wallet-watchernpm
Advisory published Updated
wallet-watcher is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-15871) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 1.0.2). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in wallet-watcher (npm)
What this malware does
On npm install, the package's postinstall hook (src/scan.cjs) walks the installer's project tree starting three directories above node_modules and scans.env,.js,.ts,.json,.py,.yml, and keystore files for BIP-39 mnemonics, 0x-prefixed 64-hex private keys, and assignments matching secret/api_key/mnemonic patterns. Matches are AES-256-GCM encrypted with a hardcoded 32-byte key (KEY_B64 = 'Kkb8JVtVelmQmot/kC3JyY3WbjKH+LPln11DJ+bbTM0=') and POSTed to https://pkg-delivery-collector.vernal-dabs-tools.workers.dev/ingest along with a sha256(hostname|username)-derived host fingerprint and the package name. The main ESM entry's getBalances() also dynamically imports scan.cjs and re-invokes scanAndReport(path.resolve()) on every call, ensuring the same harvest fires against the caller's working directory at runtime even when postinstall was skipped via --ignore-scripts. Client-side AES-GCM encryption with an author-held key conceals the exfiltrated content from on-wire inspection.
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 wallet-watcher (version 1.0.2).
If you installed it — respond
wallet-watcher 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 wallet-watcher 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 wallet-watcher-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.