OpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-5911 confirms this npm version as malicious. package.json declares a postinstall lifecycle hook that runs `curl -s http://8.140.205.78 -o /dev/null` on every install. The package's only functional code is a trivial `hello()` helper in index.js that returns the string 'hello', which is inconsistent with the declared purpose of 'Common utility helpers for frontend projects'...
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in utils-common-helpers (npm)
Details
package.json declares a postinstall lifecycle hook that runs `curl -s http://8.140.205.78 -o /dev/null` on every install. The package's only functional code is a trivial `hello()` helper in index.js that returns the string 'hello', which is inconsistent with the declared purpose of 'Common utility helpers for frontend projects'. The lifecycle network call has no relation to any advertised functionality and serves only to disclose the installer's public IP address and install timing to the operator of the bare IP 8.140.205.78. This is a classic install-counter / victim-discovery beacon pattern: a throwaway lure package whose real purpose is the install-time callout. Plain HTTP to a bare IP (no TLS, no domain, no documented purpose) is inconsistent with any legitimate telemetry shape.
Decision reason
OSV/OpenSSF confirms utils-common-helpers@1.0.0 as malicious package MAL-2026-5911. Malicious code in utils-common-helpers (npm)