github.com/zomato/zomato-core`), consistent with a dependency-confusion attack against Zomato engineers and CI whose private internal `zomato-core` may resolve to this public registry copy.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-6268?

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-2026-6268 is a malicious package: zomato-core (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-2026-6268/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6268/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-6268

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6268/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.