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Malicious package

node-helpernpm

Advisory published Updated

node-helper is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-15997) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.5.4, 1.6.4). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in node-helper (npm)

MAL-2026-15997
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall node-helper

What this malware does

The package impersonates the legitimate blakeembrey/node-helper library (matching author metadata, README, MIT license, and top-of-file helper functions) but appends a heavily obfuscated IIFE (obfuscator.io-style rotated string array with base64+URI decoder) that runs at require() time. The IIFE creates a hidden directory under os.homedir(), writes a second-stage obfuscated index.js and a synthesized package.json declaring dependencies axios, better-sqlite3, node-machine-id, socket.io-client, and on Windows @primno/dpapi and node-window-manager, then spawns npm install in that directory and launches the dropped payload detached. On win32 it additionally writes a main.vbs wrapper that uses WScript.Shell to Run the node payload hidden and non-waiting, and invokes C:\Windows\system32\wscript.exe against it with detached:true, windowsHide:true, and stdio ignored to keep the process alive after the installer exits. The Windows dependency combination (@primno/dpapi + better-sqlite3 + node-machine-id + node-window-manager + socket.io-client) is the standard toolkit for decrypting and exfiltrating Chrome/Edge Login Data and Cookies SQLite stores via DPAPI. The manifest also self-references node-helper: ^1.5.4, and the resolved second-stage code is whatever the attacker-controlled dependency graph delivers at install time.

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

2 flagged
1.5.41.6.4

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

0a576f297edee789149d03ed87ff934f25fae30d96ea69fa135b750791a93c5e
8e7475543fb41397ba49574f9b16340e671160b13bb100bb0db6c4acc2fb154e
e8e46bbadddeb11ed33e401c18f42ae3e3447c6e1a592e709a111d0c3568e0f2

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for node-helper (2 malicious versions).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    node-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.

  3. Did it already run?

    If node-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

No. node-helper on npm has been identified as a malicious package (versions 1.5.4, 1.6.4 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

GHSA-2ggc-wmq2-3whpIN-MAL-2026-019676IN-MAL-2026-019679

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks node-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.

Explore

node-helper (npm) malicious package — MAL-2026-15997 | O3 Security