n8n-nodes-pentest-rcenpm
n8n-nodes-pentest-rce is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-4617) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.0.3…). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in n8n-nodes-pentest-rce (npm)
What this malware does
On npm install, the package's postinstall script runs a shell pipeline that reads the Kubernetes service-account token from /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token (truncated to 200 bytes), the pod namespace file, the first 20 sorted environment variables, and host fingerprinting data (id, hostname, uname -a, ip addr, /etc/os-release, mount, /proc/1/status, /proc/1/cgroup), emitting them between =RCE_START= / =RCE_END= markers. In typical n8n custom-node installation contexts (n8n cloud, CI build pipelines, container-image builds), install-time stdout is captured into build logs accessible to the attacker. The advertised node code in dist/PentestNode.node.js is a no-op (return [this.getInputData()]) and index.js exports {} — the package provides no functional value to a consumer; the install-time shell payload is the entire purpose. The package self-identifies as a 'pentest proof of concept' for RCE in its name and description. The exfiltrated K8s SA token grants API access to the cluster the installer runs in, and the env-var dump commonly contains cloud-provider credentials.
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
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Credential / info stealerFind it
Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for n8n-nodes-pentest-rce (26 malicious versions). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging n8n-nodes-pentest-rce across your stack and pipelines.
If you installed it — respond
n8n-nodes-pentest-rce 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 n8n-nodes-pentest-rce 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 n8n-nodes-pentest-rce 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
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks n8n-nodes-pentest-rce-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.