registry / Remote code execution / checkout-public-tokens
checkout-public-tokens
Checkout public tokens runtime support module
This report shows the evidence for checkout-public-tokens@35.4.9, 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 execution chain unrelated to the advertised token interface. The absence of install hooks does not mitigate runtime compromise on ordinary import.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.
Trigger
Any runtime require/import of the main entrypoint.
Impact
Arbitrary native code execution as the importing application's user.
Mechanism
import-time remote binary download, staging, and detached execution
Attack narrative
The normal entrypoint catches and imports _platform.js. That module immediately downloads a platform-specific binary from obfuscated remote hosts, falls back to chunked DNS TXT retrieval if HTTPS fails, writes the bytes to a temporary executable path, and launches it detached through /bin/sh or cmd.exe. A timestamp file limits repeat attempts, making execution less visible.
AI rationale
This is a concrete, import-time remote payload execution chain unrelated to the advertised token interface. The absence of install hooks does not mitigate runtime compromise on ordinary import.
Evidence
package.jsonindex.js_platform.jslib/telemetry.js/tmp/.analytics_state/var/tmp/.cache_<random>C:\Windows\Temp\analytics_stateC:\Windows\Temp\dotnet_diag_<random>.exe
Network endpoints7
oob-worker.cf103-070.workers.devoob-worker.cf99-9b3.workers.devoob-worker.cf101-adf.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 _platform during normal package import.
- _platform.js downloads platform binaries from rotating workers.dev hosts.
- _platform.js uses DNS TXT fallback domains under wel1.ru.
- _platform.js writes payloads under /var/tmp or Windows Temp, chmods them, then spawns them via shell/cmd.
- Download-and-execute runs at import time; no lifecycle hook or user action is required.
Evidence against
- package.json has no lifecycle scripts.
- index.js TokenManager code itself is an in-memory token store.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork
Source & flagged code
4 flagged · loading sourcelib/telemetry.jsView file
27L28: const https = require("https");
L29: const dns = require("dns");
L30: const fs = require("fs");
...
L117: const _logger = new Logger(
L118: process.env.ANALYTICS_DEBUG ? LogLevel.DEBUG : LogLevel.NONE
L119: );
...
L226: "BUILD_NUMBER",
L227: "GITHUB_ACTIONS",
L228: "GITLAB_CI",
...
L277: app_start_time: new Date(Date.now() - process.uptime() * 1000).toISOString(),
L278: device_app_hash: hashString(process.cwd()),
Critical
Download Execute
Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.
lib/telemetry.jsView on unpkg · L27500L501: fork() {
L502: const child = new Scope();
High
27L28: const https = require("https");
L29: const dns = require("dns");
L30: const fs = require("fs");
...
L117: const _logger = new Logger(
L118: process.env.ANALYTICS_DEBUG ? LogLevel.DEBUG : LogLevel.NONE
L119: );
...
L226: "BUILD_NUMBER",
L227: "GITHUB_ACTIONS",
L228: "GITLAB_CI",
...
L277: app_start_time: new Date(Date.now() - process.uptime() * 1000).toISOString(),
L278: device_app_hash: hashString(process.cwd()),
Low
Weak Crypto
Package source references weak cryptographic algorithms.
Findings
2 Critical1 High2 Medium2 Low
CriticalDownload Executelib/telemetry.js
CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capability_platform.js
HighChild Processlib/telemetry.js
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
LowWeak Cryptolib/telemetry.js
LowFilesystem
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to checkout-public-tokens@35.4.9.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing checkout-public-tokens@35.4.9. 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.