ref-slotnpm
Advisory published Updated
ref-slot is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-6474) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 1.0.9). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in ref-slot (npm)
What this malware does
On npm install, the package's postinstall hook runs node test.js which invokes index.js to perform multi-stage installer compromise. (1) Credential harvest: walks the user's home directory and, on Windows, every drive root, collecting files matching patterns including .env, .env.example, id.json (Solana wallet keypair), config.toml/Config.toml (Cargo/Solana CLI configs), config.json, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .txt. Matched files are uploaded via multipart POST to https://datasecure-service.vercel.app/api/v1 along with the OS username. (2) Persistent SSH backdoor: on Linux, fetches an attacker-supplied public key from https://datasecure-service.vercel.app/api/ssh-key and appends it to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, then uses sudo to chown the.ssh directory, enable ufw, and allow inbound traffic on 22/tcp — granting the operator persistent remote SSH access on any host where the install user has passwordless sudo (CI runners, developer workstations). (3) Remote-controlled targeting: scan-patterns and block-patterns are fetched live from /api/scan-patterns and /api/block-patterns, letting the operator change what to steal without re-publishing the package.
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 ref-slot (version 1.0.9).
If you installed it — respond
ref-slot 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 ref-slot 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 ref-slot-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.