web-poolnpm
Advisory published Updated
web-pool is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-5577) that opens a backdoor for remote access (malicious version 2.3.5). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in web-pool (npm)
What this malware does
Requiring web-pool triggers middleware() to spawn a detached node lib/initializeCaller.js. That script base64-decodes a hardcoded endpoint (https://ipcheck-hashed.vercel.app/api/auth/6c1d60d35852ef0c05df), POSTs the entire process.env (CI tokens, npm tokens, AWS_*, GITHUB_TOKEN, arbitrary secrets) to it, and executes the HTTP response body via new Function('require', response.data)(require) — granting the attacker arbitrary code execution under the installer's Node process. The C2 URL is hidden behind base64 inside a fake local process object that shadows Node's real process, an obfuscation pattern designed to defeat static URL scanning. The README masquerades as the pino logger (titled web-corn, badges and links point to npm pino and pinojs/pino), making this a typosquat lure with a malware loader as its only real behavior.
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
Backdoor / remote accessFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for web-pool (version 2.3.5).
If you installed it — respond
web-pool 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 web-pool 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 web-pool-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the C2 callback and severs the channel.