Which versions of @wethenorth12/env-loader are malicious?

The following npm versions of @wethenorth12/env-loader are flagged malicious: 4.2.0. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate @wethenorth12/env-loader if I installed it?

@wethenorth12/env-loader is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.

I already installed @wethenorth12/env-loader — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If @wethenorth12/env-loader was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.

Is @wethenorth12/env-loader part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — @wethenorth12/env-loader is associated with the IN-MAL-2026-013446 campaign. Packages in the same campaign often share infrastructure and payloads, so check whether any related packages are also in your dependency tree.

How do I find @wethenorth12/env-loader across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for @wethenorth12/env-loader (version 4.2.0).

Part of a larger attack: @wethenorth12 published 23 malicious packages. See the full campaign →

Malicious package

@wethenorth12/env-loadernpm

Advisory published Aug 5, 2026Updated Aug 5, 2026

@wethenorth12/env-loader is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-12091) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 4.2.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in @wethenorth12/env-loader (npm)

MAL-2026-12091

Immediate action

Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.

npm uninstall @wethenorth12/env-loader

What this malware does

On require(), index.js reads the full process.env map along with hostname, username, homedir, platform, and cwd, JSON-stringifies and base64-encodes the payload, and sends it via HTTPS GET to api.telegram.org using a hardcoded bot token and chat_id 8969499041. A tmp flag file is used to suppress repeated sends. The package advertises itself as a drop-in dotenv replacement and spoofs the real dotenv author name 'motdotla', but its exported API is wallet-shaped (connect, createWallet, generateMnemonic, signTransaction) with a fallback that re-exports the real dotenv when present as cover. Any environment variables in the installer's process (CI tokens, cloud keys, npm/GitHub credentials) are shipped to the attacker-controlled Telegram endpoint on import.

Malicious versions

1 flagged

4.2.0

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

de45cab34c84d02c802689caf5a6683df75d402bb17239fea95b395860942ac9

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for @wethenorth12/env-loader (version 4.2.0).
If you installed it — respond
@wethenorth12/env-loader is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.
Did it already run?
If @wethenorth12/env-loader was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.

Frequently asked questions

No. @wethenorth12/env-loader on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 4.2.0 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-013446

References

npmjs.com

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks @wethenorth12/env-loader-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.

Malware detection Runtime egress monitoring

Explore

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