MalwarePublished 9 Jul 2026

nps-retrieval-diagnostics (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects nps-retrieval-diagnosticsSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove nps-retrieval-diagnostics and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 10 Jul 2026, 10:16 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-10066

What to do

Remove nps-retrieval-diagnostics 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
npmnps-retrieval-diagnostics	Affected =9.9.9	Fixed in–

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Description

The nps-retrieval-diagnostics npm package version 9.9.9 contains malicious code that installs persistent backdoor access on the host. When executed, it adds a cron job running every 10 minutes that contacts a remote server and modifies the user's shell configuration to maintain persistence. It also attempts to harvest environment variables that resemble credentials. The package masquerades as an internal diagnostic tool and uses social engineering to trick operators into running it. This is consistent with a dependency confusion attack targeting internal package names.

Impact

Successful execution of the malicious binary results in persistent remote access to the host via a cron job beaconing to an attacker-controlled server. The attacker gains durable presence through shell configuration modifications and can harvest environment variables that may contain sensitive credentials or API keys. This compromises the confidentiality and integrity of the affected system and potentially any connected infrastructure or data accessed with harvested secrets.

Defensive guidance

Users should avoid installing or running version 9.9.9 of nps-retrieval-diagnostics. Remove any installed instances of this package and inspect systems for the presence of the cron job and modifications to ~/.bashrc. Revoke any potentially exposed credentials found in environment variables. Monitor for suspicious network connections to https://arsenal-payload.com and related domains. Consider implementing supply chain security measures to prevent dependency confusion attacks, such as strict package name vetting and internal package namespace controls.

Summary

The nps-retrieval-diagnostics package at version 9.9.9 includes a malicious binary named 'retrieval-diagnostics' that, when run, installs a persistence mechanism by appending a crontab entry executing every 10 minutes to beacon to https://arsenal-payload.com. It also modifies the ~/.bashrc file to add a persistent alias and presence across shell sessions. The script enumerates environment variables for keys containing sensitive substrings such as KEY, TOKEN, API, SECRET, PASSWORD, and cloud provider identifiers, indicating an attempt to harvest secrets. The package falsely claims to be an 'Internal NPS Critical Diagnostic Tool' and displays a fake system breach warning to socially engineer users into executing it. The version and description suggest it was delivered via dependency confusion targeting internal package namespaces.

References

npmjs.com/package/nps-retrieval-diagnostics/v/9.9.9 (opens in a new tab)

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 10 Jul 2026, 10:16 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews