Which versions of create-arnext-app are malicious?

The following npm versions of create-arnext-app are flagged malicious: 0.0.10. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate create-arnext-app if I installed it?

create-arnext-app 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 create-arnext-app — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If create-arnext-app was ever installed, its post-install/runtime payload may have already executed. O3's L7 egress monitoring and runtime eBPF sensors detect the credential exfiltration or command-and-control callback after install and block the malicious outbound channel, so you catch and contain the actual compromise — not just the presence of the package.

Is create-arnext-app part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — create-arnext-app is associated with the IN-MAL-2026-004831 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 create-arnext-app across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for create-arnext-app (version 0.0.10). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging create-arnext-app across your stack and pipelines.

Malicious package

create-arnext-appnpm

Malicious code in create-arnext-app (npm) Remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

MAL-2026-4538

Immediate action

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

npm uninstall create-arnext-app

What this malware does

The package declares "preinstall": "./.github/scripts/precheck" in package.json, which invokes a 976KB stripped Linux x86_64 ELF binary hidden under .github/scripts/. The binary auto-executes unconditionally on npm install. Strings extracted from the binary reveal capabilities entirely inconsistent with the package's stated purpose (a create-*-app template scaffolder that copies a directory and runs yarn): PTRACE (anti-debug/process tracing), LIBBPF (kernel-level packet filtering/evasion), HTTP/1.1 with POST and DELETE methods, https:// endpoints, RSA_PKCS1, Ed25519, and MLKEM (post-quantum key exchange) cryptographic primitives, and USERPROFILE host-identifier enumeration. The combination of kernel evasion + outbound HTTPS channel + KEM crypto + host-identifier fields is the fingerprint of an installer-targeted implant, not a precheck script. The binary is staged in .github/scripts/, an unusual location for runtime artifacts (typically reserved for CI configuration), which is consistent with concealment from casual review. The package name additionally resembles the legitimate create-next-app family, increasing the chance of confused-install. Installer impact: any developer running npm install create-arnext-app executes attacker-controlled native code on their machine with their privileges — equivalent to remote code execution.

This package was compromised as part of the IronWorm campaign. This campaign executes a malicious binary payload during installation via a preinstall hook. The payload is a Rust-built infostealer that targets developer environments, scanning for and harvesting credentials related to cloud providers, object storage, databases, source-control, package registries, and AI developer tools. It also targets cryptocurrency wallets, specifically injecting a malicious JavaScript hook into the Exodus desktop wallet to capture passwords and recovery phrases. Furthermore, the malware exhibits worm-like behavior by stealing GitHub and NPM credentials to push malicious updates to the victim's repositories and publish trojanized packages, and it uses an eBPF-based kernel rootkit to hide its processes and network connections on Linux systems.

Malicious versions

1 flagged

0.0.10

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

67a5229a06132707ff10eb04a5fc2a19abf029ded0d61e1c9d0814f5cb2bb667

146faaf0d97c6a533a969bc3f3f117811f9317dc865ed4ab37f1679842ddeaae

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for create-arnext-app (version 0.0.10). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging create-arnext-app across your stack and pipelines.
If you installed it — respond
create-arnext-app 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 create-arnext-app was ever installed, its post-install/runtime payload may have already executed. O3's L7 egress monitoring and runtime eBPF sensors detect the credential exfiltration or command-and-control callback after install and block the malicious outbound channel, so you catch and contain the actual compromise — not just the presence of the package.
How O3 protects you
O3 blocks create-arnext-app before install through its supply-chain scanner, and if it has already run, detects and severs the exfiltration or C2 callback at runtime through L7 egress monitoring and eBPF.

Frequently asked questions

No. create-arnext-app on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 0.0.10 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-004831

References

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks create-arnext-app-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