MAL-2026-17641
Vulnerability from ossf_malicious_packages
Published
2026-10-07 00:04
Modified
2026-10-07 02:43
Summary
Malicious code in troubleshooting (npm)
Details

troubleshooting is a dependency-confusion package: it is described as a "Compatibility shim", uses version numbers up to 99.0.1, and its README calls it an "authorized dependency-confusion test". Each listed version has a postinstall script that runs node beacon.cjs on npm install, and index.js calls the same code when the package is imported; it POSTs the hostname, install path and current working directory over plain HTTP to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc, and index.js exports a Proxy that returns no-op functions so builds importing the real package keep running. The npm account xwise8887 published these 7 versions, and 6 versions of browser-metrics-plugin.contrib with the same payload, on 2026-10-07 between 00:01 and 00:07 UTC.

CWE
  • CWE-506 - The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature.
Credits
InvisiRisk, Inc. www.invisirisk.com mailto:research@invisirisk.com
To clipboard 

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "cwes": [
          {
            "cweId": "CWE-506",
            "description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature.",
            "name": "Embedded Malicious Code"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "name": "troubleshooting"
      },
      "versions": [
        "0.1.0",
        "1.0.0",
        "1.0.1",
        "99.0.1",
        "3.0.0",
        "1.1.0",
        "2.0.1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "credits": [
    {
      "contact": [
        "https://www.invisirisk.com",
        "mailto:research@invisirisk.com"
      ],
      "name": "InvisiRisk, Inc.",
      "type": "FINDER"
    }
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "iocs": {
      "files": [
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "a86a4da763bbb34c16f361abe7aab66d5df591b66867ac8160041f932159b08d"
          },
          "note": "Main entry point; calls beacon.cjs fire() on import and exports a no-op Proxy. Identical in all listed versions.",
          "paths": [
            "index.js"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "e5915aacc7fbf292ba1eaf2f2cd242e9370d82342016eed6787b81f3b0c2415b"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@0.1.0).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@0.1.0.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "8bb61cf793d6a8a2ade875d08993c30016a890bdbae69eed7f828aa1a7ae1888"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@1.0.0).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@1.0.0.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "06a7b88c50c12888cc1c9278e10c6be42cc79cc7fad022fed434c9b34aef1fef"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@1.0.1).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@1.0.1.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "fbfeb7d0471481120cce111bfcd150660861075b267fd0d4a121498cfd1fd79c"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@99.0.1).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@99.0.1.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9e36b9e2858eef92b637abc885aedc7cc3a745511d9da85391c45da8f91e142e"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@3.0.0).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@3.0.0.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "a6b1f6c20b2ce88e11c467a0df7c8570b8d25c549aadd04affb37310647fc4b4"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@1.1.0).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@1.1.0.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "28058651eb58dd8ce81d910e706ed48c15aeaf3b4a0c2ffe789ad329742f434f"
          },
          "note": "postinstall script runs `node beacon.cjs`, which POSTs hostname, install path and cwd to http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc (troubleshooting@2.0.1).",
          "paths": [
            "package.json"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        },
        {
          "digests": {
            "sha256": "9469c53670e67c2558a1cda35919a1cd8a44148b6697f639bbfeb6d1bef66531"
          },
          "note": "Executed by the postinstall script of troubleshooting@2.0.1.",
          "paths": [
            "beacon.cjs"
          ],
          "source": "PACKAGE_ARCHIVE"
        }
      ],
      "ips": [
        "185.158.107.175"
      ],
      "urls": [
        "http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc"
      ]
    }
  },
  "details": "troubleshooting is a dependency-confusion package: it is described as a \"Compatibility shim\", uses version numbers up to 99.0.1, and its README calls it an \"authorized dependency-confusion test\". Each listed version has a postinstall script that runs `node beacon.cjs` on npm install, and index.js calls the same code when the package is imported; it POSTs the hostname, install path and current working directory over plain HTTP to `http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc`, and index.js exports a Proxy that returns no-op functions so builds importing the real package keep running. The npm account xwise8887 published these 7 versions, and 6 versions of browser-metrics-plugin.contrib with the same payload, on 2026-10-07 between 00:01 and 00:07 UTC.",
  "id": "MAL-2026-17641",
  "modified": "2026-10-07T02:43:30Z",
  "published": "2026-10-07T00:04:15Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://www.npmjs.com/package/troubleshooting"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.7.4",
  "summary": "Malicious code in troubleshooting (npm)"
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

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  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
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  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



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