MalwarePublished 28 Jul 2026Updated 5 Aug 2026

kordyn (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects kordynSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove kordyn and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 5 Aug 2026, 18:46 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-11139

What to do

Remove kordyn 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
npmkordyn	Affected =0.9.16 =0.9.18 =0.9.10	Fixed in–

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Description

--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (c379ec39ec7791c9128dc4e1b82199ce29d7540a9a9984036af2ac79de38e1bf) kordyn@0.9.14 advertises itself in package.json and README as an unimplemented placeholder for trivial streak utilities ('Early release — placeholder. Implementation to come.'), but the tarball's declared main entry index.mjs is a 355 KB module whose bulk is a base64-encoded Windows PE executable. index.mjs imports writeFileSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, and existsSync from 'fs' at the top level and reconstructs the embedded binary via Buffer.from(_cache, 'base64'), where _cache begins with 'TVqQAAMAAAAEAAAA//8AAL...' decoding to an MZ/PE header including the 'This program cannot be run in DOS mode' stub. Simply importing or requiring the package executes the decoding path, and the imported fs write APIs indicate the decoded PE is intended to be written to the installer's disk. The advertised functionality (streak-count helpers) has no legitimate reason to embed a native Windows executable, and the placeholder cover story is inconsistent with the shipped 355 KB opaque payload in the direction that conceals it from reviewers — the shape of a staged dropper / obfuscated loader.

Impact

This malicious code enables persistent unauthorized code execution on Windows hosts of developers who import the kordyn package in WSL environments. It compromises system integrity by placing a binary in the Windows Startup folder, which executes automatically on login, potentially leading to further compromise or data loss. The threat specifically targets developer environments using WSL, leveraging cross-OS persistence.

Defensive guidance

Users should avoid using the affected kordyn package versions (=0.9.10, =0.9.16, =0.9.18). Remove any instances of the 'vite-native-helper.exe' from the Windows Startup folder if present. Monitor development environments for unexpected binaries in startup locations. Check the vendor or package repository for updates or official advisories regarding this malicious package.

Summary

The kordyn npm package's main entry file (index.mjs) includes a base64-encoded Windows PE64 executable. Upon import in a Linux environment with WSL (detected by the presence of /mnt/c), the package writes this executable to the Windows Startup folder path: /mnt/c/Users/<user>/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Startup/vite-native-helper.exe. This causes the binary to run automatically on the next Windows login, granting the package publisher code execution on the Windows host. The package's documentation does not disclose this behavior, and the executable's filename is a deceptive cover to hide its true purpose.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 5 Aug 2026, 15:39 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews