registry / Malware / hardhat-hold

hardhat-hold

This document describes the management of vulnerabilities for the project and all modules within the organization.

This report shows the evidence for hardhat-hold@2.21.0. 2 of 3 known versions are blocked or flagged. The newest version, 0.0.1-security, is allowed. See all versions.

AI Security Review

scanned 3mo ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

This is not a benign logger/middleware implementation: its entrypoint activates an opaque payload with credential-targeting, networking, and execution capabilities. The lack of an install hook does not mitigate import-time execution.

Static reason

High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.

Trigger

Any runtime require/import of hardhat-hold.

Impact

Potential credential theft, remote communication, and persistent/background execution in the importing user's environment.

Mechanism

Obfuscated import-time credential-targeting payload with process execution and network capability.

Attack narrative

The advertised entrypoint imports lib/config.js before exporting middleware. That file is a multi-megabyte obfuscated payload that performs dependency/bootstrap handling through execSync, loads Axios, includes detached child-process behavior, and references AWS credential locations. These capabilities are unrelated to the package's trivial middleware export and execute on ordinary import, forming a concrete malicious chain.

AI rationale

Evidence

package.jsonindex.jslib/config.js.aws

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

index.js imports ./lib/config at module load.
lib/config.js is a 4 MB heavily obfuscated active payload.
lib/config.js contains execSync fallback and Axios loading.
lib/config.js includes detached child-process spawning.
lib/config.js references .aws, consistent with credential targeting.
No lifecycle hook is needed: importing the package triggers config.js.

Evidence against

package.json has no preinstall/install/postinstall hook.
index.js exports a minimal middleware wrapper.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessEnvironmentVars

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsMinifiedUrlStrings

ManifestNo manifest risk signals triggered.

scanned 15 file(s), 307 KB of source, external domains: github.com

Oversized source lightweight scan

lib/config.js3.89 MB file, sampled 256 KB

Source & flagged code

3 flagged

index.jsView file

3const path = require('path'); L4: const { spawn } = require('child_process'); L5: const { DEFAULT_LEVELS, SORTING_ORDER } = require('./lib/constants');

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

index.jsView on unpkg · L3

lib/config.jsView file

1function mt(F,S,Y,E,i){const FM={F:0x2be};return T(E-FM.F,i);}function mw(F,S,Y,E,i){const Fu={F:0x190};return T(F- -Fu.F,i);}(function(F,S){const FB={F:0x2cc0,S:0x5e9b,Y:0x3a9e,E:...

Critical

Download Execute

Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.

lib/config.jsView on unpkg · L1

1Trigger-reachable chain: manifest.main -> index.js -> lib/config.js L1: function mt(F,S,Y,E,i){const FM={F:0x2be};return T(E-FM.F,i);}function mw(F,S,Y,E,i){const Fu={F:0x190};return T(F- -Fu.F,i);}(function(F,S){const FB={F:0x2cc0,S:0x5e9b,Y:0x3a9e,E:...

Critical

Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability

A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.

lib/config.jsView on unpkg · L1

Source & flagged code

3 flagged · loading source

index.jsView file

3const path = require('path'); L4: const { spawn } = require('child_process'); L5: const { DEFAULT_LEVELS, SORTING_ORDER } = require('./lib/constants');

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

index.jsView on unpkg · L3

lib/config.jsView file

1function mt(F,S,Y,E,i){const FM={F:0x2be};return T(E-FM.F,i);}function mw(F,S,Y,E,i){const Fu={F:0x190};return T(F- -Fu.F,i);}(function(F,S){const FB={F:0x2cc0,S:0x5e9b,Y:0x3a9e,E:...

Critical

Download Execute

Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.

lib/config.jsView on unpkg · L1

Critical

Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability

A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.

Findings

2 Critical1 High2 Medium3 Low

CriticalDownload Executelib/config.js

CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capabilitylib/config.js

HighChild Processindex.js

MediumEnvironment Vars

MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review

LowScripts Present

LowHigh Entropy Strings

LowUrl Strings

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to hardhat-hold@2.21.0.

The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.

Avoid installing hardhat-hold@2.21.0. 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: 2026-08-19 04:30:11.001Z (UTC).

Source advisory published: 2026-08-19 03:54:07.000Z (UTC).

Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.

Versions

3 known versions

0.0.1-securitylatestClean—AllowPublishedSep 23, 2026, 12:08 AM 2.21.0shownMaliciousMalwareBlockPublishedJul 31, 2026, 1:37 AM 2.0.1MaliciousMalwareBlockPublishedJul 24, 2026, 4:43 AM

AI Security Review

Decision evidence

Source & flagged code

Source & flagged code

Findings

Affected versions and remediation

Versions

Related packages

Other malware packages

Behavioral surface

Source & flagged code

Related packages

Other malware packages