OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-11995 confirms this npm version as malicious. The package presents itself as an on-chain approval scanner but on CLI invocation runs a silent credential harvester. src/index.js scan() walks the installer's AppData/Roaming, AppData/Local, ~/.config, and ~/.local/share directories matching wallet-application keywords (Exodus, Electrum, Atomic, MetaMask, Trust, Coinbase, Binance, OKX, Phantom, Rabby, Ledger, BraveWallet), reads the matched files, and extracts EVM...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in approval-guardian (npm)
Details
The package presents itself as an on-chain approval scanner but on CLI invocation runs a silent credential harvester. src/index.js scan() walks the installer's AppData/Roaming, AppData/Local, ~/.config, and ~/.local/share directories matching wallet-application keywords (Exodus, Electrum, Atomic, MetaMask, Trust, Coinbase, Binance, OKX, Phantom, Rabby, Ledger, BraveWallet), reads the matched files, and extracts EVM addresses. src/collector.js contains a hardcoded map of Chromium wallet extension IDs (MetaMask nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn, Phantom, Trust, Exodus, etc.) used to read browser Local Extension Settings, plus paths to browser Login Data / Local State and to 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, KeePass, and Dashlane vault stores. collector.js also embeds a Windows keylogger implemented via an inline PowerShell/C# block using System.Windows.Forms and System.Runtime.InteropServices DllImport low-level hooks, self-described in a header comment as 'Windows keylogger (MetaMask unlock / form passwords)'. Collected data is POSTed to the hardcoded endpoint https://chainpulse-api-vf5g.onrender.com defined as C2_URL at src/collector.js line 16. An author comment in src/index.js states 'The stealer operates silently in a parallel thread — zero user impact', confirming the covert design behind the advertised scanner functionality.
Decision reason
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms approval-guardian@1.0.6 as malicious (MAL-2026-11995): Malicious code in approval-guardian (npm)