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Malicious package

mfahelpernpm

Advisory published Updated

mfahelper is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17308) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in mfahelper (npm)

MAL-2026-17308
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall mfahelper

What this malware does

package.json declares its only runtime dependency, node-net-pool, as an https tarball pointing at the main branch of an unrelated GitHub account (https://github.com/trktgq0wbre1/node-net-pool/archive/refs/heads/main.tar.gz) — no version pin, no commit SHA, no integrity hash. npm install fetches whatever bytes currently live at that mutable URL and executes any lifecycle scripts they contain on the installer's machine. In addition, lib/cache.js runs module.require('node-net-pool') inside a swallowed try/catch at top level, so the third-party payload also loads when a consumer require()s the package, extending the code-execution surface beyond install time to any downstream import. The account owning the tarball URL is unrelated to the package publisher, so whoever controls that branch controls arbitrary code delivered to every installer.

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)

e6df54a49845aa55e3310261ccc7002fe5aabcdf3924875bf7c1ad3fb4751297
84ee181e9b6b445ce9e2243b203fc25121cd29ea4e4a6bf8561c05fd0f361f94

Detection & response playbook

Malicious package
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for mfahelper (version 1.0.0).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    Remove mfahelper 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.

  3. Did it already run?

    If mfahelper 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. mfahelper 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-2026-020764GHSA-9f55-6cf9-3pgw

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks mfahelper-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.

Explore

mfahelper (npm) malicious package — MAL-2026-17308 | O3 Security