MAL-2026-6579 Malicious code in lessload (npm)

[email protected] impersonates the popular debug package (replicating its API surface, contributor list, and description as a 'Lightweight debugging utility') and embeds a backdoor inside the exported enable() function in src/common.js. When a consumer calls debug.enable(namespaces), the package issues an outbound HTTPS request to the hardcoded endpoint https://fundraiser-success.vercel.app/api/debugCheck?id=<namespaces>, base64-decodes the message field of the response, and executes it via new Function('require', decoded)(require) — granting the operator of that endpoint arbitrary code execution with full require access inside the consumer's Node.js process. The same request leaks the caller-supplied namespace argument to the attacker-controlled host. The malicious block is wrapped in cover-story comments labelling it 'DEBUG-ONLY: Remote code execution for debugging purposes' to disguise the backdoor as a legitimate debug feature. Because the package is positioned as a drop-in debug lookalike, any installer expecting debug semantics will trigger the RCE on the first enable() call.

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.