unico-checknpm
Advisory published Updated
unico-check is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-5830) that opens a backdoor for remote access (malicious version 9.9.9). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in unico-check (npm)
What this malware does
package.json declares a preinstall lifecycle hook that runs curl against https://webhook.site/fe1246c2-ac04-4493-b223-fe34ba26b79f, passing the installer's hostname, current user, working directory, full uname -a output, and $HOME as query parameters. The beacon fires automatically on npm install with no user interaction. The package ships no source files, declares no main entry, and uses the implausible version 9.9.9 — the canonical shape of a dependency-confusion / typosquat reconnaissance package targeting builds that may resolve a private unico-check from the public registry. The package's only effect on installation is to leak host identifiers to an anonymous, attacker-controlled webhook.site bin, staging follow-on compromise.
The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'unico-check' @ 9.9.9 (npm) as malicious.
It is considered malicious because:
- The package executes one or more commands associated with malicious behavior.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Backdoor / remote accessFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for unico-check (version 9.9.9).
If you installed it — respond
unico-check establishes remote access, so treat any host that installed it as fully compromised. Isolate the machine, remove the package, rotate all credentials it could reach, and rebuild from a trusted image rather than cleaning in place — a backdoor may have planted additional persistence.
Did it already run?
If unico-check 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
- OpenSSF: Package Analysis · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks unico-check-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the C2 callback and severs the channel.