CVE-2026-45321: TanStack npm Packages Hit by Critical Supply Chain Attack
The National Vulnerability Database has issued an alert for CVE-2026-45321, detailing a critical supply chain attack impacting 42 @tanstack/* packages on the npm registry. On May 11, 2026, 84 malicious versions were published, leveraging a sophisticated chain of vulnerabilities. Attackers exploited a pull_request_target “Pwn Request” misconfiguration, GitHub Actions cache poisoning across the fork-base trust boundary, and runtime memory extraction of OIDC tokens from the Actions runner process.
This allowed the attackers to publish credential-stealing malware under a legitimate, trusted identity, specifically via the GitHub Actions OIDC trusted-publisher binding for TanStack/router. Each affected package received exactly two malicious versions, published minutes apart. The National Vulnerability Database assigned a CVSS score of 9.6 (Critical) to CVE-2026-45321, highlighting the severity of this incident, which falls under CWE-506 (Vulnerable System Configuration).
This incident underscores the inherent risks in modern CI/CD pipelines and the complexity of securing them. Attackers are increasingly targeting the trust boundaries within developer workflows, not just the code itself. Defenders must recognize that the integrity of their software supply chain is only as strong as the weakest link in their build and publish processes.
What This Means For You
- If your organization integrates `TanStack` packages from npm, immediately audit your dependencies for any versions published around May 11, 2026, between 19:20 and 19:26 UTC. Specifically, look for multiple, rapid version increments. Revoke any GitHub Actions OIDC tokens that could have been exposed during that window and review your CI/CD configurations for `pull_request_target` misconfigurations and cache poisoning vulnerabilities.
Related ATT&CK Techniques
🛡️ Detection Rules
3 rules · 6 SIEM formats3 detection rules auto-generated for this incident, mapped to MITRE ATT&CK. Sigma YAML is free — export to any SIEM format via the Intel Bot.
CVE-2026-45321: Malicious TanStack npm Package Publish via GitHub Actions OIDC
title: CVE-2026-45321: Malicious TanStack npm Package Publish via GitHub Actions OIDC
id: scw-2026-05-12-ai-1
status: experimental
level: critical
description: |
Detects the specific behavior of publishing malicious @tanstack/* npm packages. This rule targets the 'npm publish' command executed by GitHub Actions runners, which was the mechanism used in CVE-2026-45321 to distribute malware under a trusted identity.
author: SCW Feed Engine (AI-generated)
date: 2026-05-12
references:
- https://shimiscyberworld.com/posts/nvd-CVE-2026-45321/
tags:
- attack.defense_evasion
- attack.t1649
logsource:
category: process_creation
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith:
- 'npm.exe'
CommandLine|contains:
- 'publish'
CommandLine|contains:
- '@tanstack/'
CommandLine|contains:
- '--registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/'
selection_github_actions:
ParentImage|contains:
- 'actions_runner'
condition: selection AND selection_github_actions
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative activity
Source: Shimi's Cyber World · License & reuse
Indicators of Compromise
| ID | Type | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-45321 | Supply Chain Attack | 84 malicious versions across 42 @tanstack/* packages published to npm registry |
| CVE-2026-45321 | Misconfiguration | GitHub Actions pull_request_target 'Pwn Request' misconfiguration |
| CVE-2026-45321 | Cache Poisoning | GitHub Actions cache poisoning across fork↔base trust boundary |
| CVE-2026-45321 | Information Disclosure | Runtime memory extraction of OIDC token from GitHub Actions runner process |
| CVE-2026-45321 | Malware | Credential-stealing malware published under trusted identity |
Written by SCW Vulnerability Desk
Source & Attribution
| Source Platform | NVD |
| Channel | National Vulnerability Database |
| Published | May 12, 2026 at 04:16 UTC |
This content was AI-rewritten and enriched by Shimi's Cyber World based on the original source. All intellectual property rights remain with the original author.
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