MalwarePublished 28 Sep 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026

items-validator (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects items-validatorSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove items-validator and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:22 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-17235

What to do

Remove items-validator 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
npmitems-validator	Affected =1.0.5 =1.0.4	Fixed in–

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Description

--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (a8e49b1abd7c566b17104c5a2823251df2ca253a0fa509d7c19db1c1942ad13d) On require, index.js invokes initializeDaemon() at top level, which uses spawn('node', [lib/check-items.js], { detached: true, stdio: 'ignore' }) followed by child.unref() to launch a persistent background process independent of the parent. The daemon HTTP-GETs a JSON payload from the hardcoded endpoint https://game.spawnrealm.com/api/item-realtime?key=abcdef123456 and passes payload.code to `new Function('require', 'module', payload.code)`, executing server-supplied JavaScript inside the installer's Node process with full `require` access. An RSA signature check is performed against a public key bundled in the package (crypto-config.js), so the author controls both the signing key and the verifier and the check provides no independent integrity guarantee. Anyone controlling game.spawnrealm.com — including via DNS or TLS — can run arbitrary code as the installing user for the lifetime of the host process. The package is advertised as a validator library, and this remote-code-loader behavior is undisclosed and unrelated to the stated purpose.

Impact

An attacker who controls the external endpoint or its DNS/TLS can execute arbitrary code on the victim's system with the same privileges as the user installing or running the package. This can lead to full system compromise, data theft, persistence, or further lateral movement. The malicious code runs persistently in the background for the lifetime of the host process, increasing the attack surface and risk.

Defensive guidance

Users should immediately stop using the 'items-validator' package version 1.0.5 and remove it from their environments. Avoid installing or running this package until a trusted, verified version is released. Monitor for any unauthorized processes spawned by this package and consider system integrity checks to detect compromise.

Summary

The 'items-validator' npm package (version 1.0.5) invokes a daemon process on require that fetches JavaScript code from a hardcoded external URL and executes it within the Node.js process using 'new Function'. Although an RSA signature check is performed, the signing key and verifier are controlled by the package author, rendering the check ineffective for independent integrity verification. This design enables remote code execution by anyone controlling the external endpoint or its DNS/TLS, allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the installing user. The malicious behavior is not disclosed and is unrelated to the package's advertised functionality.

References

Community reviews

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 29 Sep 2026, 04:47 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews