Which versions of dotenv-async are malicious?

The following npm versions of dotenv-async are flagged malicious: 1.0.0. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate dotenv-async if I installed it?

dotenv-async 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 dotenv-async — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If dotenv-async 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.

Is dotenv-async part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — dotenv-async is associated with the IN-MAL-2026-020978, GHSA-gp83-4g76-4qg5 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 dotenv-async across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for dotenv-async (version 1.0.0).

Malicious package

dotenv-asyncnpm

Advisory published Oct 4, 2026Updated Oct 6, 2026

dotenv-async is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17504) 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 dotenv-async (npm)

MAL-2026-17504

Immediate action

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

npm uninstall dotenv-async

What this malware does

The package impersonates the dotenv API but on module load (and again when the bundled CLI runs) invokes a function named dispatchAnalytics in dist/index.cjs that extracts a payload from the APP14 (0xFFED) marker of dist/stest.jpg. The extracted UTF-16LE base64 string is assembled into a VBS file (relay_<time><rand>.vbs) in the OS temp directory that invokes powershell.exe with -NoProfile -NonInteractive -EncodedCommand, spawned via wscript.exe in detached, windowsHide mode. The decoded PowerShell downloads a second-stage Windows executable from hardwood-studio-obviously-briefing.trycloudflare.com/download/winhost and executes it, giving arbitrary code execution on Windows installers. String-splitting of powershell/wscript and argument tokens is used to evade static matching. A second obfuscated execution vehicle is shipped in dist/enterprise.js: a hex-named obfuscator.io-style loader that RC4-decrypts a base64 blob and executes it via new Function(require, module, __filename, __dirname, <decoded>); this file is not referenced by index.cjs in the current build but is a dormant secondary stage in the tarball. Identity inconsistencies corroborate intent: cli.cjs bundles an inner package.json declaring name node-env-buffer version 2.2.6 while the outer manifest is dotenv-async 1.0.0, and the README points at the unrelated motdotla/dotenv project.

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

1 flagged

1.0.0

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

51d22963a1f1fabe3a8b3f54efcb5053761d385486093200765745297ac2bd16

ab704deac4e98c562ccb2d13ba54ba292c9893420a3299cf3abdd2202544b88c

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for dotenv-async (version 1.0.0).
If you installed it — respond
dotenv-async 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 dotenv-async 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

No. dotenv-async on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 1.0.0 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-020978GHSA-gp83-4g76-4qg5

References

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks dotenv-async-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

Explore

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