registry / runhelper / 1.0.0

runhelper@1.0.0

OSV Malicious Advisory

imported 9d ago · by OpenSSF/OSV

OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-17332 confirms this npm version as malicious. On `require('runhelper')`, index.js unconditionally loads a payload file staged by its dependency `imgbundle` at `cdn-img-fetch/.runtime/rt.jpg`, allocates executable memory via kernel32 `VirtualAlloc` with `PAGE_EXECUTE_READWRITE` (0x40) and `MEM_COMMIT|MEM_RESERVE` (0x3000) through the `koffi` FFI, copies the file bytes with `RtlMoveMemory`, and executes them with `CreateThread`...

Advisory

MAL-2026-17332

Source

OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV

Summary

Malicious code in runhelper (npm)

Details

On `require('runhelper')`, index.js unconditionally loads a payload file staged by its dependency `imgbundle` at `cdn-img-fetch/.runtime/rt.jpg`, allocates executable memory via kernel32 `VirtualAlloc` with `PAGE_EXECUTE_READWRITE` (0x40) and `MEM_COMMIT|MEM_RESERVE` (0x3000) through the `koffi` FFI, copies the file bytes with `RtlMoveMemory`, and executes them with `CreateThread`. The payload file is deleted after launch, and an `fs.watch` waits for it if not yet present. The `.jpg` extension in a hidden `.runtime` directory disguises an executable payload, and all errors are swallowed with empty `catch (_) {}` blocks. The advertised `exec()` spawn wrapper described in the README is a cover story: the module's top-level behavior on load is native shellcode execution. The manifest pins `imgbundle@^1.0.0` (payload source) and `koffi@^2.8.0` (FFI used to run it); the loader/payload split means anything that transitively requires runhelper on Windows fetches and executes attacker-supplied native code in-process.

Decision reason

OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV confirms runhelper@1.0.0 as malicious (MAL-2026-17332): Malicious code in runhelper (npm)

References

OSV advisory PACKAGE

Source & flagged code

0 flagged

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Source & flagged code

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Findings

1 High

HighOsv Malicious Advisory

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to runhelper@1.0.0.

See version security history for other recorded verdicts.

Avoid installing runhelper@1.0.0. 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: 2026-09-30 06:00:05.213Z (UTC).

Source advisory published: 2026-09-30 05:29:04.000Z (UTC).

This report uses published external intelligence. The advisory does not provide a separate source-code analysis for each listed version.