dust-helpersnpm
Advisory published Updated
dust-helpers is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-12786) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 9999.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in dust-helpers (npm)
What this malware does
On npm install, the package's preinstall script runs node callback.js, which collects os.hostname(), os.userInfo().username, process.cwd(), npm_config_registry, and multiple CI repository-slug environment variables (GITHUB_REPOSITORY, CI_PROJECT_PATH, BUILD_REPOSITORY_NAME, and similar) and sends them as query-string parameters in an HTTP GET to the hardcoded endpoint http://75.119.137.232:31337/depconfuse. The package is published at version 9999.0.0 with a generic description and the exfil path is literally /depconfuse, matching the dependency-confusion reconnaissance pattern: publish a very-high-version squat of an internal-sounding name to the public registry so private builds that misresolve pick it up and identify themselves to the attacker. Installer identity, working directory, internal registry URL, and internal repository slugs leave the host to an attacker-controlled bare-IP endpoint at install time, enabling targeted follow-on supply-chain intrusion against the affected organization.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Credential / info stealerFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for dust-helpers (version 9999.0.0).
If you installed it — respond
dust-helpers 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 dust-helpers 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 dust-helpers-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.