MalwarePublished 24 Jun 2026Updated 20 Jul 2026

vscode-test-web (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects vscode-test-webSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove vscode-test-web and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 15:56 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-6361

What to do

Remove vscode-test-web 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
npmvscode-test-web	Affected =1.0.0	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package vscode-test-web version 1.0.0 is a malicious package designed to cause abrupt termination of any host process that imports it by calling process.exit(0). It occupies an unscoped name similar to the legitimate @vscode/test-web package, creating a risk of name confusion. The package does not perform network communication, shell execution, or credential theft, and its metadata states it is a security-research proof-of-concept related to an MSRC bug bounty. Despite the apparent non-malicious intent, the package forcibly terminates processes, which can disrupt builds or workflows that mistakenly depend on it.

Impact

The package forcibly terminates any process that imports it, causing disruption in build or runtime environments that mistakenly resolve this package instead of the legitimate @vscode/test-web. There is no direct evidence of data exfiltration, credential theft, or remote code execution. However, the forced process exit can cause denial of service in development or CI pipelines. One source claims full system compromise if installed, but the package's own behavior and metadata do not support this claim. The primary impact is operational disruption due to process termination.

Defensive guidance

The recommended mitigation is to ensure that dependencies correctly reference the scoped legitimate package @vscode/test-web instead of the unscoped vscode-test-web. Remove any instances of the malicious vscode-test-web package from projects and systems. Rotate any secrets or keys if the package was installed, as a precaution. Monitor package dependencies carefully to avoid name confusion attacks. Since this is not a cloud service, remediation is manual.

Summary

The malicious npm package vscode-test-web (version 1.0.0) impersonates the legitimate @vscode/test-web package by occupying the unscoped name. When required, its index.js prints a banner with system platform and hostname information, then immediately calls process.exit(0), terminating the importing process. The package metadata indicates it is a proof-of-concept for a security research bug bounty report. There is no evidence of network activity, shell command execution, or credential theft. The main impact is abrupt process termination, which can break builds or automation relying on this package. The name confusion risk is significant, but the intent appears non-malicious. However, another source (ghsa-malware) warns that any system with this package installed should be considered fully compromised, recommending secret rotation and removal of the package.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 9 Jul 2026, 10:09 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews