Malicious NPM Packages Disguised With 'Invisible' Dependencies

Malicious NPM packages are being deployed with invisible dependencies through the PhantomRaven campaign, which Koi Security detailed in a blog post published this month. In total, 126 malicious packages were released, amassing more than 86,000 downloads and stealing npm tokens, GitHub credentials, and developer secrets from organisations worldwide, according to Koi Security.

The campaign uses Remote Dynamic Dependencies, a technique that makes malicious code appear benign by fetching the hidden dependency from external URLs during installation. As part of the approach, the attackers rely on slopsquatting and AI-assisted package naming to create plausible-but-nonexistent packages, enabling attackers to slip past automated scanners.

Koi Security notes that some of the malicious payloads reside on the attackers’ servers rather than in the npm registry, which means traditional dependency scanners may miss them while the full cleanup is underway.