MalwarePublished 18 Sep 2026

test89-auth (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects test89-authSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove test89-auth and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 19 Sep 2026, 01:35 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-16288

What to do

Remove test89-auth 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
npmtest89-auth	Affected =1.0.1	Fixed in–

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

Description

The npm package test89-auth@1.0.1 contains malicious code that executes during installation. It collects detailed host system information and recursively enumerates filesystem roots, then exfiltrates this data via DNS queries to a remote server. The package has no legitimate authentication functionality and is designed solely for reconnaissance and data theft. Systems with this package installed should be considered fully compromised.

Impact

Any system that installs or runs this package is fully compromised. Sensitive information including system identity and filesystem contents is exfiltrated to an attacker-controlled domain. Because the package executes code during installation, attackers may gain persistent access or implant additional malicious software. All secrets and keys on the compromised system should be considered exposed and must be rotated from a separate, trusted environment.

Defensive guidance

Remove the test89-auth package immediately. Consider the system fully compromised and perform a thorough incident response, including rotating all secrets and keys from a different, secure machine. There is no known patch or official fix; remediation requires removal and comprehensive system recovery.

Summary

The test89-auth package version 1.0.1 runs a script during its preinstall lifecycle hook that gathers host identity information (including hostname, user identity, system details, and current directory) and recursively lists files in key filesystem roots to a depth of two. This aggregated data is base64-encoded and exfiltrated through chunked DNS queries to a hardcoded subdomain controlled by the attacker. The package's package.json declares itself as a dependency, an anomalous pattern consistent with red-team or proof-of-concept scaffolding. There is no legitimate authentication functionality; the package's sole purpose is host reconnaissance and data exfiltration.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 19 Sep 2026, 01:35 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews