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Malicious package

react-fast-refresh-helpernpm

Advisory published Updated

react-fast-refresh-helper is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-11366) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 1.2.6). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in react-fast-refresh-helper (npm)

MAL-2026-11366
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall react-fast-refresh-helper

What this malware does

Package typosquats a React/Meta-branded name and falsely attributes authorship to 'Meta Open Source'. Its package.json declares a postinstall hook ("postinstall": "node install.js") that runs automatically on npm install. install.js fetches a Windows executable via https.get from an unpinned personal GitHub raw URL (raw.githubusercontent.com/Dunals/kl/main/keylogger.exe), writes it into the OS temp directory under the cover-story filename chrome_update.exe, sets mode 0755, and spawns it detached with stdio ignored. The remote source is a mutable third-party account, the fetched content is opaque and self-labeled 'keylogger', and execution occurs with no verification, hashing, or user interaction on default install.

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

3 flagged
1.2.41.2.51.2.6

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

099a09ef3c31cb84f4c5513772b1ea1ffc63e2f8767cb0b16a79399137a2ef7c
f48b7182add5e8890224587d7e4202e045d82bd016124244eedf9d91d696736d
93800b434576d49427074e629cc01411060dce066207f3ef429a841def049af4
bcca3ccc0a35a13d8b3f30ff6019ab57782882ada4e01b941fbee77ad1236115

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for react-fast-refresh-helper (3 malicious versions).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    react-fast-refresh-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 react-fast-refresh-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. react-fast-refresh-helper on npm has been identified as a malicious package (versions 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 1.2.6 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

GHSA-p32r-hmph-46qmIN-MAL-2026-011053IN-MAL-2026-010981IN-MAL-2026-010982

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks react-fast-refresh-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

react-fast-refresh-helper (npm) malicious package — MAL-2026-11366 | O3 Security