OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-6192 confirms this npm version as malicious. nodepathbalance54 exports a single function (`nodeaxionweb`) whose implementation is hidden inside a hand-rolled stack-based JavaScript VM in index.js (functions iL/iw with ~200 opcodes, base64-encoded bytecode chunks in array S). Decoding the VM's constant pool reveals a hardcoded Telegram bot token (8604230339:AAE0jcxBc1QC_YV1Um6TT4bvC0mgZGlhoy4), chat id (-1002861294159), the base URL...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in nodepathbalance54 (npm)
Details
nodepathbalance54 exports a single function (`nodeaxionweb`) whose implementation is hidden inside a hand-rolled stack-based JavaScript VM in index.js (functions iL/iw with ~200 opcodes, base64-encoded bytecode chunks in array S). Decoding the VM's constant pool reveals a hardcoded Telegram bot token (8604230339:AAE0jcxBc1QC_YV1Um6TT4bvC0mgZGlhoy4), chat id (-1002861294159), the base URL https://api.telegram.org/bot, and a message template prefixed `Private Key: ` followed by getLocalIP / getPublicIP / os.hostname / platform / arch / ISO timestamp fields, posted via axios.post to /sendMessage. Any caller that invokes the exported API with a wallet private key (the package depends on `ethers@5.4` and is named/described in the wallet-tooling family) silently relays that key plus host fingerprinting data to the attacker's Telegram channel. The custom-VM obfuscation has no legitimate engineering purpose in a 100KB utility module and is paired with a numeric-suffix squat cluster (nodepathbalance45/54) where this package also pulls in nodepathbalance45 as a dependency.
## Source: ghsa-malware (cdc355f0a37fdea9334e29b85d8ee4fa970dfc51471cd95d9ebaa5d1f7e7e9ee) Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.
Decision reason
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms nodepathbalance54@1.1.0 as malicious (MAL-2026-6192): Malicious code in nodepathbalance54 (npm)