bmc-translate-utilsnpm
Advisory published Updated
bmc-translate-utils is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-16026) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 1.1.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in bmc-translate-utils (npm)
What this malware does
package.json declares a preinstall script bun run index.js. index.js is a ~500 KB javascript-obfuscator-packed module (rotated string array _0x71ec, decoder _0x2a3a, self-defending IIFE, hex identifier names) unrelated to the package's advertised translation purpose — the translation code lives in dist/cjs/. The obfuscated preinstall payload contains GitHub-API helpers that build Authorization: token <t> requests to /user and /user/orgs, parse the x-oauth-scopes response header, and return a token-classification record including hasRepoScope/hasWorkflowScope/orgs — token-triage logic. The same module installs a custom pbkdf2-derived RC4-style cipher on globalThis and wires it into a fetch(baseUrl + path, { headers: { Authorization: 'token ' + t,... } }) transport where baseUrl is concealed inside the obfuscated string array. Installing the package causes obfuscated code to auto-execute on the installer's machine, validate any accessible GitHub tokens, and transmit results through a custom-encrypted channel to a hidden endpoint.
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 bmc-translate-utils (version 1.1.1).
If you installed it — respond
bmc-translate-utils 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 bmc-translate-utils 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 bmc-translate-utils-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.