0vulns-dependency-confusion-pocnpm
Advisory published Updated
0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2025-5016) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in 0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc (npm)
What this malware does
The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.
The package.json preinstall script runs wget against an attacker-controlled webhook.site URL, passing $(whoami), $(pwd), and $(hostname) as query parameters, executing automatically on npm install. This matches the npm-lifecycle-external-fetch and credential/telemetry exfiltration patterns (findings a static pattern match, a static pattern match, a static pattern match, a static pattern match, a static pattern match). the analysis confirms contextually that the script performs reconnaissance exfiltration to a non-registry collector, and config.unsafe-perm is set to ensure execution. the analysis further notes that the declared main entrypoint is missing and the tarball contains only package.json — the package exists solely to trigger the beacon, with no legitimate runtime functionality. Self-identification as a 'PoC' does not change the risk to an unintended installer (e.g., via dependency confusion).
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.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Credential / info stealerFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for 0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc (version 1.0.0).
If you installed it — respond
0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc 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 0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc 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
- ReversingLabs · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks 0vulns-dependency-confusion-poc-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.