MalwarePublished 6 Aug 2026Updated 25 Aug 2026

vite-plugin-cleaner (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects vite-plugin-cleanerSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove vite-plugin-cleaner and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:15 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-13463

What to do

Remove vite-plugin-cleaner 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
npmvite-plugin-cleaner	Affected =4.1.3	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package vite-plugin-cleaner version 4.1.3 includes an optional dependency on vite-cleaning-tools, which is fetched directly from a mutable GitHub repository reference without a fixed commit or tag. This causes the postinstall script to execute code from the latest GitHub HEAD on every npm install, allowing the repository maintainer or anyone with write access to inject arbitrary code at install time without publishing a new npm version.

Impact

This vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution on machines installing vite-plugin-cleaner@4.1.3 due to the dynamic fetching and execution of code from an external GitHub repository. The attacker can modify the repository to run malicious code during npm install without needing to publish a new version to the npm registry. This can lead to compromise of developer environments or CI/CD pipelines that install this package.

Defensive guidance

Users should avoid installing vite-plugin-cleaner version 4.1.3 or any versions that rely on mutable GitHub references for dependencies. Pinning dependencies to fixed commit SHAs or tags is recommended to prevent dynamic code execution. Monitor the vendor or repository for any official advisories or updates addressing this issue.

Summary

The vulnerability arises because vite-plugin-cleaner@4.1.3 declares an optionalDependency 'vite-cleaning-tools' pointing to 'github:vite-plugins/vite-cleaning-tools' without a fixed commit SHA or tag. During installation, npm fetches the current HEAD of this GitHub repository and runs its code via a postinstall script that executes 'require("vite-cleaning-tools")' inside a try/catch block. This design allows dynamic code execution from an external mutable source outside the npm registry, enabling potential injection of malicious code by the repository maintainer or any actor who gains write access to the GitHub repository. Since the payload is fetched dynamically, npm registry scanning does not detect this malicious code.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 7 Aug 2026, 06:13 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews