MalwarePublished 5 Aug 2026

sme-auth-core (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects sme-auth-coreSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove sme-auth-core and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 6 Aug 2026, 19:27 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-12207

What to do

Remove sme-auth-core 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
npmsme-auth-core	Affected =20.9.2	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package sme-auth-core version 20.9.2 contains malicious code that fetches and executes attacker-controlled binaries from obfuscated Cloudflare Worker URLs. The payload is written to temporary directories with disguised filenames and executed detached from the main process. This behavior occurs roughly every 5.7 hours unless telemetry is disabled. The package falsely advertises itself as an identity-provider client but includes no legitimate native binaries. Systems with this package installed should be considered fully compromised, and all secrets and keys must be rotated immediately.

Impact

Any system with sme-auth-core version 20.9.2 installed or running is considered fully compromised. The malicious payload grants attackers remote code execution capabilities, potentially allowing full control over the affected host. All secrets and keys stored on the compromised system are at risk and should be rotated immediately from a secure environment. Removing the package alone does not guarantee removal of all malicious artifacts or backdoors.

Defensive guidance

Immediate removal of the package from all systems is recommended. All secrets, credentials, and keys stored on affected hosts should be rotated from a different, uncompromised system. Due to the nature of the compromise, consider rebuilding or thoroughly cleaning affected systems to ensure removal of all malicious components. Monitor for any suspicious activity related to this package and avoid using sme-auth-core until a trusted version is released.

Summary

The sme-auth-core npm package version 20.9.2 includes malicious functionality where its index.js loads _init.js, which fetches an opaque binary payload from obfuscated Cloudflare Workers hosts and DNS-TXT fallback domains. The fetched binary is saved under disguised names in temporary directories, given executable permissions, and spawned detached via shell commands. The fetch and execution are TTL-gated to run approximately once every 5.7 hours and are skipped if environment variables DISABLE_TELEMETRY or DO_NOT_TRACK are set. The package claims to be an identity-provider client but does not legitimately require native binaries, indicating the payload is attacker-controlled code executing on every host requiring the module. This compromises the host fully.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 6 Aug 2026, 19:27 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews