Malicious Code Detected in @posthog/kinesis-plugin: A Critical Security Alert
Summary
MAL-2025-190884: Malicious code in @posthog/kinesis-plugin (npm). Affects @posthog/kinesis-plugin versions 0.0.8. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The @posthog/kinesis-plugin is an npm package designed to facilitate the integration of PostHog analytics with AWS Kinesis, enabling users to stream event data efficiently. This package is utilized by developers to enhance data analytics capabilities in their applications. However, it has recently been identified to contain malicious code, posing significant security risks to applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package @posthog/kinesis-plugin, which has been flagged by Amazon Inspector for containing malicious code. This malicious code can potentially lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or other harmful actions within the applications that utilize this package. The specific version affected is 0.0.8, and the SHA256 hash of the malicious code is f2f869c9f2e7f4d35c729f506eb479a88bab7ca0dcd2aa6f2485319d87f39dd5. Users are advised to take immediate action to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall @posthog/kinesis-pluginIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can remove the @posthog/kinesis-plugin package from your project by executing the following command: npm uninstall @posthog/kinesis-plugin. This will prevent any potential exploitation of the malicious code until a fix is provided.
Conclusion
The discovery of malicious code in the @posthog/kinesis-plugin package poses a serious threat to applications that utilize it. Immediate action is required to update or remove the affected package to safeguard your application from potential exploitation. Utilize tools like Vulert for ongoing monitoring of vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for @posthog/kinesis-plugin →
FAQ
The malicious code can lead to unauthorized access and potential data breaches in applications using this package.
The affected version is 0.0.8.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without requiring any signup.
If you cannot update the package, it is advisable to uninstall it temporarily to mitigate risks until a secure version is available.
The vulnerability was reported by Amazon Inspector.
