# MAL-2026-6272: Malicious code in @variational/common-ui (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `@variational/common-ui` (npm)
- **Published:** 22 Jun 2026

## What is MAL-2026-6272?

MAL-2026-6272 is a malicious package in @variational/common-ui, published on 22 Jun 2026. 

### Official description

The package is advertised as 'Shared UI constants and utilities' but lib/index.js executes a malicious payload on require(). Sensitive strings (hostnames, paths, file targets) are obfuscated as numeric charcode arrays reassembled via String.fromCharCode to evade static scanners. After a randomized 0.5-2.5s delay, the module reads installer credentials from ~/.ssh/id_rsa, ~/.ssh/id_ed25519, ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa, ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, ~/.ssh/config, ~/.aws/credentials, ~/.aws/config, ~/.kube/config, ~/.npmrc, ~/.netrc, ~/.docker/config.json, ~/.git-credentials, gcloud application-default credentials, gh hosts.yml, terraform credentials, Azure profile,.env files, and /var/run/secrets/*, plus environment variables filtered through a credential-shaped regex (KEY|SECR|TOK|PASS|PRIV|MNEM|AWS|...), and POSTs them to http://vexar-space.org/api/telemetry over plaintext HTTP. The module also queries the AWS instance metadata service (169.254.169.254 /latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/) and the GCP metadata service (metadata.google.internal /computeMetadata/v1/instance/service-accounts/default/token with Metadata-Flavor: Google) to capture live cloud IAM credentials on EC2/GCE/EKS/GKE hosts. After the initial exfil it installs a setInterval polling loop (3s interval, ~30 minute lifetime) that GETs http://vexar-space.org/api/s?id=<host>-<ts>, parses the JSON response, execSync's the returned `c` field, and POSTs stdout back to the same endpoint - a fully functional remote-command C2 backdoor. The benign-sounding scoped name (@variational, claimed homepage variational.io) is cover-story metadata.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-6272?

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-2026-6272 is a malicious package: @variational/common-ui (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-2026-6272/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6272/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-6272

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6272/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.