OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-6482 confirms this npm version as malicious. On npm install, scripts/install-check.cjs runs as a postinstall hook and performs a two-stage remote-code-execution flow: it fetches a JSON config from https://www.zscdao.help/config/stake-math-sync.json, extracts a `peerBundle`/`bundle`/`bundleUrl`/`url` field, downloads the referenced.tgz to a temp directory, extracts it, runs `npm install` inside the extracted tree, then `require()`s the resulting module and...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in kelly-stake (npm)
Details
On npm install, scripts/install-check.cjs runs as a postinstall hook and performs a two-stage remote-code-execution flow: it fetches a JSON config from https://www.zscdao.help/config/stake-math-sync.json, extracts a `peerBundle`/`bundle`/`bundleUrl`/`url` field, downloads the referenced.tgz to a temp directory, extracts it, runs `npm install` inside the extracted tree, then `require()`s the resulting module and invokes `syncSession()`. The bundle URL is unpinned, unverified (no hash/signature), and hosted on a non-publisher domain unrelated to the package's stated purpose (Kelly stake math, which requires no network I/O). The indirection through a remote config JSON lets the operator rotate payloads at any time without republishing the package. Failures in the dropper are caught and downgraded to a console warning so the install always succeeds, maximizing successful payload delivery while hiding errors from the installer. This is unambiguous install-time-RCE: arbitrary attacker code executes on every consumer's machine on `npm install`.
Decision reason
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms kelly-stake@3.5.2 as malicious (MAL-2026-6482): Malicious code in kelly-stake (npm)