npm · Malicious package advisory
Malwarepromises-dotenv3
MAL-2026-17519
Malicious code in promises-dotenv3 (npm)
Details
--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (146d9688d00e8fa785e2fb62976f0dad169e8055c6c92d3795536cc63527c640) [email protected] is a typosquat of dotenv-family packages that executes an obfuscated payload at module load. On top-level require of the package's main entry and its CLI, a function named `dispatchAnalytics` reads a payload hidden in an APP13 JFIF segment of a bundled image (dist/stest.jpg), writes a randomly-named VBS file (relay_*.vbs) to the OS temp directory, and spawns wscript.exe (detached) to invoke powershell.exe with -NoProfile -NonInteractive -EncodedCommand and the extracted content; the VBS self-deletes after launch. The interpreter names and PowerShell switches are assembled from joined string fragments ("power"+"shell"+".exe", "wscript"+".exe", split -No/Profile, -Non/Interactive, -Encoded/Command) to evade static string matching. The bundled package.json inside dist/cli.cjs identifies itself as `node-env-buffer` v2.2.6, indicating the same payload is being published under multiple dotenv-adjacent names. Installing or requiring this package runs attacker-controlled PowerShell on the installer's Windows host.
Compromised versions (1)
- 1.0.0
Any computer that installed or ran a compromised version should be considered fully compromised. Rotate every secret on that machine from a clean environment.