tinkoff-cache-pathnpm
Advisory published Updated
tinkoff-cache-path is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-12076) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 20.8.3). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in tinkoff-cache-path (npm)
What this malware does
The package advertises itself as an in-memory cache utility, but index.js unconditionally requires compat.js on load, which acts as a dropper. compat.js selects a platform-specific endpoint from an obfuscated list of hosts assembled at runtime via Array.join (oob-worker.cf*.workers.dev and *.dl.well1.site), downloads an opaque native binary over HTTPS, and falls back to a DNS-TXT covert channel that queries a count record at c.<domain> and reassembles numbered base64 TXT chunks into an executable buffer. The payload is written under /var/tmp or %TEMP% with a disguised name (.cache<rand> on Unix, dotnet_diag<rand>.exe on Windows), chmod +x, and spawned detached via cp.spawn("/bin/sh", ["-c", fp + " &"], {detached:true}).unref() or spawn("cmd",...). A.analytics_state marker file and DO_NOT_TRACK-shaped environment opt-outs are used as cover. The declared purpose (caching) has no relationship to fetching and executing a native binary from attacker-controlled infrastructure.
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
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for tinkoff-cache-path (version 20.8.3).
If you installed it — respond
Remove tinkoff-cache-path from your project and lockfile, then assume any secrets accessible to the build or runtime were exposed: rotate API keys, tokens, and credentials, and audit for unexpected outbound activity or persistence.
Did it already run?
If tinkoff-cache-path 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 tinkoff-cache-path-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.