Which versions of qaq-core-util-v2 are malicious?

The following npm versions of qaq-core-util-v2 are flagged malicious: 1.1.68. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate qaq-core-util-v2 if I installed it?

qaq-core-util-v2 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.

I already installed qaq-core-util-v2 — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If qaq-core-util-v2 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.

Is qaq-core-util-v2 part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — qaq-core-util-v2 is associated with the IN-MAL-2026-004150 campaign. Packages in the same campaign often share infrastructure and payloads, so check whether any related packages are also in your dependency tree.

How do I find qaq-core-util-v2 across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for qaq-core-util-v2 (version 1.1.68). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging qaq-core-util-v2 across your stack and pipelines.

Malicious package

qaq-core-util-v2npm

Malicious code in qaq-core-util-v2 (npm) Remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

MAL-2026-4653

Immediate action

Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.

npm uninstall qaq-core-util-v2

What this malware does

lib/memcached.js exports getCacheRedis, getCacheDataRedis, and setCacheRedis. Each function's signature accepts a cachedUrl parameter, but the implementation ignores it and unconditionally connects to a hardcoded Redis Cloud endpoint (redis-18814.c245.us-east-1-3.ec2.redns.redis-cloud.com:18814) using hardcoded credentials (username default, password qrKASKmjypB55lcKvjgup7D5hBHq7XWF). Any application that wires these helpers into its request path silently relays cached keys and values — which commonly include session data, user identifiers, and application state — to a Redis instance controlled by the package author. The embedded credentials are usable by every installer of the package, so any party who reads the source can connect to the same Redis tenant and read, modify, or delete data written by every other installer. A separate concern in lib/validated.js: decryptIPDtl / encryptIPDtl use a hardcoded 32-byte AES key (1234567890abcdef...), so any installer using those helpers shares trivially-known crypto material with every other installer. The shipped .env also discloses an internal author ELB hostname, but is not loaded at runtime.

Malicious versions

1 flagged

1.1.68

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

41cf368bbc06ee2a9e0d2a9b2030d7604a41af7ed5fed253d48a0d9ff41f92f6

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for qaq-core-util-v2 (version 1.1.68). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging qaq-core-util-v2 across your stack and pipelines.
If you installed it — respond
qaq-core-util-v2 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 qaq-core-util-v2 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 qaq-core-util-v2 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

No. qaq-core-util-v2 on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 1.1.68 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-004150

References

npmjs.com

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks qaq-core-util-v2-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.

Malware detection Runtime egress monitoring