@years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-wnpm
Advisory published Updated
@years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-13867) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in @years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w (npm)
What this malware does
This package presents itself as an n8n workflow helper but ships a near-empty node stub (nodes/PwnNode.node.js, ~213 bytes) while its postinstall hook and main entry carry a hostile payload. package.json declares postinstall: node callback.js, and index.js is a byte-identical copy of callback.js, so both npm install and require() execute the same code. The payload runs id and hostname, probes for Python packages, executes a staged tool at /tmp/mhddos/start.py (the MHDDoS attack toolkit), base64-encodes the aggregated output, and sends it as a URL query parameter to https://jasabersama.id/portfolio-data.php over HTTPS with TLS verification disabled (rejectUnauthorized:false). It also runs python3 -m pip install --quiet --break-system-packages impacket, mutating the installer's system Python environment, and executes attacker-staged code from /tmp. The mismatch between the advertised n8n-helper purpose and the shipped functionality — plus duplication of the payload across both auto-executed surfaces — indicates the declared purpose is a cover for the attack.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for @years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w (version 1.0.0).
If you installed it — respond
Remove @years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w from your project and lockfile, then assume any secrets accessible to the build or runtime were exposed: rotate API keys, tokens, and credentials, and audit for unexpected outbound activity or persistence.
Did it already run?
If @years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w 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
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks @years18/n8n-nodes-utils-helper-w-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.