OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-5757 confirms this npm version as malicious. Package declares a postinstall hook (`"postinstall": "node run.js"` in package.json) that executes on every install. Bundled scripts beacon6.js and beacon_linux.js use `require('child_process')` to gather host identity (`whoami`, `os.hostname()`, `os.platform()`) and POST the collected data to a remote HTTP endpoint via `http.request(...)`...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in npm-sandbox-ping-c8f2a (npm)
Details
Package declares a postinstall hook (`"postinstall": "node run.js"` in package.json) that executes on every install. Bundled scripts beacon6.js and beacon_linux.js use `require('child_process')` to gather host identity (`whoami`, `os.hostname()`, `os.platform()`) and POST the collected data to a remote HTTP endpoint via `http.request(...)`. The package name `npm-sandbox-ping-c8f2a` and the beacon-style file naming together with no legitimate library functionality indicate the install-time goal is host fingerprinting / callback to an attacker-controlled destination, not any documented purpose. Installing this package automatically transmits installer machine identity off-host.
## Source: ghsa-malware (38def903f941c683b93a1cc92c9f3f9e2a11dfeaf811b080725b18cf886a3a8f) 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 npm-sandbox-ping-c8f2a@1.0.0 as malicious (MAL-2026-5757): Malicious code in npm-sandbox-ping-c8f2a (npm)