MalwarePublished 5 Aug 2026

hd-key-generator (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects hd-key-generatorSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove hd-key-generator and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 5 Aug 2026, 23:01 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-13345

What to do

Remove hd-key-generator 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
npmhd-key-generator	Affected =1.6.3	Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

The hd-key-generator npm package is a malicious typosquat of the legitimate hdkey package. Upon being required, it collects extensive environment information including environment variables, hostname, username, home directory, platform, current working directory, and package metadata. This data is serialized, encoded, and sent via an HTTPS GET request to a hardcoded Telegram Bot API endpoint, potentially exposing sensitive secrets such as AWS credentials, GitHub tokens, and database credentials. The package attempts to maintain the appearance of normal functionality by re-exporting the real hdkey package if it is installed, or providing stub functions otherwise. Only version 1.6.3 of hd-key-generator is known to be affected. There is no CVSS score or known exploits in the wild reported for this threat.

Impact

The malicious package can exfiltrate sensitive environment data including secrets such as AWS credentials, GitHub tokens, NPM tokens, and database credentials. This can lead to credential compromise and unauthorized access to cloud services, source code repositories, and databases. The attacker gains access to environment details that may facilitate further attacks or lateral movement. The package masquerades as a legitimate dependency, increasing the risk of inadvertent installation and data leakage.

Defensive guidance

The best mitigation is to avoid installing this package and instead use the legitimate hdkey package. Users and organizations should audit their dependencies to detect and remove hd-key-generator version 1.6.3 if present. Employing strict package name verification and using package integrity checks can help prevent typosquatting attacks. Monitor for any unexpected network traffic to Telegram Bot API endpoints from build or runtime environments.

Summary

hd-key-generator is a malicious npm package designed as a typosquat of the legitimate hdkey package. When loaded, it harvests sensitive environment data including process environment variables, system hostname, user information, home directory, platform, current working directory, and package metadata. This information is serialized to JSON, base64-encoded, and exfiltrated via an HTTPS GET request to a Telegram Bot API endpoint controlled by the attacker. A temporary marker file prevents repeated data exfiltration. To avoid detection, if the legitimate hdkey package is present, hd-key-generator re-exports it to preserve expected functionality; otherwise, it returns stub functions. This behavior allows the attacker to collect secrets from the environment of the user or CI system installing the package. The affected version is exactly 1.6.3.

References

npmjs.com/package/hd-key-generator/v/1.6.3 (opens in a new tab)

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 5 Aug 2026, 23:01 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews