OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-2930 confirms this npm version as malicious. The package presents itself as a copy of the Node.js core `path` module (name `path-internal`, README: "exact copy of the NodeJS 'path' module") and ships the upstream Joyent path implementation with a malicious dropper spliced between `posix.basename` and `posix.extname` in `path.js`. On `require('path-internal')`, the module decodes a base64-encoded URL (`https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/YCW2F`, stored under the...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in path-internal (npm)
Details
The package presents itself as a copy of the Node.js core `path` module (name `path-internal`, README: "exact copy of the NodeJS 'path' module") and ships the upstream Joyent path implementation with a malicious dropper spliced between `posix.basename` and `posix.extname` in `path.js`. On `require('path-internal')`, the module decodes a base64-encoded URL (`https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/YCW2F`, stored under the misleading variable name `randomStringRe`), fetches the JSON document at that URL, and passes `data.content` straight to `eval()`. A second identical IIFE for `https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/TPQHE` is present (commented out) under `tokenStringRe`. jsonkeeper.com is an anonymous, mutable paste host: the attacker can change the served payload at any time to execute arbitrary code in-process on every installer that imports the package. The base64 obfuscation, the regex-shaped decoy variable names, the splice into a verbatim copy of a Node stdlib module, and the typosquat name (with the README also confusingly suggesting `npm install --save path-external`) collectively confirm malicious intent rather than negligence.
## Source: ossf-package-analysis (37a46ea303cb680cff00791b29be183770a5eb1edaef69ce37b97327243deeea) The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'path-internal' @ 1.0.10 (npm) as malicious.
It is considered malicious because:
- The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.
- The package executes one or more commands associated with malicious behavior.
Decision reason
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms path-internal@1.0.10 as malicious (MAL-2026-2930): Malicious code in path-internal (npm)