unleash-jsnpm
Advisory published Updated
unleash-js is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-4827) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 99.9.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in unleash-js (npm)
What this malware does
[email protected] is an empty stub package (index.js exports {}, 35 bytes; no author, no description) whose sole effect is to pull a chained dependency ltidisafe from an arbitrary tarball URL on a third-party Google Cloud Storage bucket: https://ltidi.storage.googleapis.com/depenconf/ltidisafe-2.7.7.tgz. The host is not the package publisher's domain, the tarball is unpinned by hash, and the bucket is mutable — any installer running npm install unleash-js will fetch and execute whatever bytes currently sit at that URL, including any lifecycle scripts (preinstall/install/postinstall) inside the fetched tarball. The 99.9.1 version, empty metadata, and depenconf path segment are consistent with a dependency-confusion squat targeting an internal package name; the stub's only purpose is to act as a loader for the externally hosted payload.
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.
The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'unleash-js' @ 99.9.1 (npm) as malicious.
It is considered malicious because:
- The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for unleash-js (version 99.9.1).
If you installed it — respond
Remove unleash-js 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 unleash-js 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 unleash-js-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.