new-helpernpm
Advisory published Updated
new-helper is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-6284) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 5.8.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in new-helper (npm)
What this malware does
index.js imports child_process and contains execSync calls invoking bash and zsh (around lines 301 and 317). Without traced execution context, it is not possible to determine whether these calls are reachable at install/import time, whether they execute attacker-controlled content, or whether they are gated behind explicit user CLI invocation. No hardcoded attacker C2, credential-path reads, or known-bad-infrastructure fingerprints are present in the available evidence. Routing to human review to inspect the surrounding code paths and confirm intent.
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
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for new-helper (version 5.8.1).
If you installed it — respond
new-helper 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 new-helper 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 new-helper-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.