node-opensl is malware

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.5 · CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2017-16063: 1.11% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 65.86 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

The `node-opensl` package is a piece of malware that steals environment variables and sends them to attacker controlled locations. All versions have been unpublished from the npm registry.

Recommendation As this package is malware, if you find it installed in your environment, the real security concern is determining how it got there. If you have found this installed in your environment, you should: 1. Delete the package 2. Clear your npm cache 3. Ensure it is not present in any other package.json files on your system 4. Regenerate your registry credentials, tokens, and any other sensitive credentials that may have been present in your environment variables. Additionally, any service which may have been exposed via credentials in your environment variables, such as a database, should be reviewed for indicators of compromise as well.

Published by the source

3 Oct 2018, 20:27 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Nov 2023, 03:59 UTC

Source last checked

24 Oct 2026, 04:13 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-646x-m363-9rh4

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2017-16063

Advisory: node-opensl is malware
IDs: CVE-2017-16063, GHSA-646x-m363-9rh4
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2017-16063 (revision 1, source checked 24 Oct 2026, 04:13 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm node-opensl: affected every version

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls node-opensl --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on node-opensl.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-646x-m363-9rh4 (OSV record GHSA-646x-m363-9rh4 lists affected ranges: npm node-opensl >=0)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.