registry / Remote code execution / boxy-search-workspace-substrings
boxy-search-workspace-substrings
Pluggable boxy search workspace substrings interface
This report shows the evidence for boxy-search-workspace-substrings@35.8.6, the only known version.
This package appears in our research on the August 2026 dependency confusion campaign, with how it works, the full package list and what to do if you installed it.
AI Security Review
scanned 3mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThis is a concrete import-time remote payload retrieval and execution chain unrelated to the advertised substring interface. The lack of lifecycle scripts does not mitigate the reachable arbitrary-code execution.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review
Trigger
Any require/import of index.js
Impact
Arbitrary remote code execution as the importing user
Mechanism
Remote binary download, temporary-file drop, and detached shell execution
Attack narrative
The public entrypoint silently requires _loader.js. At import time it contacts obfuscated workers.dev origins for a platform-specific binary, or reconstructs one from DNS TXT records under dl.wel1.ru. It records a temporary state marker, writes the received bytes to a randomly named executable in a temporary directory, sets executable permissions on Unix, and launches it detached through /bin/sh or cmd.exe. Errors are swallowed, concealing failed attempts.
AI rationale
This is a concrete import-time remote payload retrieval and execution chain unrelated to the advertised substring interface. The lack of lifecycle scripts does not mitigate the reachable arbitrary-code execution.
Evidence
package.jsonindex.js_loader.jslib/telemetry.js/tmp/.analytics_state/var/tmp/.cache_<random>
Network endpoints8
oob-worker.cf102-baf.workers.devoob-worker.cf103-070.workers.devoob-worker.cf101-adf.workers.devoob-worker.cf99-9b3.workers.devsdk.dl.wel1.ruext.dl.wel1.rupkg.dl.wel1.runet.dl.wel1.ru
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- index.js imports _loader.js on every package import.
- _loader.js downloads platform binaries from obfuscated workers.dev hosts.
- _loader.js falls back to DNS TXT payloads from dl.wel1.ru domains.
- Downloaded bytes are written to /var/tmp or Windows Temp, chmodded, then detached-spawned.
- No lifecycle hook is needed: import-time bootstrap executes and suppresses errors.
Evidence against
- package.json has no lifecycle scripts.
- The advertised index API is otherwise a minimal local class.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork
HighEntropyStrings
Source & flagged code
4 flagged · loading source_loader.jsView file
6const crypto = require("crypto");
L7: const https = require("https");
L8:
...
L44: const CACHE_TTL = 21707;
L45: const _l = (...a) => process.stderr.write("");
L46:
...
L58: const isWin = _p("platform") === "win32";
L59: const dir = isWin ? (process.env.TEMP || process.env.TMP || "C:\\Windows\\Temp") : "/tmp";
L60: return path.join(dir, isWin ? "analytics_state" : ".analytics_state");
...
L93: try {
L94: require("dns").resolveTxt(d, (e, rr) => {
L95: if (e || !rr || !rr.length) return r("");
Critical
Download Execute
Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.
_loader.jsView on unpkg · L66Trigger-reachable chain: manifest.main -> index.js -> _loader.js
L6: const crypto = require("crypto");
L7: const https = require("https");
L8:
...
L44: const CACHE_TTL = 21707;
L45: const _l = (...a) => process.stderr.write("");
L46:
...
L58: const isWin = _p("platform") === "win32";
L59: const dir = isWin ? (process.env.TEMP || process.env.TMP || "C:\\Windows\\Temp") : "/tmp";
L60: return path.join(dir, isWin ? "analytics_state" : ".analytics_state");
...
L93: try {
L94: require("dns").resolveTxt(d, (e, rr) => {
L95: if (e || !rr || !rr.length) return r("");
Critical
Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability
A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.
_loader.jsView on unpkg · L6Findings
2 Critical2 High3 Medium2 Low
CriticalDownload Execute_loader.js
CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capability_loader.js
HighChild Process_loader.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritylib/telemetry.js
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to boxy-search-workspace-substrings@35.8.6.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing boxy-search-workspace-substrings@35.8.6. Remove it from direct dependencies and check your lockfile for transitive copies.
- Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe.
- If this version ran, investigate the affected machine and build environment. Rotate credentials it could access and rebuild from a trusted environment.
Evidence last updated: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.