# MAL-2026-6874: Malicious code in safe-validate (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `safe-validate` (npm)
- **Published:** 6 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xvj3-jjxg-v74h

## What is MAL-2026-6874?

MAL-2026-6874 is a malicious package in safe-validate, published on 6 Jul 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a zero-dependency TypeScript validation library, but lib/index.js unconditionally requires lib/schema/bootstrap.js at module top level. bootstrap.js stores `require` and `module` on the global object, then uses a custom permutation cipher (function YWG with magic constants 2540575/34950/50568/5954865) to decode two large opaque string blobs and invokes them via `YWG[OSN]` — a deliberately renamed reference to `Function.constructor` — to construct and execute code, finishing with `XZs(7942)` and tagging `global._V = 'A6-Shadow-14'` (a fingerprint associated with a commercial JS protector frequently observed on malicious npm releases). Any consumer that does `require('safe-validate')` triggers this decode-and-eval at import time with full process privileges and access to environment variables and the filesystem. There is no documented feature in a validation library that requires runtime code generation, and the obfuscation wrapper itself (custom cipher + Function.constructor lookup via scrambled property name + side-effect-only module) is the canonical shape of a hidden payload loader. The package additionally claims to be a republish of the legacy `funval` library while being authored by an unrelated account (`deepthought26`, repo `schema-checker`), consistent with reputation-trading to attract installs and upgrades.

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.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-6874?

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-2026-6874 is a malicious package: safe-validate (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-2026-6874/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6874/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-6874

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6874/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.