connectedmerchantsservnpm
Advisory published Updated
connectedmerchantsserv is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-10459) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 9.9.11). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in connectedmerchantsserv (npm)
What this malware does
The package's scripts.install lifecycle hook runs node index.js, which loads lib/core.js. That module collects the installer's OS username, hostname, and current working directory basename, then encodes those values as subdomain labels of oob.sl4x0.xyz prefixed with paypal2 and issues dns.resolve4 queries against the resulting hostname, leaking the data out-of-band to the attacker's authoritative DNS server. The Node API names (os, dns, userInfo, username, hostname, cwd) and the destination domain are hidden as char-code numeric arrays reconstructed via String.fromCharCode in lib/b02e30.js and lib/6ad264.js to evade static inspection. The package is presented as generic 'enterprise utilities' but ships no functionality matching that description.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for connectedmerchantsserv (version 9.9.11).
If you installed it — respond
Remove connectedmerchantsserv 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 connectedmerchantsserv 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 connectedmerchantsserv-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.