OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-14226 confirms this npm version as malicious. plugin.js contains an RC4/base64 string-array obfuscated function invoked from the exported createPlugin factory. When a consumer's build instantiates the plugin, it constructs a URL at runtime, calls fetch() against it, base64-decodes the response body, and executes the result via new Function(param, decoded)(require) inside a retry loop (up to 10 attempts, 60s timeout each)...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in animate-css-vite (npm)
Details
plugin.js contains an RC4/base64 string-array obfuscated function invoked from the exported createPlugin factory. When a consumer's build instantiates the plugin, it constructs a URL at runtime, calls fetch() against it, base64-decodes the response body, and executes the result via new Function(param, decoded)(require) inside a retry loop (up to 10 attempts, 60s timeout each). The obfuscation (130-entry RC4 string array with two indirection decoders and a self-defending console-hook stub) hides the network destination and the fetch/exec wiring; a legitimate PostCSS plugin for vendor prefixes and CSS variables has no reason to fetch and evaluate remote code. The eval runs with require in scope, giving the remote operator arbitrary code execution inside the consumer's build process.
Decision reason
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms animate-css-vite@1.0.1 as malicious (MAL-2026-14226): Malicious code in animate-css-vite (npm)