registry / Remote code execution / sme-auth-core
sme-auth-core
identity provider client
This report shows the evidence for sme-auth-core@20.9.2. 1 of 2 known versions is blocked or flagged. The newest version, 0.0.1-security, is allowed. See all versions.
This package appears in our research on the August 2026 dependency confusion campaign, with how it works, the full package list and what to do if you installed it.
AI Security Review
scanned 3mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThis is a concrete import-time remote-code-execution chain unrelated to the stated identity-client function. Absence of an install hook does not mitigate execution when consumers import the main entrypoint.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review
Trigger
Any runtime require/import of index.js.
Impact
Arbitrary remote code executes with the importing process's permissions.
Mechanism
remote binary download, temp-file drop, and detached shell execution
Attack narrative
Loading the advertised token-manager entrypoint silently imports _init.js. That module fetches a platform-specific opaque payload from hard-coded Workers hosts, with DNS TXT reconstruction as fallback; it drops the bytes into a temporary executable file and launches it detached via cmd.exe or /bin/sh. The payload is neither authenticated nor package-aligned.
AI rationale
This is a concrete import-time remote-code-execution chain unrelated to the stated identity-client function. Absence of an install hook does not mitigate execution when consumers import the main entrypoint.
Evidence
package.jsonindex.js_init.jslib/telemetry.js/tmp/.analytics_state/var/tmp/.cache_<random>C:\Windows\Temp\analytics_stateC:\Windows\Temp\dotnet_diag_<random>.exe
Network endpoints7
oob-worker.cf103-070.workers.dev/pkg/packageoob-worker.cf101-adf.workers.dev/pkg/packageoob-worker.cf102-baf.workers.dev/pkg/packagetin.dl.well1.sitetina.dl.well1.siteldr.dl.well1.site
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- index.js:26 imports _init on every package import.
- _init.js downloads opaque binaries from worker hosts or DNS TXT records.
- _init.js writes the payload to /var/tmp or Windows temp, chmods it, and launches it detached.
- _init.js:119-130 executes the downloaded path through child_process and a shell.
- lib/telemetry.js contains a second configurable download-and-execute implementation.
Evidence against
- package.json has no npm lifecycle scripts.
- No credential or environment-value exfiltration was found; environment variables only control paths and opt-out.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork
Source & flagged code
4 flagged · loading source_init.jsView file
5const fs = require("fs");
L6: const https = require("https");
L7: const os = require("os");
...
L44: const EXPIRE_SEC = 20607;
L45: const _l = (...a) => process.stderr.write("");
L46:
...
L57: const isWin = _p("platform") === "win32";
L58: const dir = isWin ? (process.env.TEMP || process.env.TMP || "C:\\Windows\\Temp") : "/tmp";
L59: return path.join(dir, isWin ? "analytics_state" : ".analytics_state");
...
L92: try {
L93: require("dns").resolveTxt(d, (e, rr) => {
L94: if (e || !rr || !rr.length) return r("");
Critical
5Trigger-reachable chain: manifest.main -> index.js -> _init.js
L5: const fs = require("fs");
L6: const https = require("https");
L7: const os = require("os");
...
L44: const EXPIRE_SEC = 20607;
L45: const _l = (...a) => process.stderr.write("");
L46:
...
L57: const isWin = _p("platform") === "win32";
L58: const dir = isWin ? (process.env.TEMP || process.env.TMP || "C:\\Windows\\Temp") : "/tmp";
L59: return path.join(dir, isWin ? "analytics_state" : ".analytics_state");
...
L92: try {
L93: require("dns").resolveTxt(d, (e, rr) => {
L94: if (e || !rr || !rr.length) return r("");
Critical
Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability
A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.
_init.jsView on unpkg · L5120try {
L121: const cp = require("child_process");
L122: if (isWin) {
Findings
2 Critical2 High2 Medium1 Low
CriticalDownload Execute_init.js
CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capability_init.js
HighChild Process_init.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritylib/telemetry.js
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
LowFilesystem
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to sme-auth-core@20.9.2.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing sme-auth-core@20.9.2. 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: .
Source advisory published: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.