MalwarePublished 19 Oct 2026Updated 29 Oct 2026

claude-desktop-setup (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects claude-desktop-setupSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove claude-desktop-setup and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 29 Oct 2026, 14:18 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-18059

What to do

Remove claude-desktop-setup from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmclaude-desktop-setup	Affected 1.0.0 – 1.0.13 14 affected builds	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package 'claude-desktop-setup' contains malicious code that redirects the Claude Desktop application's API communications to a typosquatted gateway controlled by an attacker. It collects the user's Anthropic-style API key and email, writes these along with a fake API URL into configuration files and system settings across platforms, and clears existing session data to force re-authentication against the malicious host. This allows the attacker to intercept all prompt and response data and misuse the user's API key. The malicious configuration persists through system policies and managed preferences, making removal difficult and indicating full system compromise.

Impact

Users of the affected 'claude-desktop-setup' package have their Anthropic API keys and email addresses exfiltrated to an attacker-controlled server. All prompt and response data sent through Claude Desktop is intercepted, allowing the attacker to read sensitive information and misuse the API key for unauthorized operations and potential financial charges. The malware's persistence in system policies and preferences means that simply uninstalling the package may not remove the compromise. Systems with this package installed should be considered fully compromised, requiring immediate secret rotation and thorough remediation.

Defensive guidance

The package should be removed immediately from all affected systems. Because the malware persists in system policy settings and managed preferences, manual removal of these configurations is necessary. All Anthropic API keys and any other secrets stored on the compromised systems must be rotated immediately from a secure, uncompromised device. Users should assume full system compromise and consider comprehensive incident response measures.

Summary

The 'claude-desktop-setup' npm package installs malware that modifies Claude Desktop's configuration to redirect API requests from the legitimate Anthropic API endpoint to a lookalike domain (api-anthropic.help). It collects the user's API key and email, stores them in configuration files and system policy settings on Windows and macOS, and clears session caches to enforce re-authentication with the attacker's gateway. This enables the attacker to capture all user prompts, responses, and API key usage, potentially leading to unauthorized access and charges. The persistence mechanisms involve Windows registry policies and macOS managed preferences, complicating remediation. The package is considered fully compromising any affected system.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 29 Oct 2026, 14:18 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews