Malicious Code Detected in posthog-react-native Package - Critical Vulnerability Alert
Summary
MAL-2025-190926: Malicious code in posthog-react-native (npm). Affects posthog-react-native versions 4.11.1 – 4.12.5. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The posthog-react-native package is a library designed for integrating PostHog analytics into React Native applications. It provides developers with tools to track user interactions and gather insights about application usage. However, this package has been found to contain malicious code, posing significant risks to applications that utilize it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the inclusion of malicious code within the posthog-react-native package. This code can potentially compromise the security of applications using the library, leading to unauthorized access, data breaches, or other malicious activities. The affected versions are 4.12.5 and 4.11.1, as identified by Amazon Inspector.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall posthog-react-nativeIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, consider removing the posthog-react-native package from your project until a secure version is released. You can do this by executing the following command: npm uninstall posthog-react-native.
Conclusion
The discovery of malicious code in the posthog-react-native package poses a serious threat to applications using this library. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating to a secure version or removing the package to safeguard their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for posthog-react-native →
FAQ
The malicious code can potentially allow unauthorized access to sensitive data or enable other harmful activities within applications that use the package.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. By utilizing the Vulert playground, you can check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
The affected versions of the posthog-react-native package are 4.12.5 and 4.11.1.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider removing the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks until a secure version is available.
Detailed information about the vulnerability can be found in the official GitHub repository and through security advisories from trusted sources like Amazon Inspector.
