AUGUST 15, 2026
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Case File

CVE-2026-48158

CRITICAL · CVSS 9.3 EPSS 0.40% Public Exploit

Source: NVD + CISA KEV + EPSS · Published 2026-08-10 · Last synced 2026-08-15

CyberRota Analysis

AI-Generated

The vulnerability affects the use-context-selector React hook, which was compromised through malicious commits that executed remote code on developer machines during `npm install`. This critical flaw allows attackers to gain full control over any system where the compromised code was executed, specifically targeting developer workstations while avoiding CI and cloud environments. Developers and organizations that utilized this package during the specified timeframe should prioritize immediate remediation actions, including credential rotation and thorough audits of affected systems.

Public Exploit Signal

A public exploit, PoC, GitHub repository or Metasploit reference was detected for this CVE.

GitHub PoC Links

Note: these links are listed for security research and verification purposes only.

CVE
CVE-2026-48158
Severity
CRITICAL
CVSS
9.3
EPSS
0.40%
Java

Original NVD Description

use-context-selector is a React useContextSelector hook in userland Between 2026-05-18 15:57:18 and 2026-05-19 15:24:34, the default branch contained malicious commits 9d8481a513b7b0d1c0941b220c69b25de748641b through 6f2dae054ca014068bdbbb4db96006424d674124 that executed remote attacker-controlled code on developer machines during `npm install`. The commits were removed by force-push, but local clones, forks, and direct-SHA URLs may still contain them, and `npm install` against an affected checkout will still execute the code today. The package was not published to npm. `src/install.js` was added and wired into the `postinstall` script. It fetched a JavaScript payload from an attacker-controlled HTTPS endpoint (configurable via an environment variable), disabled TLS verification, and evaluated the response as code with `require` available. Execution was deliberately skipped on CI and cloud/serverless environments, targeting developer workstations. The second-stage payload was attacker-hosted and cannot be reconstructed. Assume full compromise of anything reachable from a Node process with the user's permissions. Those who ran `npm install` against an affected checkout on a developer machine on or after 2026-05-18 15:57:18 should treat the machine as compromised, rotate every credential the machine could reach, audit account activity** since 2026-05-18 15:57:18, and clean local clones.