# MAL-2026-7021: Malicious code in @vite-js/ui (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `@vite-js/ui` (npm)
- **Published:** 8 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x4cp-w826-x466

## What is MAL-2026-7021?

MAL-2026-7021 is a malicious package in @vite-js/ui, published on 8 Jul 2026. 

### Official description

Package `@vite-js/ui` impersonates the official `vite` package: package.json declares author 'Evan You', homepage 'https://vitejs.dev', ships an unmodified Vite README and a near-verbatim Vite `dist/` tree, and exposes `bin.vite` pointing at `bin/vite.js` — so any developer who installs this and runs the documented `vite` command executes this package's CLI. Appended to the legitimate Vite bin code in `bin/vite.js` is a heavily obfuscated IIFE that reconstructs strings from a packed blob via a custom shuffler (keyed by 4606094, with `%`/`#1`/`#0` substitutions) to hide the identifiers `http`, `child_process`, `JSON`, `eval`, and `spawn`. At runtime it issues a JSON-RPC HTTP fetch, XOR-decodes the response using a key derived from a remote field, passes the decoded buffer to `eval(r)`, and then calls `child_process.spawn` with `{detached:true, stdio:..., windowsHide:true}` on a second fetched-and-decoded payload — a hidden, detached process that outlives the CLI invocation and provides a persistent execution channel. A short time-gate throttles re-trigger. Legitimate Vite has no such bootstrap; the custom string-array obfuscator covers only the network/eval/spawn surface, which is the canonical dropper-plus-backdoor shape.

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-2026-7021?

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-2026-7021 is a malicious package: @vite-js/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-2026-7021/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-7021/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-7021

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-7021/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.