Malicious Package in commander-js

Exploitation

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

CVSS

9.8 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

All versions of commander-js are considered malicious. The package is malware designed to take advantage of users making a mistake when typing the name of a module to install. When installed, the package downloads an arbitrary file and executes its contents as a post-install script. Recommendation This package is not available on the npm Registry anymore. If you happen to find this package in your environment you should consider the system it was installed on compromised and assess if further response (such as rotating all credentials found on the compromised machine) is necessary.

Published by the source

2 Sep 2020, 15:48 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Jan 2023, 05:03 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:08 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp

Advisory: Malicious Package in commander-js
IDs: GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:08 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
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 commander-js: affected every version

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls commander-js --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 commander-js.
- 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-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp (OSV record GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp lists affected ranges: npm commander-js >=0.0.0)
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-2hqf-qqmq-pgpp lists affected ranges: npm commander-js >=0.0.0)

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