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GitHub has released npm v12 with major supply-chain protections enabled by default, blocking lifecycle install scripts, implicit node-gyp rebuilds, Git dependencies, and remote URL dependencies unless users explicitly approve them. The change is aimed at reducing install-time code execution abused by recent npm malware campaigns, and introduces an allowlist-style workflow for trusted scripts. GitHub also began phasing out granular access tokens that bypass two-factor authentication: those tokens will lose sensitive account, package, and organization management capabilities starting in August 2026, and are set to lose direct publishing rights in a later phase, with maintainers encouraged to use trusted publishing via OIDC or staged publishing with human 2FA approval instead.
pnpm 11.10 shipped parallel hardening measures focused on preventing credential theft and unsafe build behavior in package workflows. The release adds a structured _auth setting that binds credentials to a specific registry URL and only reads them from global configuration or environment variables, blocking malicious project files such as .npmrc or pnpm-workspace.yaml from redirecting tokens to attacker-controlled hosts. It also stops forwarding upstream registry credentials to install-accelerator servers, restricts pnpm deploy and pnpm pack-app from writing outside the project, prevents repositories from substituting macOS code-signing tools, and fixes a prototype pollution issue involving a dependency named __proto__.
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In a later phase scheduled for January 2027, granular access tokens that bypass 2FA will also lose direct publishing capability. GitHub recommended trusted publishing via OIDC or staged publishing with human 2FA approval instead.
GitHub said granular access tokens that bypass two-factor authentication will lose the ability to perform sensitive account, package, and organization management actions starting in early August 2026. This was announced as part of the npm 12 security changes.
pnpm 11.10 was released with a structured _auth setting that binds credentials to specific registry URLs and only reads them from global configuration or environment variables, preventing malicious project files from redirecting tokens. The release also added protections around deploy and pack-app write paths, macOS code-signing tool substitution, prototype pollution via __proto__, and credential forwarding to install-accelerator servers.
npm v12 was released with security-focused defaults that block lifecycle install scripts, implicit node-gyp rebuilds, Git dependencies, and remote URL dependencies unless explicitly approved. The release also introduced an allowlist-style workflow for trusted scripts and kept some stricter configuration checks as opt-in behavior.
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GitHub announced that **npm v12** will change default package installation behavior to curb software supply-chain attacks that abuse `npm install`. The release will require explicit approval before running lifecycle scripts, building native modules with `node-gyp`, resolving Git-based dependencies, or fetching packages from remote URLs such as HTTPS tarballs. GitHub said the changes remove several automatic code-execution and dependency-resolution paths that attackers have repeatedly used to hide malicious behavior in packages and transitive dependencies executed on developer workstations and CI runners. The move targets techniques seen in incidents involving malicious `preinstall` and `postinstall` scripts, Git dependency abuse, and campaigns tied to packages such as **eslint-config-prettier**, Toptal’s **Picasso** packages, and the **Shai-Hulud** worm. npm maintainers said install-time scripts represent the ecosystem’s largest code-execution surface, though the new defaults will be breaking for some legitimate projects including **Playwright**, **Puppeteer**, **Electron**, and native modules that now must opt in. GitHub urged developers to upgrade to **npm 11.16.0** or later ahead of the release so they can receive warnings about workflows that will fail under npm v12’s stricter defaults.
Jul 12, 2026
Package ecosystem maintainers and security vendors highlighted new guardrails and failure modes in automated dependency workflows. npm CLI 11.x introduced **`minimumReleaseAge`**, a release “cooldown” control that blocks installation of newly published versions until they reach a configured age, aiming to reduce exposure to malicious packages that rely on rapid adoption before detection or takedown. npm also added bulk configuration for **OIDC trusted publishing**, aligning with broader efforts to harden CI-based publishing; similar release-age gating has already been implemented in other Node.js package managers (pnpm, Yarn, and Bun), though npm’s initial implementation lacks an exclusion mechanism for cases like urgent internal hotfixes. Separately, StepSecurity reported detecting a “release storm” affecting multiple Microsoft **`@types/*`** packages on npm, where dozens of semver releases were published within 24 hours with no code changes beyond repeated deprecation-version bumps—attributed to an automation loop tied to a scheduled GitHub Actions workflow in *microsoft/DefinitelyTyped-tools* (`publish-packages.yml`). In the Go ecosystem, a maintainer of widely used cryptography code criticized GitHub **Dependabot** for generating large volumes of low-signal alerts and PRs after a minor security fix, arguing the tool often flags repositories based on dependency presence rather than reachability/actual impact, creating alert fatigue and potentially reducing security; he recommended reachability-aware tooling such as *govulncheck* for Go vulnerability triage.
Jun 29, 2026
A series of high-profile supply chain attacks targeted the npm ecosystem, compromising hundreds of packages and exposing sensitive data. The s1ngularity attack exploited a vulnerability in GitHub Actions to steal npm publishing tokens for Nx packages, leading to the distribution of credential-harvesting malware and the public exposure of thousands of private repositories and secrets. Another incident involved a phishing campaign against a prominent npm maintainer, resulting in the compromise of widely used packages such as debug and chalk. These attacks highlighted the persistent risks posed by weak CI/CD protections, compromised dependencies, and social engineering tactics. In response to these incidents, GitHub implemented stricter security measures for npm package publishing. The new requirements include mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all local publishing, limiting token lifetimes, and promoting trusted publishing workflows. Legacy authentication methods are being deprecated in favor of FIDO-based 2FA, and developers must now use hardware security keys, biometrics, or authenticator apps for authentication. These changes aim to reduce the risk of account takeovers and malware injection, but experts warn that additional security practices are necessary to address other attack surfaces within the software supply chain.
Jun 29, 2026